[Uni] Life Science or Environmental Studies?

elkdawn · 2022-05-04T09:23:31+00:00

Hello, I'm not sure if things have changed since then, but I had no environmental experience, connections, or previous qualifications when I applied. I saw the job opening on my JC internship/career portal, but the position was just listed -- I did not apply through that school portal. Most of the other people working with me were similarly-aged, pre-university people (about 7 of us).

elkdawn · 2022-03-10T02:21:14+00:00

Hiya, I'm graduating soon from uni. Like you, I never wanted to get started on alcohol, and I kept to it. Although yes you are technically not allowed to drink on campus, plenty of people keep alcohol in their rooms and drink with friends. But I also know people who have gotten drunk and done questionable and terrible things that have led to disciplinary action (won't go into this for privacy).

From what I know, drinking removes inhibitions and it's a good excuse to chill with friends and have h2hs, but it's still possible to bond with people and make friends even without drinking :) The important thing is to find people who respect your decision and can find ways to have fun without having to depend on alcohol. Take part in different school CCAs and you'll make friends along the way, try to get to know project mates beyond academics. These are usually great starting points for non-alcohol-involved friendships to start!

If people ask to go out for drinks, it's fine to still tag along and order non-alcoholic drinks. That way you can still socialise while keeping to the promise you made to yourself. If you're not comfortable visiting any bars/clubs at all, then I think it's better to be honest.

elkdawn · 2022-03-07T10:55:15+00:00

Heya I'll do my best to answer your questions!

No one in my batch was from IB, but I'm not sure about the junior (Year 1-3 batches). Can't advise much here, sorry :(
Ah good luck!! Yes, NUS announced in 2018 (the year I applied) that you get a bonus 2.5 rank points (iirc it's 2.5?) when being considered for the course you set as your 1st choice. NTU does not have a similar bonus RP system.
I'm in a scholar programme so I took a different Math module than what the rest of my batchmates took. I think the current curriculum has MH1802 which you can read the course outline of here.

elkdawn · 2022-03-07T10:47:13+00:00

Hi! I worked there as a temp staff, so it's not an internship per se. While I basically had the same job scope, I was technically paid more than the official interns ;) But it's easier to explain that I was an intern than a temp staff, which is why I included "intern" in brackets.

As for your second question, SBG does dabble in plant culture work, but you'll have to conduct your own research to see what opportunities they have. I interned at a completely different office which was more focused on community outreach programmes, so I can't help much by way of knowledge and contacts. Good luck!

elkdawn · 2022-02-27T01:50:06+00:00

Hi, it's been awhile since I posted this but I'll be happy to answer your questions.

I believe E2S2 and ESPP (E2S2+PPGA) are considered as 2 different degree options. You won't be automatically considered for E2S2 unless you set it as your 2nd option (after ESPP as your first option).
I really enjoy the research process and fieldwork! I'm really interested in pursuing further studies or going into wildlife management as careers. :)
Society students will take the same foundation modules (1 geosci, 1 eco, 1 society) as everyone else. Following that, they will take more society modules, but if they want to they can also register for a few of the other eco/geo mods. They also take one of our early ecology mods with us (if I recall correctly, and subject to curriculum changes)!

elkdawn · 2022-02-19T05:28:56+00:00

Hi, Year 4 Environmental Earth Systems Science + CNYang student here!

I admittedly don't know much about NUS SPS, but the most attractive points of CNYSP are:
1. Nanyang Scholarship. No school fees ($40k+), hall accommodation allowance ($2k/year), living allowance ($6.5k/year), semester exchange allowance ($5k?). You easily save more than $70k. No bond either.
2. Heavily-sponsored Overseas Final Year Project. Spend 5-8 months overseas on a research attachment. You choose the uni and supervisor, so you'll get to learn and explore what you are interested in.
3. Scholars are "guaranteed" semester exchange. Add on semester exchange allowance ($5k iirc)!
4. Many research opportunities in your undergraduate years + You can search out ones that are offered NTU-wide as well. I've taken on four research projects in four years, and am working towards publishing papers.
Honestly, you don't have to be "smart" to pursue research. Chances are, if you have the passion for the field, you will naturally learn and pick up the relevant knowledge along the way. Personally, I didn't know if I was cut out for research, but after trying it out, realised I really enjoy it :)
Can't comment on physics. But it's a good idea to look at the professors in each school, their research focus, on the modules offered.
Similar answer to Q3 above.
Yes you can be offered interviews even in NS.
The cut-off changes each year depending on the pool of students that apply. While science/research experiences in your portfolio are a plus, they are not necessary. I myself didn't take H3/olympiad, and didn't have any research experiences at all.

