London School of Economics (LSE) or NTU Double Degree

[sleepy]

Picolo:

Another thing is, how long will be her career span? Nobody can answer this question. I have a sis-in-law with a First class honors from NTU Accountancy. After she gave birth to her first child, she changed totally. Ok, not totally, but from a perfect commitment to work to a perfect commitment to her new-born child. A few months after she became a new mother, she reckoned that she couldn’t balance motherhood and career and gave up the latter. It’s ok when you choose NTU, not so ok if you are to choose LSE.

That is a very real consideration, especially if your niece chooses to work in this sector. It's due to the nature of work. Long hours and tight deadlines. Realistically it's indeed hard to balance motherhood & career.

I stopped working for the same reason too, at the prime of my career. After so many years, my mum would still drop comments like 'so wasted' once every two month. Fortunately I funded all my studies otherwise there's no way she would allow me to stop working. Negative ROI :evil:

[verykiasu2010]

sleepy:

Picolo:

Another thing is, how long will be her career span? Nobody can answer this question. I have a sis-in-law with a First class honors from NTU Accountancy. After she gave birth to her first child, she changed totally. Ok, not totally, but from a perfect commitment to work to a perfect commitment to her new-born child. A few months after she became a new mother, she reckoned that she couldn’t balance motherhood and career and gave up the latter. It’s ok when you choose NTU, not so ok if you are to choose LSE.

That is a very real consideration, especially if your niece chooses to work in this sector. It's due to the nature of work. Long hours and tight deadlines. Realistically it's indeed hard to balance motherhood & career.

I stopped working for the same reason too, at the prime of my career. After so many years, my mum would still drop comments like 'so wasted' once every two month. Fortunately I funded all my studies otherwise there's no way she would allow me to stop working. Negative ROI :evil:

where got negative ROI ? when your kids turn out to be scholars and become million$$ minister, your IPO return very high rate leh !! Pre-IPO investment cannot be so short term thinking lah, tell your mum

[sleepy]

verykiasu2010:

where got negative ROI ? when your kids turn out to be scholars and become million$$ minister, your IPO return very high rate leh !! Pre-IPO investment cannot be so short term thinking lah, tell your mum

:xedfingers: :lol: :lol:

[pinky]

sleepy:

verykiasu2010:

where got negative ROI ? when your kids turn out to be scholars and become million$$ minister, your IPO return very high rate leh !! Pre-IPO investment cannot be so short term thinking lah, tell your mum

:xedfingers: :lol: :lol:

yalor, and when they start giving out dividends, ah..... :boogie:

[rosemummy]

verykiasu2010:

Economics study need not necessarily be academic with no earthly value


It also depends what u major in at the final year

some of them are very brilliant bankers, and after working in private sectors know how the economy work, becomes good policy makers in admin service or government

A economics degree definitely have a lot of value. Many bankers have a degree majoring in economics, particulary those in research or strategic positions.

But all these years, there's only 1 banker who joined the admin service. And he's an enginering doctorate from Cambridge, not an economist. However, there're many bankers, including those with economics degree, who do sit on government boards or committee.

verykiasu2010:

on the other side, accountancy can be studied without going to NTU or NUS or SMU. Give me anytime an ACCA graduate I will prefer them to the bookworm from the local U (of course not all are book worm, please don't flame me)

Local U graduates must still do something similar to the final modules of ACCA or its equivalent, under the regulation from ICPAS.

Based on what I've heard from headhunters, most blue chip local companies have a strong preference for those with a local accountancy degree. Some have refused to even interview those with ACCA. This is also consistent with what I've heard from hiring managers from several of those organisations. If you look at CFOs from the billion dollar club, how many of them have just an ACCA?

[rosemummy]

Picolo:

Dear ChiefKiasu, Rosemummy, verykiasu2010, Sporemum, Carebear, 30plus, MummyThreeStreams, Chenonceau, Sleepy, markfch, LOLMum,etc.


Thanks to everyone who have chipped in and allowed me to kick your brains. I am very touched by the responses, some even from KSP heavyweights. To go or not to go, it is definitely not a no-brainer, given my sis’ financial status and our ignorance of how relevant is the LSE degree to a young lady’s career in Singapore.

One part of me wants to tell her, go for your dreams. I believe LSE and life overseas will shape her to become a more confident and articulate person. I believe the experience will stretch and give her a fully rounded education. She is very committed and serious about her work, all the time, and I think a first class honors or second upper should not be difficult for her to achieve if she is to take up the NTU double degree course. She just consulted her Economics teacher, who herself an alumna of LSE and MOE scholar, and had managed to clear First class in Year 2 (fantastic, right?). She also has the chance to find out more from her GP tutor, whom ex-student is now studying in LSE and her tutor is still in touch with his mother. Judging from the responses from the tutor (she knows my niece a lot better than the Econs teacher), she believe that my niece will have no problems managing the studies there. Moreover, depending on the modules you choose, sometimes you only need to attend school 3 times a week. We also found out that my sis can fund the first year of her LSE, the rest she’ll have to raise through a scholarship, part-time or vacation jobs, or a loan. My niece sent her Econs teacher some Q&As pertaining to studying in LSE but didn’t ask for her opinions as to which option she feel may work better for her, so she didn’t get that bit from her.

