Singapore Management University

International Students
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<p>i think spencer did a good job in providing an alternative perspective amidst all the hype SMU (in particular its publicity office) is generating</p>

<p>frankly speaking i was almost bought over by their propaganda until i saw spencer’s posts…he might be a little biased, but his comments certainly made me look at this whole issue more objectively</p>

<p>NUS/NTU are still reputable institutions that offer very rigorous programs, something which SMU (whether due to its short history or otherwise) has yet to prove convincely…and the average entry grade for SMU is still lower than the more established/prestigious faculties/courses in NUS/NTU</p>

<p>nowadays i see at least 3-4 half page SMU ads in the local papers every single day…thats kinda over-doing it</p>

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<p>Everyone, I really do need advice! </p>

<p>I have got admission into SMU for their Bsc Economics program? Is it a challenging one? Are the professors good? How are the job placements? Is it a good idea to join?</p>

<p>For the record, I am a good A student. I am looking for an interesting, brilliant academic life for the next four years. Years, which will also promise a comfortable life ahead, in terms of further studies and career.</p>

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<p>A comfortable life is in your hands, not the university’s, regardless of where you go :P</p>

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<p>its pretty impressive to see many varied comments about singapore universities, EVERYTIME…</p>

<p>in my HS,i can say, at least 50% of every senior classes tried to apply to Songapore Univs, including SMU.
Spore Univ. is still highly consider a “good buy”…</p>

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</p>

<p>I’m not sure of SMU’s quality compared to your local universities, but in terms of other public unis in Singapore… (gonna stir up some controversies I think)</p>

<p>Students take law in SMU if they don’t make it to NUS Law. (This comes from the mouth of the current students themselves during Open House)
Students take business in SMU if don’t make it to NTU (or sometimes NUS). Employment from NTU biz is the best compared to NUS and SMU.
Probably the only program in SMU that’s gonna be worth it is the double degree in Law and Business.</p>

<p>But recently, some of my schoolmates have been choosing SMU over the other two because they offer the “American” way of teaching (projects instead of exams). BUT then again… Some of my seniors have been saying that the “American” system is a farce, it’s quite far from the real one over at the States. For e.g., people who are participating in the discussions are asking stupid questions just to get participation marks… But it’s not SMU’s fault, SMU is a new university, I guess Singapore needs time to adjust from the more conventional way of learning to the American one.</p>

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<p>hello. this thread is dead for like 2 years. Is it because no one is going to SMU anymore? lol jk. I just want some information from you guys. Is it hard to transfer from SMU to universities in US? If it is possible,any of you knows the requirements? Actually,i am more interested in studying in US ,but my parents feel that i should start studying in Sg (since i just turned 17 and being a girl)and then transfer to US or take MBA frm there. For your information,I am from Burma,which is very close to Singapore. oh hey i am applying this year =] Anyone willing to reply?</p>

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<p>Well…for the fact… the thread has been a bit of bias. 4 years ago SMU is just a 7 years old university with only 1 graduate cohort in the country. now we are still young (the fact that we are just 11 years old in comparison to the other two) but the school has maintained its strong reputation in Singapore and Asia. </p>

<p>For the fact - SMU has just been recently accredited by AACSB (and I guess this is something that people dont expect coming from a school that only performs for short time) and it also has partnership with CFA. We are on the way to gain EQUIS accreditation. Though partnershiol with CFA and AACSB accrediation may enlight the quality of education that SMU brings, SMU’s success is not marked by these. </p>

<p>SMU has been highly favoured by employers in Singapore, and what I mean is that though we are young, big company like Goldman Sach, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, Blackrock, Citibank, etc have been recruiting SMU students. To a certain extent some have landed a job in investment banking in which they work alongside the ivy leagues and other top universities’ graduates. </p>

<p>It is hard to compare SMU with Wharton and Harvard. But in term of its place in Singapore, SMU has performed very well. There is no doubt that the school has been very successful. </p>

<p>With regards to your question, I must say that transferring to the US is more complicated than what you thinik. Every states in the US has a different requirement. For example, if you are coming from UC then it may not be easy for you to transfer to Michigan or other states universities, and hence, if you are contemplating to go to the US by means of doing transfer, it may not be easy to start from Singapore. </p>

<p>So, chances are, you might be well accepted to the US university but you may just start from clean state. It is because of that, I might strongly suggest you to start yourself in the US, if, by all means, your dream is doing an education in the US. </p>

<p>Thanks</p>

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<p>Do you think I can get into SMU with a 1700 SAT? Since they are eager for international students?</p>

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<p>I would say - almost impossible- but if you are able to show other talents that you have (may be you are a national sport man,etc) then there is a chance for you to go in. Normally students are expected to get 1900 SAT score. Though if you are a triple A A-level graduates, you probably score more than 2000SAT score anyway.</p>

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<p>Imho SMU is a better business school than NUS/NTU. </p>