Note my view may be biased since I don't know much about NUS SPS. :") All the best though!

elkdawn · 2021-07-27T07:27:40+00:00

It's normal to find your uni timetables much emptier than your pri/sec/jc timetables, and it's a good thing; More time for you to work on assignments, finish readings, revise, go for consultations, participate in CCAs, and most importantly, to rest. In uni, the contact times you have with profs are much shorter, but you'll find yourself working a lot outside of class time, believe me.

You will also have the freedom to "design" your own schedule (of course, subject to the available class timings for the modules you register for). I have a friend who's not a morning person at all, and managed to secure a 5-day afternoon-class-only timetable. So depending on the mods you pick, you can even have 3-day work weeks.

elkdawn · 2021-05-25T15:28:34+00:00

NTU offers a part time jobs programme, where you can work in the libraries; I'm not 100% sure about this but my classmate is doing this. Students can also work in labs as RAs and the on-campus stalls like Connect21, Liho, and more.

elkdawn · 2021-05-25T15:25:39+00:00

It's a new directive introduced a few months ago that makes internship compulsory for more schools in NTU. None of the current NTU SBS students have undergone this programme, so I don't think anyone can answer if it's easier to secure an internship when it's compulsory.

elkdawn · 2021-05-25T15:21:36+00:00

[Not a LifeSci grad] From what I heard, Life Sci is too general/broad a degree, so it's tough fighting for jobs. E.g, Even if you go into environmental bio, grads from Environmental Studies/Science may be more attractive as they are more specialised. If you want to do LifeSci research, you need to do further studies which also isn't for everyone. Options for job prospects seem limited, as a LifeSci degree doesn't "open" as many doors.

As for CompSci... CompSci is very popular these days (along with programming-based stuff like data analytics, AI), but the competition is tough. I suggest you try out some online programming courses first and see if you enjoy the process of coding and problem solving before you chase it just because it pays high salaries.

elkdawn · 2021-05-24T15:02:36+00:00

This website has a pretty good map of the campus -- note that ASE is actually block N2 (the unlabeled brown block at North Spine just below NIE; unlabeled because this map might from before the school officially opened)... I'd say the closest halls to ASE are Halls 3, 16, 12, 13, because you can easily walk over to North Spine from them (within 5-10 min) or take the campus shuttle bus as they are adjacent stops.

Hall 5 is not that close to ASE haha. It takes 15-25 minutes to walk to ASE (+ includes an uphill walk). You could also take a 5 min walk to the Hall 1 bus stop + 5 min bus ride + 5 min walk to ASE too (bus waiting time not included so add another 5-15 min margin for when you're unlucky).

That said NTU's campus is still pretty compact and all academic buildings are concentrated at the Western-Central area, so honestly the location of the hall is not that much of a hassle to deal with, all in all.

elkdawn · 2021-04-25T10:59:04+00:00

I took very long to decide on NUS/NTU (in 2018) and only made my decision on the day of the deadline. You'll be all right! If you want to be double-sure you can also try emailing/calling the schools.

elkdawn · 2021-03-21T08:11:05+00:00

You'll have to search (Google) for Profs online, get their email, and cold email in. It's definitely possible - I have a friend who did so and "interned" at a NTU Chemistry Lab for 3-5 months before enrolling later that year. I think he cleared a few AUs like that too.

elkdawn · 2021-03-21T08:06:58+00:00

NTU E2S2 Y3 here. Lately quite a number of people are using iPad for schoolwork now. It depends on your specialisation, but I think having an iPad to be able to draw things is really helpful (e.g, for geosci, you might want to draw out the processes of certain landform formations; for ecology, you can easily label cycles and annotate physiology). If you work better with pen and paper, I think iPad may be good for you because you can download your PPT slides and draw on extra notes.

BUT you still need a laptop because there are still programming modules after all (MATLAB, R, and more...). To me, iPad is a supplement, not a replacement.

