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@Nebbermind said in Me Time!:
you ladies are still around!!
Surprise , Surprise. Long time no “see”.
I do log on to check once every 10-20days… if I can remember…
But it’s so quiet here, a dying forum…sad to see the once vibrant ksp dying as a result of a changed forum format
SMU graduates in high demand by employers: Graduate employment survey
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/smu-graduates-in-high-demand-by-employers
SMU graduates in high demand by employers. According to the report, their students are highly sought after because their education model caters to what the employers want, relevant and has a lifelong impact.
Once DH met up with a friend who just returned from US. He told DH that the job displacement is already happening in US and at a very aggressive pace. Prior to that, a job that needs 10 accountants may only need 3 now. In Singapore, we are always slower than US so we have yet to see it here but I guess it’s just a matter of time.
Maybe long working hours, burnt out and low pay attributed to your friend having difficulties to retain good accounting staff.
I posed the same question to my daughter who replied that she had no idea what the Accountancy course entails.
As DD2 has similar interests as her elder sister, so likely will choose either Biz Ad or Economics.
Reasons for not picking Accountancy because accountants work long hours (9am to 2am?) regularly and the pay does not justify the long hours put in. DD2 once mentioned accountancy is a sunset industry. I guess she meant the mundane work can be handled by AI in the near future thus reducing the number of human accountants.
Most people told me can be tax compliance officer, but if most people think the same way, are there enough tax compliance roles to go around?
Thanks for sharing. Oh I didn’t know that most SMU Accounting students are not interested in Big 4. I always thought it’s natural that Accountancy graduates would want to go Big 4 as their 1st job.
Ya, could be due SMU pedagogy or under senior’s influence to go into high finance / investment banking. Maybe this also explains why SMU graduates’ starting pay are higher than those fed into Big 4.
I did ask my dd2 to consider Accountancy but she is not keen citing various reasons. Maybe I can tell her there is NO NEED to be an accountant and can look to go into investment banking using her accountancy degree.
In my view, career trajectories are subject to too many variables such as the macro economic situation, one’s luck and choices or even parental connections, which do not provide a good reflection of the universities’ capacity to teach and prepare its students for the real world.
Indeed, the IGPs looks scary for NUS as compared to other AUs, but at the end of 3-4yrs, the median salary for Accountancy graduates for NUS, NTU, SMU and SIT are similar. Unless NUS Acct graduates can command a much higher premium otherwise it would not be worth the while. Similar comparison could be applied to other faculties, including Law.
Employers likely have employed graduates from all the 6 local unis before so they should know what are the fresh graduates worth.
Yes yes, SMU law very good, NTU med also very good. 
Based on the employment survey link I attached earlier, for SMU law and NUS Law fresh graduates, their median salaries are exactly the same at $7000, which means in the eyes of the employers, both are of equal standing.
Last year DD1 took part in the Uni admission exercise, so I actively asked around to solicit different opinions of the universities. Most of them commented that NUS fresh grads are more theoretical.
As for NTU vs NUS med, I am not that familiar but I think their teaching pedagogies and approaches are different. Sometimes we keep going back to the same GP is because of the empathy the GP offers not because GP was from xx uni?
As to why I think NUS law and med are more popular, could be due to their long standing history, reputation and stronger alumni network. Just my personal opinion and I could well be mistaken in my views.
SMU : Business, Econs, Accountancy
NUS : Law and Medicine
NTU : Engineering
Different universities different strengths.
I am pleasantly surprised to learn that for friend’s son in SUTD, his exchange program went to Stanford. Another friend’s daughter graduated from SIT Accountancy, first job landed in Big Four. All the 6 local universities are good and highly recognised, even for the newly established ones. Our universities have come a long way.
Ya, there are many factors when choosing a Uni. Like hostel experiences, Uni reputation, distance, feedback from seniors…. After all, the kids put in efforts to get to where they are so their views matter. If got scholarship can take, the money your DD saved over 3-4 years, she can have savings to invest (down payment for EC, prime BTO, a new car…)
https://blog.seedly.sg/graduate-starting-salary-nus-ntu-smu-sutd-sit/
Not sure which uni course you are referring to but I shall use an example, say Accountancy.
If we look at the MEDIAN starting pay of NUS, NTU and SMU Accountancy graduates with Honors:
NUS Accountancy $3,600
NUS Accountancy (Hons) $4,200
Employment rate 96.5%
NTU Accountancy (Hons) $3,600
Employment rate 96.6%
SMU Accountancy $3,900
SMU Accountancy (Cum Laude and above) $4,500
Employment rate 96%
If your DD is looking to take Biz, Accountancy, Econs, SMU could be a good choice. The employment rate for new Acct graduates is the same, with or without Hons. SMU’s median starting salary is the highest, which means employers are willing to pay more to hire SMU graduates. I will also seriously consider NTU because out of the 3, it is the only one that allows one to complete Accountancy with direct honors within 3yrs. But if you are looking for world ranking, then of cos NUS. 
The lady being interviewed was an invited guest who can’t say much negative stuff otherwise.
The example I shared earlier was posted in June 2024 on XHS by a SM1 scholar.
One can’t compare the thinking of PRC scholars 20yrs ago vs those today…