But, another part of me feels that my sis may be taking a big risk to send her daughter overseas. Honestly, we do not know how badly my niece wants to study in LSE (but we’ll find out soon and inform you guys), and nobody knows if she will get to repay my sis if she has to come out with the year 2 & 3 monies for her. I mean, anything can happen along the way, right? Should my sis buy a life insurance for her daughter to hedge against the risk? From now till the school starts, will she still have a chance to get a scholarship somehow? At least, in this way, she can be secured of a job when she comes back, and this option does not put a burden on herself as well as her family. For your info, she went for PSC and MAS scholarships but failed the final rounds. I think it has to do with her interview skills. She was quite happy to learn from her tutor today that she can brush up on her interview skills by attending some courses. If she has a chance to try out other scholarships again, she would stand a better chance of being selected.

Another thing is, how long will be her career span? Nobody can answer this question. I have a sis-in-law with a First class honors from NTU Accountancy. After she gave birth to her first child, she changed totally. Ok, not totally, but from a perfect commitment to work to a perfect commitment to her new-born child. A few months after she became a new mother, she reckoned that she couldn’t balance motherhood and career and gave up the latter. It’s ok when you choose NTU, not so ok if you are to choose LSE.

Hmmm… headache. But thanks for all the congratulations and well wishes, I agree it is a good problem.

I'm not sure how your sister managed her expectations all these while. I've a friend who told her daughter that she can only go to the overseas uni she was applying to if she gets a scholarship. When she didn't get a scholarship after the deadline for accpetance of the college, she had to turned down the college's offer. She went a semester later after she got a scholarship.

I'm not sure if any of the full scholarship is still open for application now, for those starting this year. If she had already applied, and have yet to receive a rejection, there's still a chance that she'll get an offer between now and the time she starts. How about checking with LSE as to the financial aid they can offer her? I'm not sure what's available at LSE but for private colleges in US, most do meet demonstrated financial needs for successful applicants. Some even offer pretty generous scholarships to those who have indicated they do not require financial aid.

If she don't get a scholarship, and still wants to go to LSE, I strongly suggest that your sister work out her finances before your niece start. I've hear of very heart wrenching stories of those who had to drop out of their overseas studies mid-way because the family ran out of money. 1 possibility is for your sister to spread out what she has over the 3 years instead of paying for her 1st year in full. Your niece can do some part time work (opportunities may be limited in UK these days) and take a study loan to pay for it. Unless your sister had promised to fund her studies in full, I think it's fair for her to take up the loan herself and pay it off after she start work. The family should also have some contingent plan to pay for her studies if this doesn't work out eg taking a second mortgage, downgrading or renting out a room.

Btw, my daughter is also studing overseas, but in US.

[Edureach]

ACCA is not an easy exam to clear especially if one pursues it on part-time. However recruitment companies have preference for grads from NUS/NTU. The latter are meant strictly for high A-level scorers.


That’s why ACCA is still regarded as 2nd class.

[verykiasu2010]

Edureach:

ACCA is not an easy exam to clear especially if one pursues it on part-time. However recruitment companies have preference for grads from NUS/NTU. The latter are meant strictly for high A-level scorers.


That's why ACCA is still regarded as 2nd class.

Strictly meant for high A-level scorers is artificially created situation due to the warped admission policy of controlling the number of vacancies, just like dentistry, law, and medicine

[Edureach]

verykiasu2010:

Edureach:

ACCA is not an easy exam to clear especially if one pursues it on part-time. However recruitment companies have preference for grads from NUS/NTU. The latter are meant strictly for high A-level scorers.


That's why ACCA is still regarded as 2nd class.

Strictly meant for high A-level scorers is artificially created situation due to the warped admission policy of controlling the number of vacancies, just like dentistry, law, and medicine

Isn't it fair to all wishing to read the most popular disciplines?

Must have the real liao to compete just like in a work place.

[UncleLim]

LSE definitely if financial issues can be managed.


It is not just a matter of university brand name. It is getting a chance to let this girl escape our small town mentality and education, and having a shot at being a global citizen. I am not pro western culture wholesale but, that said, she will have her eyes opened to a bigger world stage and Economics plus other subjects will be a wonderful education.

Whether it be getting a degree, learning a new skill like cooking or a foreign language… all these are building blocks for the younger generation Singaporeans to achieve vocational mobility. They can live and work in any country where there is a demand. Frankly we cannot assume Singapore to be economically healthy for the decades ahead. So do plan farther ahead … and good luck !