Choosing whether to go overseas or local for university: Why I regret not going overseas.

When choosing between a local vs an overseas university, there are many different considerations, and choosing where to study can be a difficult choice to make.

On one hand, going to a local university provides the comfort of home and the familiarity of a local education system. However, on the other hand, an overseas university provides immense eye-opening experiences that one may not get locally, especially if you are on a small country like Singapore.

I personally was fortunate to have had a variety of options to choose from after receiving my IB results. I had scored a 41 which put me in a good position to select either the local or overseas option. Some universities were still abit of a stretch (Oxford, Cambridge) but to a large extent, my results alone could have helped me enter almost any university of my choice.

After much consideration, I believed that staying in Singapore for my university education would suit me more. I made the decision to do so based on a few factors:

·      I had plans to start a business in Singapore

·      I did not want my parents to spend a large sum of money

·      I had no idea where I would have gone if I had chosen the overseas path

That was my thought process at that time, but things have since changed, especially due to the onset of the pandemic. Contrary to the common narrative nowadays that due to COVID, it is better to study locally, I do partially regret not travelling overseas for my undergraduate studies.

Do note that the following is not meant to induce any form of defamation against any university or individual but rather just the personal thoughts of the author. The author is from a local university in Singapore though chooses not to disclose it to prevent any non-purposeful defamation.

Reason 1: Heavy focus on studying in Singapore

I can’t speak for everyone but I do feel that studying in Singapore brings about more  academic stress. This comes from competitive peers (due to the bell curve) and the high expectations that students have.

This is not to say that students in overseas universities don’t focus on achieving good grades but that there seems to be a lot more focus on having a balanced experience there.

Often, we hear of local students sharing that their university experience was mostly filled with studying and academic related activities. Students from overseas universities however often share about travels, the new friends they made and the new experiences they had.

I personally would like to have had more diverse experiences during university which I find local universities do not seem to offer much of. From my own experience, most (80-90%) of the time a student in a Singapore university spends is on completing coursework.

Reason 2: Style of education

Again, I can’t speak for all students (as well as all professors and schools) but in my experience, I did not really enjoy the style of teaching in my university.

I felt that the main focus of the lessons was very exam-oriented instead of one with the intent of discovery and curiosity. In some lectures, professors would tell us that simply remembering the content on the slides (which were filled to the brim with words) would be enough to ace the exam – without really explaining the concepts sometimes. This took away the excitement of the process and had a heavy emphasis on the result.

We can contrast this to the experience that my friends share about their overseas experience whereby they have intense debates with their professors and learning seems to be geared more towards encouraging inquisitiveness.

However, I would also like to state that this is not the case for all local professors (especially so for professors not in my faculty or school), the same way I believe there are also not-so-good professors overseas. Even in the university I attended, there are professors who take the effort to make lessons engaging and take deep care for their students. So perhaps it is just my dumb luck for getting those professors that provide minimal care.

Reason 3: Lack of student autonomy

In other countries, we hear of student bodies being able to make decisions for the students and the school. This sense of responsibility helps students to mature and develop the soft skills needed for the working world.

My experience in a local school is very different. Professors and Residential Fellows (Professors living in hostels) seem to control most of the school. They may make decisions without much consultation of the student body and hardly any autonomy is granted to students. This not only includes the academic aspect but also the hostels and residential colleges.

(Cue the recent sagas regarding the local universities)

Reason 4: Mundane University Life

University is supposed to be filled with activities from hostels, clubs and the general university itself.

However, the university experience in my own opinion is pretty “dead” nowadays. There are hardly any activities going on and clubs are mostly online which makes them rather stale. Most hostel activities are cancelled, and even sports/cultural activities are often postponed or restricted. Of course, this is due to the ongoing pandemic and I say this not as a complaint. Nonetheless, going back to point 1, this leads to university life revolving around just studying.

That being said, even classes are online. I’ve heard many freshmen lament about how hard it is to make friends. You can check Reddit forums for more of such experiences.

One cannot help but compare to friends studying overseas with sports events, performances and gatherings.

University life there seems much more vibrant!

Again, I hope this does not make it seem like I am complaining about the governments’ efforts to protect our safety. I also am not trying to spark a debate on which style is right (especially during the sensitive times of a pandemic).

The main point here is that if you accept the risks that the pandemic brings and are looking for a more vibrant university life outside of studying, going overseas could be a good option.

Conclusion:

So yes, that basically sums up my thought process regarding why I somewhat regret not joining an overseas university.

Whilst Singapore provides the comfort of home and familiarity, I can’t help but feel the itch for adventure that the overseas universities seem to offer much more of.

On hindsight, I might have just chosen an overseas university instead.

So, before you decide on which path you want to take, consult seniors in both local and overseas universities! This will help provide you with a more balanced view on the pros and cons of each choice.

All the best!