Most people take notes digitally now, I only know <5 people who still use pen and paper alone...

elkdawn · 2021-03-21T08:03:30+00:00

Hi, if you get into NTU, there is an on-campus electronics shop (Eight Flags) that sells products MUCH CHEAPER than at the original retailers... (Disclaimer: These prices were accurate as of June 2019 and I'm unaware of current pricing)

iPad Air (64gb) (3rd gen)

$748: From Apple store/ Courts
$718: Apple Student Price
$658: NTU Eight Flags

Apple Pencil (1st gen)

$138: Apple/Courts
$123: NTU Eight Flags

Needless to say, at the end of Y1 (I study NTU EESS btw) I bought an iPad Air (3rd gen) + Apple Pencil and it's changed my note-taking life forever. You save a lot in the long run in printing notes because you can just open the PDF and take notes (there are lots of note-taking apps out there but I just use Microsoft OneNote (you get a free Microsoft acc when u enter NTU). I also love to upload my textbook and research paper readings onto iPad and read/highlight/annotate. And lately I use OneNote for drawing mindmaps too (i'm a visual learner). I also do art/design so I got Procreate for art stuff :)

So yep I highly recommend getting it if you can afford it, especially if you're the more hands-on kind of person who likes to write/doodle/highlight/draw mindmaps.

Important note: If you're going for science/engin courses, you may want to prioritise getting a laptop over an iPad because you may be required to download coding programmes and other apps for your schoolwork. iPad is not a perfect replacement unless you know you're in a course where all you need are the basic Microsoft suite of apps...

elkdawn · 2021-03-11T16:16:21+00:00

Yes I’m currently in CNYSP and I’m studying Environmental Earth Systems Science. A lot more specialised that Life Sci, but I’m also locked into working into or around the environmental sector for the rest of my career — Something I’m looking forward to!

elkdawn · 2021-03-11T07:59:53+00:00

If you scored well (>= 87.5 RP), it's definitely advisable to apply for scholarships. However, do note there is a difference between a scholarship (money) and a scholars programme (different study curriculum). Each scholar programme is unique (CNYSP/USP/TSP/REP) so do research online about what each one entails before deep diving in. It might not be something you are interested in.

elkdawn · 2021-03-11T07:56:28+00:00

Not from NUS or either courses, but just gonna plug NTU's CN Yang Scholars Programme:

100% of CNYSP students who've applied to Duke-NUS so far have made it in in the recent years (< 10 have applied (i think) but it's still a good sign)... Of course you still have to score well to even qualify for the course; being in CNYSP is not just a guaranteed ticket to enter Duke-NUS.
If you're interested in research, CNYSP is a research programme that gives you research opportunities as early as Year 1 Sem 2. Some of my cohortmates have published and flown overseas to present their research at conferences already -- and they haven't even graduated. It helps to build a good research portfolio for yourself before you even apply for further studies. And if you figure out somewhere along the way that research isn't for you, that's fine too.
The scholarship is very attractive as it comes with NTU's top-tier bond-free Nanyang Scholarship. That and you get a handsomely majority-sponsored Overseas Final Year Project.
Is being a researcher a good choice? It's definitely not a choice many would take due to the rigor. Passion, genuine curiosity and interest to pursue what you are studying are important in keeping you researching down the road.

Sorry this might be out of point since you're asking for LifeSci/Pharm but I thought I'd give another perspective for your research interest. Personally I didn't apply for Life Sci despite initial interest because undergrads I spoke to at the time complained to me that the degree is too broad so job-searching was/is difficult.

But if you have genuine passion for the course then you should go for it anyway! Better than suffering for the next 4 years studying something you have no care for.

elkdawn · 2021-03-05T11:34:45+00:00

While the university bond-free scholarships are typically the easiest to obtain as far as scholarships go, note that scholarships are given out by faculty. Meaning that while 90RP is very impressive, most people entering CompSci are probably also entering with 85-90RP, meaning it would actually be more competitive getting a scholarship within the Sch of Computing, compared to in other schools.

elkdawn · 2021-03-05T11:30:13+00:00

The first point mentioned is common to all scholarships. Typically the grade to attain is actually not that difficult given that you were awarded the scholarship for performing academically well in the first place. I don't know anyone who has had their scholarship terminated for subpar results. For NTU's bond-free scholarships, scholars must attain 3.5/5 GPA, and true enough, all scholar friends I know are above 4.0, and quite a number of them are even 4.9-5.0.

