A message for those who failed to land their dream university course

By thickip


Please do not compare yourselves with others who have managed to get into their dream course, wondering at length what went so wrong and how you could have further shored up your university application in hindsight. Let's face it, an individual's score/reference letter/interview only serves as a sketchy barometer of his/her aptitude for whatever he/she desires to study, not forgetting admissions officers do sometimes err during the selection process. Which is why society always encounters a handful who qualified for exceptionally prestigious disciplines such as Medicine or Law but aren't even the least bit cut out to be doctors or lawyers. Seriously, what gives?


Maybe you were too stressed out in junior college to perform adequately at the 'A' Levels, hence falling short of the academic requirements established by the university (please remember these cut-off points arise because there is too much competition for a limited number of places, nothing more). Or perhaps your personal statement just didn't particularly inspire on a certain fated day it was reviewed, blah blah blah. Truth is, numerous factors remain beyond your control as to why you lucked out.


That being said, if you are adamant about going down this road regardless, yet your family can't afford an overseas education, entering a polytechnic or redoing your 'A' Levels is always worth considering. Indeed this shall be a far longer route attempted, your resolve will be severely tested - might you therefore rise to the challenge or falter along the way? Well it's only you who know yourself best.


The same holds true for those who aspire to attend university but whose applications have unfortunately been rejected time and again. While it is perfectly normal to mope and feel depressed, you must learn to move on eventually and seek alternatives.


To folks who got what they wanted first time round, I feel it is still important to reflect on whether you are a good fit for things and what you strive to come away with at the end of it all. How likely are you to pursue a career relevant to whatever you have learnt? Would you succumb to extraneous opportunities offering better pay prospects in a heartbeat?


University education or lack thereof, remember success happens only as a consequence of well-defined goals in life, and one's steadfast focus on achieving them.


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