The transition from secondary school to a tertiary education institution is a major crossroads in every student’s journey through the Singapore education system. While all students move to secondary school after the PSLE, they have several distinctively different pathways - called post-secondary education institutions (PSEIs) by the Ministry of Education - to choose from after completing their O- or N-Levels. These include the A-Level route at junior colleges, the diploma route at polytechnics, the Nitec and Higher Nitec pathway at Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and more specialised pathways at the Singapore Sports School and the School of the Arts.
In this article, we highlight the different ways that a secondary school student can start preparing for his or her admission to a tertiary education institution of their choice. While the specifics can differ depending on the pathway, there are some key principles that can prove beneficial for students and their parents to follow in the weeks and months leading up to making their choice of tertiary institution.
Firstly, it’s important for students to look holistically at what each pathway offers, and to see if their areas of interest, strengths and weaknesses, and long-term goals align with the education they are going to get. If a student is particularly strong at or passionate about a certain subject such as Mathematics or the Arts, choosing an institution or course where he or she can develop this interest should be a priority.
Students who prefer a hands-on, practice-based approach to their learning might find the polytechnic route a better fit than junior college, especially if there is a course that they are keen on.
Long-term career goals, while certainly not a must at this point, can also be important guiding principles in helping students narrow down their search and decide on a post-secondary education pathway. For example, a student whose intention is to level up his or her skills in a particular discipline and join the workforce as soon as possible has quite different considerations from another who is thinking of pursuing a postgraduate degree. The former might benefit from choosing an institution which offers less classroom learning and more opportunities for internships where he or she can apply the skills learnt.
As teenagers closing in on young adulthood, students should be expected to do their due diligence and conduct their own research on the differing required qualifications for tertiary education. There is little use in setting your sights on a school or pathway only to fall short because you were not aware of the admission criteria. Students and their parents should both take the time to understand the requirements needed to get through the admission process.
Doing their own research also helps students take ownership of their own decisions and creates tangible goals that they can work towards beyond the usual spur of examination results.
Many tertiary institutions hold open houses over the course of the year for prospective students to get a better understanding of the courses offered, the environment of the school, and to answer any other questions students and their parents may have. While much of the admission criteria can be easily found online, there is nothing like seeing the school in-person, getting a sense of the current students and teachers, and hearing about their experiences for the courses that prospective students are considering applying for. Open houses should be an important part of every student’s research process, as they can be of great help in further narrowing down a student’s set of choices.
In doing their research on admissions criteria, students will almost certainly find out how their CCA and other extracurricular achievements can give them a leg up in getting into their desired tertiary institution. For example, CCA enables students to deduct a maximum of 2 points off their O-level gross aggregate score, a boon especially for those who are slightly off by 1 or 2 points from the cut-off mark.
CCA also acts as a bridge to top schools through the Direct Schools Admission route based on a student’s talent in the field, such as football, athletics or volleyball. Students who might not be as academically inclined as their peers but shine athletically can leverage their talent as an asset when applying to potential schools.
Beyond CCAs, students should also pay attention to their holistic development, whether that is through giving back to the community or taking up leadership roles as part of the class committee or their CCA. MOE’s LEAPS 2.0 framework offers a clear structure that students can work towards in their secondary school years through the four domains of Participation, Service, Leadership and Achievement. Tertiary institutions also consider a student’s holistic development in the admissions process, and notable achievements in the various domains should be highlighted.
Choosing the right tertiary education institution is a momentous decision that will shape the futures of most students. Students should aim to be prepared and enter into that decision with eyes wide open. The earlier and better students understand the requirements for admission, the smoother the process will be.
Preparation for the O-Levels and the admissions process into tertiary education institutions after is straightforward when you have got the right academic tools. At The Learning Lab, our mission is to put these tools into the hands of our students, from classroom content and examination techniques to good study habits and foundational life skills. Find out more about our comprehensive O-Level preparation programme here.