DO NOT go to a JC just because your L1R5 happens to fit the bill.

A young individual who prefers to be known by her online moniker Purplekitten offers sound, mature advice for recent 'O' Level graduates who are contemplating the 'A' Level pathway. Clearly, as someone who has been through the system, she knows what she is talking:

"DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go to a JC just because your L1R5 happens to fit the bill.


There were people in my class from combined sciences, and I saw them really struggling to catch up with everyone else. Their foundation is weaker because they have missed out on a lot of important concepts taught only for 'O' Level pure sciences. The end result? A couple dropped to poly after a year, and the rest barely scrapped through their actual 'A' Levels.


Of course, I'm not saying that it's impossible for people to score well for 'A' Levels sciences if they only took combined sciences/"easier" subjects in secondary school because there are always exceptions, I'm just pointing out that it would be a lot harder to keep up.


As for the people who are still choosing between poly and JC, this are the questions to ask yourself :Are you the mugging type? Can you take 2 years of hard work and hardcore mugging? Are you willing to put in the required effort for the rigorous JC syllabus? Did you find 'O' levels manageable?


if the answers to most of the questions are 'no', then you are NOT cut out for a JC. JC is not an easy path, and some people are really not the JC type. As mentioned, I have friends who are doing so much better in poly after dropping out of their first year in JC.


I can't provide much insight about polys, but yeah, this is my 2 cents for JC.


For those choosing JCs: things to consider are (getting really tired of typing this..)


1) Culture (Is the school the mugging or playing type? are you easily influenced by your peers?)


2) Distance (How far away is the school? 1hour? 2hours?)


3) Environment (will you enjoy it there? Is it conducive to study in?)


4) Cut-off (Does your R5 reach the minimum R5 of the school? How likely are you to get in?)


So yep. Peace out.


THANK YOU PURPLEKITTEN FOR ALLOWING US TO REPRODUCE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE.


The Czar (Site Founder)

Dated 17 January 2014


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