<p>hey thanks for the reply</p>
<p>fyi, my A levels stink, CCD h2s, ABB h1s.</p>
<p>unspectacular cca also, just a member in golf and soccer. </p>
<p>so as they like to say in this forum, chance me!</p>
<p>^ Erm, probably not good at all. UMich (as with any other “decent” US university) do usually prefer straight A or near straight A students. A lot of A*STAR scholars with quite stellar grades go to UMAA every year.</p>
<p>ok reality check.</p>
<p>so any recommendations at all? below ‘decent’ perhaps?</p>
<p>just give your dream schools a shot, don’t rule them out.</p>
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<p>Couldn’t you submit your SAT scores anyway?</p>
<p>After all, as a Singaporean citizen I had been planning to submit my transcript from an American HS.</p>
<p>Galoisien just ****. I swear, you’re trying to flaunt your ~elite~ NS-ponning ass in our faces. 
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<p>mmagician：What’s your prospective major? If Engineering, I suggest Purdue and Georgia Tech. （You are planning to pay your own way, right?)</p>
<p>Um, no?</p>
<p>Well since you bring this up, it’s certainly not the same elitism that some of you privileged kids like to exhibit. I’d kinda like to rescue my family from poverty as soon as possible, and not say, waste two years of economic development digging holes for an authoritarian regime full of ministers with white horse sons? And of course, most of the Rafflesians would probably enter with advanced standing credit (in the form of rank) or something.</p>
<p>Certainly it’s not absconding from hard labour, etc. But my military obligations are now vested in the United States. I’d rather die fighting to defend schoolchildren in the streets of Mosul or Kabul, you know, than drown on Pulau Ubin in one of Singapore’s NS-hazing activities. It was a personal decision not made lightly. So please stop pestering me about it!</p>
<p>Anyway, I was asking a genuine question. They must be able to accept SAT scores from Singaporean citizens … or how else do Singaporeans returning from overseas apply? Or is it like choosing one type of application over another…?</p>
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<li><p>Now you just insulted my good friend. I’m angry! Also, please correct me, almighty American a.k.a supreme hegemon–what does white horse mean? Do you mean white elephant?</p></li>
<li><p>Dear Galoisien, it is evident that your repulsion for NS is not just limited to digging holes, but the entire NS itself. Just admit that you can’t stand to associate with Singapore, at all. </p></li>
<li><p>You must realise, that although you intend it to be a caricature, caricatures are supposed to highlight the prominent aspects of reality. Your analogy fails. It is evident that your years abroad have led to you losing touch with reality. In fact, by my calculations, if all the NSmen were only digging holes for the whole day, Pulau Tekong would be fully dug up in 37.2 days. </p></li>
<li><p>NS is not useless. For example, my ‘white-horse’ friend is an engineer, and deals with explosives and how to defuse/build them. (As I’m not an engineer, I cannot recall the details of his job. Sorry.) In fact, many NSmen serve the country directly, through support services like Singapore Police Force and the Coast Guard, which have immediate impact as opposed to say, infantry.</p></li>
<li><p>NS-hazing activities: Please be informed that hazing is strictly not tolerated by the Singapore Armed Forces. Recently, in a case of non-violent and non-malicious hazing where a recruit was covered in shoe polish, the culprits were disciplined according. This is unlike many US fraternities where hazing has already been incorporated into the culture, and is tacitly condoned. Despite UVa claiming a policy of non-tolerance toward hazing, the first result on Google for ‘UVa Hazing’ brings up the fraternity initiation where pledges were doused with urine and vinegar. The perpetrators were left undisciplined.</p></li>
<li><p>If you choose to nitpick on Singapore NS for some stand-alone cases, then you should too see the big picture on US military action abroad. Singapore’s military conscription has not received international condemnation; many other countries practise similar policies. However, US military action, even in Afghanistan, has been ahem rejected by most countries. Singapore is only involved in Afghanistan, and in for that, the humanitarian arena.</p></li>
<li><p>Previously you said you no longer view the US and Singapore with rose-tinted glasses, and your eyes are opened. In my opinion, it is because you now view the world with lenses that are anisotropic, leading to different refractive indices in different planes–depending on your viewpoint, drastically different results can be seen.</p></li>
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<p>You said it yourself. You’d have been a returning Singaporean, in another high school system. If you were to matriculate to NUS, you’d have to take bridging modules to fill whatever gaps in your education, or if not, sit for tests to exempt the bridging modules. </p>
<p>Otherwise, SAT scores are not directly comparable to the A level credentials that other Singapore-educated students submit. Hence, they’d be of little use, and I daresay it might uneven the playing field if the admissions office were to consider the SAT positively too.</p>
<p>I am neither Singaporean nor American, but a citizen of the world. I have not been ‘abroad’, for my home is this good Earth. To view one country as ‘home’ and another as ‘foreign’ is a social construct stemming from nationalism. My loyalty is to human ideals and moral systems, to liberty, to prosperity (in the lofty sense), to the cultivation of the human mind.</p>
