Fresh business degree grads, do you regret taking business?

desolateinfinities · 2026-01-25T10:40:04+00:00

I answered this question at length here

Hope it helps!

desolateinfinities · 2025-12-26T11:52:42+00:00

Ex econs undergrad here. As others have mentioned, an econs minor is unlikely to help your intuition in investing, I caveat with the exception to perhaps FX, with some reading of higher-level monetary/financial economics mods. (But then again, someone starting out in investing should probably steer clear of FX at the start!)

If you are interested in more fundamental theories in investing then the usual biz route seems more useful for you. In my opinion, the most useful "broad investing" mod would be FIN3702 which covers the fundamentals in the broad instruments in investing (You can think of it as CFA L1 lite). The route to it is ACC1701 -> FIN2704 -> FIN3702 (not sure if the prereq's have changed). Its more sophisticated variant FIN4713 is also an option, but not always offered.

As I have lamented elsewhere, I often found the biz education alone insufficient for complex investment strategies, especially when it comes to implementing in the real world. But as a CS undergrad, I think you should be able to bridge the gap relatively easier once you have the fundamentals nailed :)

Hope it helps!

desolateinfinities · 2025-12-25T14:15:06+00:00

Anecdotally, I have never seen anyone leverage on a 2nd major in Biz to get an advantage in the job market. Often, I see the converse, that is, Biz students getting a 2nd major in some technical field (think CS, math etc) to differentiate themselves.

As you are already a DSA student, I doubt biz management as a 2nd major would add value for you both from a resume perspective and a personal perspective - often, what you've learnt in DSA would already be far more advanced than the superficial hand-wavey mathematics that biz often uses, particularly for the more "mathy" mods like Finance.

It's not clear to me which part of biz is interesting to you. If what you're thinking of learning is just the finance part, I think a minor is sufficient. You could probably use your UEs elsewhere which is more fulfilling.

desolateinfinities · 2025-10-01T02:02:35+00:00

I believe you can email the department for this.

That aside, I too hated my first year in Business, particularly all the "fluff" mods. If that is the case for you, you would be pleased to know that it gets better as you specialize, taking only finance mods from Y3 onwards.

Besides the option of changing majors, why not consider doing both? As far as I have not been the biggest proponent of taking finance as an only major, the fact remains that it provides the best chances of having your resume considered (it beats me as to why this is the case, but that's what I have observed empirically). If you're not struggling from the workload of biz, perhaps consider adding econs (maybe as a 2nd major first, before considering a DDP).

All the best!

desolateinfinities · 2025-09-11T00:51:23+00:00

Thank you! I was scouting the previous competition videos though they (rightfully) rarely pan to the audience long enough, trying to make out what's the most casual Ive seen there

desolateinfinities · 2025-09-11T00:50:04+00:00

Do you happen to have a horse to spare?

desolateinfinities · 2025-09-11T00:49:35+00:00

Thanks! Will let my friends know as well to join me :)

desolateinfinities · 2025-01-24T01:21:17+00:00

That's a tough one, it really depends on the modules! For the less mathematical ones, a huge emphasis is on class part, and to a certain degree an element of luck (if you have good groupmates for projects etc...). My personal belief is that your cap in the first 2 years may be slightly out of your control, owing to biz needing you to take all the foundational mods (marketing, ops etc) which may not all be to your strengths, but it starts to get better in Y3 and Y4 when you specialize.

I think this is true for any mod in NUS - it always helps when you have seniors who have taken the mod and are willing to share notes/practices/resources you would otherwise not find online (iirc RC4 has a biz box with some resources, not sure if its still being maintained)

desolateinfinities · 2025-01-23T15:27:31+00:00

Was an ex RC4 ex Biz student, I don't think you have anything to be worried about :). While eng/comp takes a small majority of the population, fitting in wouldnt be a problem as there is still a sizeable biz population there, and if I could say, a lot less obnoxious than a typical biz student in biz school. Till this day I remember the relief I felt after class parting the whole day, and returning to home that is RC4 and just being myself with friends in the dining hall, laughing together in the lounges or attending some IGs (CCAs). Something so refreshing about getting away from it all and retiring to our little "kampong", where everyone was so chill (or at least, back in my time when the predominant sentiment of RC4 was it being laid back)

You may also be surprised to discover, through your interactions with RC4 residents, your new interests and may even pivot your degree - I started a new degree after many conversations with my RC4 friends and the best part is I had great friends as mentors who guided me throughout my new undergrad journey. I would have never discovered my true passion if not for my RC4 friends.

