From poly to uni: What you need to know
11 Jan 2025
Other than having a good grade point average, polytechnic students who are looking to progress to universities would do well to demonstrate “holistic” qualities and “aptitude”, among other strengths. Polytechnics have more hands-on, personalised learning and mentorship for their students. From 2025, under RP’s Designing Your Life programme, incoming students will be guided by their lecturers who will use a Stanford-developed design-thinking approach to explore and plan their personal and career goals. NP in 2021 rolled out its Personalised Learning Pathway Minors programme, which allows its students to graduate with specialised minors on top of their diplomas. From 2025, it has expanded the number of available minors. NYP recently launched its Living Lab project, inviting companies to work with its staff and students to develop and test new ideas on campus. TP introduced the “use of adaptive learning platforms to track students’ progress” in real time, as part of personalised learning, said Sng Choon Leng, its director of academic affairs. He said this “will better provide them with valuable vocational and life skills that open doors to a wide range of career and further study opportunities”. SP partnered with Mentoring SG, a national-level office, to launch the first school-based Youth Mentoring Hub. This would give more than 10,000 of its students better access to mentors over the next three years to help them chart their career and life goals. Students who are unsuccessful in their university application may reapply, and stand a better chance if they include new information. RP’s Career Centre said students could take the time before the next application to address the gaps in their previous application. Wendy Lee, the lead education and career coach at NYP’s Centre for Student Support and International Relations, said: “Students who are unsuccessful in their university application should consider gaining meaningful experiences like working, volunteering or taking short courses to develop practical skills, to boost their chances for future university applications.” Louisa Lau, the director of NP’s Office of Immersion and Careers, suggested a number of options to improve the chances. SP’s Department of Student Services also said that polytechnic graduates could explore their options with education and career coaches.
[The Straits Times]