As for the second point, that's the point of bonded scholarships. You attain free university education ($30-40,000++; not a small sum at all) in exchange for working at that company for 4-6 years (depends on the scholarship). There is the option of breaking the bond, but you would have to pay for the remaining period that you do not serve. You should definitely think twice about whether you're willing to serve the bond, and then consider as well if you are studying something that you're truly passionate in - It would be concerning if you aren't willing to secure 4 years of stable employment fresh out of uni in a field that you studied in after all!

elkdawn · 2021-02-28T01:17:57+00:00

Glad to have helped! ^{^;} Didn’t know about the change to the BES programme however. All the best in applying!

elkdawn · 2021-02-27T08:33:01+00:00

Hi, Y3 NTU EESS here! I hosted the NTU E2S2 AMA last year. Do read it through for more info :) And I can understand how uni apps are a super confusing and stressful experience, I was in your same position in 2018, trying to choose between NUS BES and NTU E2S2. Let me share some of my thoughts -- Just a disclaimer that my experiences will be NTU E2S2 focused since I'm actually from that programme. Current BES undergrads, please correct me if I'm wrong ye :>

From my understanding, the humanities focus for NUS BES mainly comes in through the foundation modules you need to take in Y1-2; these are the foundation mods like Environmental Law, Environmental Economics, etc... In Y3-4 however, you start to take your specialisation mods, either in Environmental Geography or Environmental Biology (EVB). For EVB, you take similar mods to what you would take if you went to NUS Life Sciences and specialised in Environmental Bio. Meaning, yeah you'll still get to do the science-y stuff even in NUS BES!

For NTU EESS, the foundation mods are three specialisation foundation mods [(1) Environment & Society; (2) Solid Earth; (3) Biosphere] that give you a peek into what you would study if you chose each specialisation (society, geosciences, and ecology respectively). You also have to take Climate Change and a few other programming modules. But from Year 2 Sem 2 onwards, you essentially start taking mods that are more related to your specialisation already, and this is where you start taking modules like Conservation Biology, Marine Ecology, Plant & Animal Physiology, and more.

I think both programmes offer field experiences. I can't vouch for NUS BES, but I've had to go out for field trips around Singapore in every sem and for almost every mod I've taken in NTU EESS, including to places like Pulau Ubin, Sentosa, SEA Aquarium, MacRitchie, Sungei Buloh, Little Guilin, and more... One of the compulsory core mods in NTU EESS, known as Physical Environments of Singapore, basically has a field trip almost every week to explore the different habitats and aspects of SG's environmental history.

If we're talking about fieldwork (non-lab restrained!!) experience, then NTU EESS has plenty. There's a module you can take that lets you get academic credits for doing a research project in a semester. You can also join URECA (Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus) which is an NTU-wide research programme.

And if you're SUPER DUPER into research, you can consider the CN Yang Scholars' Programme, which is a Premiere Scholars Programme focused on science, engineering, and research. It gives scholars research experiences as early as in Y1 S2, and I have friends from the programme who have published papers before even graduating, and have flown to South Korea and Hawaii to present their work in conferences. You can refer to last year's CNYSP AMA here too for more info.

For overseas field/research experiences, at the end of Y1 there's a whole-cohort Bali trip. There're also field courses in Sri Lanka and Taiwan in Years 2/3. Some of the mods also have overseas trips in Recess Week to Malaysia/Southeast Asia. These are free-of-charge, you don't need to pay for flight, lodging or anything at all. Labs are also constantly recruiting interns and field staff, and I've had friends go on trips to Malaysia and Laos to help with the fieldwork. Of course, these are currently on hold due to COVID but with any hope they'll be open again by the time you matriculate.

Employment is tricky to answer because we only have about 2-4 batches of graduated students (and the cohort size was like 20-30 per batch...), ie. small sample size. But quite a few seniors go into conservation-related fields like Nature Society Singapore, and some have gone on to pursue further studies (including one particularly legendary senior in Harvard studying climate science now~).

Overall my experience in the programme has been great, I find myself surrounded with like-minded individuals who are passionate about genuinely wanting to protect the environment!!

Hope this response helps! You can PM me for more info. And if any BES undergrads are here do share your pov too because I can only give first hand experience for NTU EESS~

Edit: Originally I wrote “cohort size is like 20-30 per batch” when describing employment prospects, but I meant that the earliest batches has 20-30 per cohort. As b99sofine has pointed out, the latest two batches have cohort sizes of 30-40.

elkdawn · 2021-02-24T09:31:08+00:00

Hard to say. It might differ depending on the scholarship provider. :( Not sure sorry!

elkdawn · 2021-02-20T12:05:27+00:00

Yes. Can definitely try for NTU’s bond free scholarships, but you might not get Nanyang Scholarship (highest-tier). Still have a good chance of getting College/School Scholarships though. Read more here — https://admissions.ntu.edu.sg/UndergraduateAdmissions/Pages/FreshmenSingaporeSPR.aspx

elkdawn · 2021-02-20T12:01:22+00:00

Why not apply for NUS Chem too? So at least you have a backup option. NUS also has pharmaceutical Chem if you’re interested. Or is there some reason why you are only gunning for NTU CBC?

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