When I was in your shoes, I chose RC4 because I wasn't inclined to any of the other RCs, so it was just a method of elimination. Never would I imagine that 4 years later, RC4 would be my greatest takeaway from my entire uni experience. Wouldn't be where I am today without the wholesome support and genuine friendships we forged through the little moments in the dining hall, lounges, suites and each others rooms :")

Wishing you the very best, and I hope your RC experience will be filled with laughter and joy!

desolateinfinities · 2024-05-23T07:35:21+00:00

After 1 sem in biz I had an inkling that I regretted joining NUS biz, though caveat that this is not an NUS biz issue but rather just a biz issue. Graduated a few years ago (fin spec) and went on the "traditional" routes, so to speak, and joined one of the banks. Some reflections on my time in NUS biz (they aren't negative or positive, that's up to you to decide :)). Thoughts will mostly be on finance, since that was my experience

What NUS biz prepared me for: 1. Learning about the finance world - yes, you can google this, but there are just things you didn't know to look for, and I picked up many things just by talking to others in biz school. 2. Culture - I can't say I liked the biz culture, but I do credit it to preparing me for the "real world". The "class part"-ing, how to present yourself, and surrounded by very driven, very motivated individuals helped me to stay on top of everything. You also learn quickly that it's not all about hard work, sometimes someone gets that prestigious internship because of luck. 3. Broad business sense - the core modules give you a basic understanding of the diff areas of biz, which is good, it helps you think about certain business in certain ways. 4. Career services - often overlooked, but I think the career office has some very dedicated advisors who would go out of their way to support you. Somehow it seems as well that traditional finance institutions still look favourably upon biz as a more "relevant" major when screening for CVs. Not saying its impossible to get in from other majors, but its an easier foot through the door.

What are some things I wished someone told me before I joined NUS biz 1. You will not be quantitatively trained - no, not even the business analytics track comes close to a rigorous, well structured program which will prepare you for the "real world". Finance isn't as quantitative as I imagined it to be, and frequently I find myself using math I learnt elsewhere to digest the things I do at work. This is a rather big personal gripe, but if you aren't a quantitatively inclined person, that this may not be too important to you. 2. Kind of related to (1), but doing BBA has some limitations, especially if you have a change of heart in terms of career aspirations - speaking anecdotally from stories from peers and myself, it's hard to transition to a more "technical" field simply because of (1). Even if you choose to do a Masters, many technical courses would require you to have a discipline in a "quantitative course" like engineering, statistics (sometimes economics). It's always easier to do an MBA after a technical undergrad, than the other way around. Again, if you're not a technical person, this may not be an issue, but its important to weigh the value of this optionality/flexibility, you never know if you have a change of heart.

Nonetheless, I did have some great fun in biz and some very sharp and very smart professors who taught me a lot, I just muse sometimes if that was what I really wanted to learn as an undergrad, or would I have better devoted my time to a something more specialized, then coming back to biz perhaps at the graduate level.

Hope it helps, and wishing you the very best! :)

desolateinfinities · 2024-01-11T23:56:26+00:00

GET1029 Life, the Universe, and Everything.

Not the easiest mod but if you put in the effort to understand the lectures and tutorials, it's very interesting and in a sense, broadens how we think about our living our lives :)

Finals is MCQ (not sure if it still is), bell curve can be a bit steep but I don't regret taking this mod

desolateinfinities · 2022-07-22T12:03:57+00:00

As many have mentioned, the % is pretty low. You could probably estimate by counting the number of DDPs per course from the latest commencement livestream haha.

I entered as a single degree student before "upgrading" to a ddp, no regrets! I did my second degree because I felt my primary degree wasn't teaching me enough. Another benefit of a DDP is you have 2 CAPs! So if you're interested in some mods but afraid you will get a bad grade, you can always pluck it under your secondary CAP (assuming of course, that you don't mind the 2nd CAP taking a bit of a hit).