<ol>
<li>In the business world, it is essential to network and learn to deal with clients who can either be nice or a *****. And SMU teaches you that, in the sense that they have special grooming and networking sessions for biz students and has such a competitive environment where you get to learn how to deal with self-centred and irresponsible teammates. </li>
</ol>

<p>Due to the heavier emphasis on projects and presentations in SMU than NUS/NTU, I’d say that dealing with freeriders is more prevalent in SMU.</p>

<ol>
<li>Due to the class participation points which constitute a higher weightage in SMU than NUS/NTU, it is VERY common to see all your classmates fighting to have their views heard. Some can be constructive ones while some are not. But at least it broadens your perspectives. </li>
</ol>

<p>Furthermore, shy and reserved students will find it a good opportunity to force themselves out of their comfort zones.</p>

<ol>
<li>Community involvement programmes (CIP) are part of SMU’s graduation requirements and they are a good and enriching experience for students to learn the importance of giving back to society. </li>
</ol>

<p>On the other hand, I don’t think NUS/NTU has that part of their graduation requirements, and hence, students find no incentive to give back to society but just mug for the honours. </p>

<ol>
<li>As many of you realise, SMU requires shortlisted applicants to undergo an interview in order to test their suitability to adapt to the highly interactive learning environment in SMU. And this if for ALL courses. Furthermore, from my observation, even some applicants whose results fall slightly below the grades published in the yearly grade profile are shortlisted for interview. This implies that unlike NUS/NTU, SMU does not look mainly at grades, hence giving seemingly disadvantaged applicants a second chance.</li>
</ol>

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<p>I really want to enroll in SMU but i have several doubts of their admission and i hope this thread is not dead</p>

<p>When i log into their site, they clearly state 1900 is the minimum SAT score required, but
does not state anything about GPA or even Extra Curriculars, so i ask what would be an ideal GPA, SAT to get in as an international student. In addition, does the timing when i submit my application matter? if i apply on december or november, would it make a difference applying on febuarary?</p>

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<p>I’ve added my responses to the above posts after the “–>”</p>

<p>“In the business world, it is essential to network and learn to deal with clients who can either be nice or a *****. And SMU teaches you that, in the sense that they have special grooming and networking sessions for biz students and has such a competitive environment where you get to learn how to deal with self-centred and irresponsible teammates. Due to the heavier emphasis on projects and presentations in SMU than NUS/NTU, I’d say that dealing with freeriders is more prevalent in SMU.”</p>

<p>–> NUS and NTU business both have quite high projects/presentations component too. Same for all the special grooming and networking sessions. I don’t see how this is any different.</p>

<p>“Due to the class participation points which constitute a higher weightage in SMU than NUS/NTU, it is VERY common to see all your classmates fighting to have their views heard. Some can be constructive ones while some are not. But at least it broadens your perspectives. Furthermore, shy and reserved students will find it a good opportunity to force themselves out of their comfort zones.”</p>

<p>–> NUS and NTU have both adopted seminar-style teaching too. Again, the difference is not as much as you imagine.</p>

<p>“Community involvement programmes (CIP) are part of SMU’s graduation requirements and they are a good and enriching experience for students to learn the importance of giving back to society. On the other hand, I don’t think NUS/NTU has that part of their graduation requirements, and hence, students find no incentive to give back to society but just mug for the honours.”</p>

<p>–> I don’t understand why students need an “incentive” to give back to society. Many NUS/NTU students, even those outside of the business school, are involved in many community projects. I think the fact that it isn’t a graduation requirement for NUS/NTU students, employers tend to view the efforts from NUS/NTU as more genuine. </p>

<p>“For the fact - SMU has just been recently accredited by AACSB (and I guess this is something that people dont expect coming from a school that only performs for short time) and it also has partnership with CFA. We are on the way to gain EQUIS accreditation.”</p>

<p>–> Personally, I don’t put too much weight on accreditation. There are many good schools overseas which don’t bother applying for accreditation. Similarly, there are many schools which aren’t that great, but have received accreditation too.</p>

<p>“SMU has been highly favoured by employers in Singapore, and what I mean is that though we are young, big company like Goldman Sach, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, Blackrock, Citibank, etc have been recruiting SMU students.”</p>

<p>–> These companies hire from NUS/NTU too and I don’t see SMU students being specifically “favoured”.</p>

<p>My final thoughts - Personally, I think SMU is a pretty good school. It is a pity that SMU students seem to be very insecure with regards to their school’s reputation and often go around attacking NUS/NTU with the aim of pulling up their school’s reputation. As a business school, I think that’s a pretty low tactic. Shouldn’t you be able to promote the school solely on the basis of its strengths?</p>

<p>** Disclaimer: I am not from NUS/NTU business but I know many students who have graduated from these two schools (and also SMU) and I am rather familiar with their curriculum.</p>

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<p>Hi, i wanna apply at SMU but I’ve been attending at other university. i wanna start from freshman at SMU. but they said that i would be considered as transfer applicant. i don’t want it. AT ALL! what you think? please</p>