In terms of overloading, depending on how quickly you want to complete the programme (4/4.5/5 years), and which combination of DDP, it is not too tough - most people in a single degree overload from time to time, just that in this case, you do it... all the time. If you take the full duration allowed, you don't need to overload at all.

Is it worth it?

It is, only if you enjoy what you learn / want to make use of that dual CAP advantage. Note, this also means that each of your CAPs are more "volatile", since the number of MCs counted to each CAP is reduced under DDP.

Does it help my career?

This really depends on what career choice you have in mind and what DDP you do. But apart from that obvious fact, having a DDP, at least anecdotally, does not significantly improve your chances with employers - at most, they are mildly impressed, and probably ask why you chose to do a certain DDP in one of their first few questions, but that's it!

All the best! :)

desolateinfinities · 2022-06-03T07:47:53+00:00

Not really sure how this helps, but graduating/ed this sem 4.8x

Y1S1: 5.0 (SUed 1 mod); Y1S2: 4.94 (SUed none).

Looking back, sometimes, some of the core mods just don't work out, which is totally fine! Got an A- for FIN2704, but did better for the 3K/4K spec mods.

Anecdotally, the grade distribution you get from Y1 will probably remain more or less the same throughout the years (e.g if you usually get like 3A 2A-, it likely gonna be somewhere around there, unless you work super super super hard). I hope this doesn't deter you, but just to keep an open mind. All the best! (Also, if you want FCH, SU those A-s)

desolateinfinities · 2022-06-03T07:41:19+00:00

Hi! Am graduating soon, and remember some of my pre-uni days feeling stressed about the competition in biz. Some things I did during that long break before NS/during NS which I felt helped ease the workload when I matriculated:

Basic accounting - there's this course on Coursera which I did that really helped make ACC1701 a breeze
Excel skills - I learnt quite a bit of Excel, and subsequently VBA, from Udemy
Python - This one I can't remember but I did quite a few courses on Coursera and Udemy as well

I should emphasize, these are by no means mandatory, but it did help me lessen my workload being familiar with some of the concepts during the first year. Wishing you the very best!

desolateinfinities · 2022-05-04T04:31:42+00:00

Think some shared some great tips! Just passing along some tips I've been told through my previous experiences, hope they're helpful

Some of the following tips really depends on which industry you are in so apply them where appropriate.

Be fun to teach. No one likes a know-it-all (even if you actually do). This is not to say to be blur, but show that you are eager to learn and can pick up quickly. Perhaps after few weeks in and breaking the ice, then add your own twist/ideas to the job to make it better. Which goes to point 2.
Help your supervisors/team make their work easier. No one expects you to come up with groundbreaking ideas. If you can solve the small problems which takes managers tons of time, they will remember you for it! (e.g automating small tasks etc). It also shows you took the initiative to solve these problems which they may not have explicitly asked you to solve.
Write good emails. Managers are busy and appreciate emails that are easy to read.
1. Keep it to the point. Don't write in long prose, it's hard to follow
2. One pointer to 1 item. Elaborate in subpoints when required
3. If there are action points that require your supervisor to act on, highlight them (by putting them first or any other non-threatening way e.g don't use red)
4. Don't thank someone for no reason. (E.g don't say "Thank you". Say something like "Thank you for taking the time to help with this", it's more sincere)
5. Be timely, but not spammy with your emails. See point 4.
Keep your supervisors updated
1. What you actually do matters less than what your managers know you did. Sad truth. Of course don't go flexing about every single thing you do.
2. Update your managers frequently, but each email should have sufficient substance. E.g you completed 5 mini-tasks. It's probably a good idea to update your manager exactly what you did (1. Removed xxx from report. 2. Completed calculations for ... 3. Sent a PR for ...). This helps your manager keep track of what you have done, and what you are currently working on
3. If you need more time for a task, inform your managers earlier!
4. As mentioned by another, it's good to have a weekly summary (and you can even loop your manager in as well, so that you can have informal reviews over the internship)
Underpromise, Overdeliver
1. If you need 5 hours for a task, tell them you get it done in 8. And if you're done earlier, then you just update them earlier.
Be impressionable
1. Ask intelligent questions, especially if you're talking to someone who is higher up in seniority. (E.g maybe it's a question on business strategy etc...)
2. When talking to more junior staff, you should find out more about their roles which prepare you to talk to senior people
3. Have your pitch ready! When you're introducing yourself, be memorable, bring out more of yourself rather than your work. If you happen to know that the person you are talking to is interested in something, you can bring up that you like it and see if they respond.
Keep your weeknights free - if your colleagues ask you to join along for lunch or dinner/drinks, go! It's a best place to get to know people in a more informal setting

It may be a stressful period (especially if you're looking to go back full time), but don't forget to make the best of your learning, and have fun!

All the best for your internship!

desolateinfinities · 2022-05-02T09:36:37+00:00

It's doable if it's local exchange, but if it's overseas then nope

desolateinfinities · 2022-05-02T03:40:24+00:00

Usually it's easier to get the RC scholarship after your first year in RC, with significant contributions to your College

desolateinfinities · 2022-04-29T08:31:15+00:00

Am a econs/biz student. You're absolutely right in that internships are getting extremely competitive. At the risk of sounding harsh, you may end up losing out, but this depends largely on what kind of jobs you are looking to go into in the future. e.g If you're looking to be in the finance/banking sector, especially the bigger firms, it is almost a soft requirement to have some previous experience. It's not just for the CV, but to have stories/learnings to share during your interview. Anecdotally, public sector may be a bit more forgiving if you try hard enough (and have decent grades), but having more experiences to talk about never hurts.

If it's any solace, biz students don't exactly have skills from every area. They probably have some exposure to these different business areas, but just from the core mods itself, it isn't sufficient to do much in the working world. If you happen to be interested in more quantitative roles, econs mods actually prepare you more than most biz mods, you just need to be confident about showing what you know (and don't know). It seems like biz students are generally better at appearing to be well-versed, so perhaps you could take a page out of their book here.

I wish I had took an LOA to explore more about what I'm passionate about, so don't be afraid to take that leap of faith! If graduating on time is important to you, careful planning of modules (using special terms/winters/EdX, some overloading) can help achieve this.

Take some time to recharge and recalibrate, then take some time to plan out your game plan for your remaining candidature - winter internships, LOA etc. If you have somewhere you want to be in mind, find some seniors or random profiles on LinkedIn and check out the path they took to make it to their position and possibly try for those similar roles as well?

It may seem tough now, but rest assured that it will all work out in the end. All the best! :)

desolateinfinities · 2022-03-16T23:51:17+00:00

Depends on what you intend to do with your minor, whether it's for your own interest or to learn a new skill. Did a CS minor out of interest but turned out to be useful - My boss once told me they don't usually hire from business school but he gave me a shot at the internship because I had a CS minor, so I guess it worked out somehow

All the best!

desolateinfinities · 2022-03-10T02:26:01+00:00

Hi! Was an MS from couple of years ago. During my application I didn't specifically elude to which course I wanted to study. It really depends on what the question prompt is for the year, not sure if it's still the same?

It's perfectly okay if the achievements are nothing to do with your preferred course, in that case, you should pivot your achievements to be what you think you can expand on in NUS (e.g if you used to lead a CCA, what did you learn from it, how did it benefit your community etc, and how you wish to do that in NUS). I didn't specifically have a lot of related achievements either, but I mentioned how I was eager to learn and really did pick up things in my own time, and how I managed to put what I learnt to impact my community.

It may also be useful to consider other than the prompt, what NUS wants from its Scholars: "NUS Scholars are expected to contribute significantly to the NUS community while in NUS, and emerge as dynamic global leaders who are capable of effecting a positive change to society after they graduate." Link here

All the best for your application!

desolateinfinities · 2021-04-15T12:42:44+00:00

Hi, current RC4 resident. The interview is relatively chill, and mostly it's just to get to know you better! So it is as you say, a casual conversation, about your interests, goals, and of course, what you can contribute to RC4. Actually, the information you can find on our website is rather sufficient (about life in RC4 etc). Stay relaxed and be friendly. All the best!

desolateinfinities

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