<p>I do not know where you get your interpretations from. I passionately care about the issues of both countries. Singapore you see, is like a significant other with issues. Can it change? Is it amenable to reason? Is it capable of reform? Or is it too self-righteous and arrogant to see its own faults? And at some point, is it better to move on? I had seriously considered returning for NS you see, because I did not want to give up my hope. I do not love a great segment of its governance (though I do like many aspects), but I admire a great deal of its culture. It does not mean I cannot stand to associate with it.</p>
<p>But what is with your bias towards viewing things with a nationalistic lens – viewing migration through the basis of nations? Why do I have to be a Singaporean abroad in the US, or an American condescending towards Singapore? Why cannot I be an individual, who has partaken in both cultures, who has had formative and dear memories and experiences in both environments? And if I couldn’t stand to associate with it, why would I discuss it? Maybe I think it can still be redeemed … just not with my eNSlavement.</p>
<p>My stance is widespread among many Singaporean intellectuals by the way. But perhaps you don’t trust the underground media and buy everything the Straits Times says. “White horse” btw, is an established term (maybe you should check the writings of the Workers’ Party? Or this? [A</a> Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore Enligsh - W](<a href=“A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English”>A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English)) for privileged sons who have it easy in NS. And you a girl, aren’t even subject to the NSlavery institution. That’s not to accuse you of self-interested bias, but see, even I did not seriously investigate the subject until my time came around. Perhaps you’ve never been pressured to investigate the truth.</p>
<p>Still, I must admit your rhetoric is charming, along with the geeky references (never was well received in my primary/sec schools). Where do you even get the soil mass of Pulau Tekong anyway? And the average workrate of NSlaves? But for 20% of the GDP, a statement like “NS is not useless” isn’t going to cut it. After all there is this particular economic concept called opportunity cost. It’s like learning how to how to operate textile machinery when you could be studying matrix mechanics or physical chemistry instead. </p>
<p>NS probably isn’t even as useful as community college or other types of vocational training. (And the fitness argument doesn’t even apply: I didn’t need NS to become fit – I’ve lost 8 kg + gained quite a bit of muscle mass since I discovered my college’s facilities.) In comparison, the US military’s training in Military Occupation Specialities (MOS’s) has far more applicability (and advanced training, and scope!) to future civilian disciplines. Take this MOS called “cryptolinguistics”, for example, which use skills that can be adapted to math, scientific data analysis, logic, civilian linguistics…</p>
<p>The problems with NS you should realise, are far more than “stand-alone cases” in the press. For every case that gets reported – how many more cases do you think are covered up? Regulation of power and authority, and preventing power abuse by officers seem to be pretty common issues that I hear from people very often. I like how you compare SG conscription to Greek life pledging – the first is involuntary, the second is not. I mean, not even counting the possible restrictions on speech in SG or rejection by the state media, if you want to count non-military (e.g. academic) hazing incidents, I could cite many that occurred in Singapore. Besides the public objectives of fraternities (beyond the honour and geek ones) are parties and alcohol. Bet those never occur in Singapore, right?</p>
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<p>The big picture of US military action LOL.</p>
<p>Yes, there have been a few scandals like Abu Grahib. (And Blackwater was a private organisation.) And you should know that I (too?) initially opposed US intervention. But it has been done. Most of US-caused damage was done in the opening days of the war – the conflict would be even worse if the US left now.</p>
<p>In contrast, where has the Singaporean government done any <em>real</em> humanitarian good? It refused to aid Timor Leste when it needed peacekeeping the most. It casts a blind eye to Myanmar – Lee Hsien Loong and friends (e.g. his wife) has a personal stake in the military dictatorship there. Its constant aim has been soulless pragmatism. Tell me, what good – <em>constructive</em> economic good – can a soldier in the Singaporean military do? Catch terrorists by bearing submachine guns in Changi Airport? (Because that will totally scare the hijackers and the suicide bombers, right?) How many people (e.g. petty commoners like me) would have the opportunity your friend had anyway? And it’s two years of life that you can never get back – that serves to advance no real purpose but the authority of the State. </p>
<p>Perhaps then, you are not aware that Iraq once had the best education systems in the entire region, with extremely competitive engineering, medicine, pharmacological, etc. programs. In the cities, the average performance of girls outpaced that of boys – the reverse of what happens in developing nations, and I believe it still does. Of course, you are well assured of success by pedigree and privilege, a home culture and all that, and that is why you can afford to be misinformed about the situation in Iraq. The critical long-term thing is to protect the schools and stem the brain drain so that the next generation will be sufficiently armed (in knowledge, professional capability and intellect) to reusher in Iraq’s security and prosperity. </p>
<p>So while the current administration’s strategy may be less than optimal, I don’t know how you can use foreign policy to somehow argue that being an NSman in the SG military is much more useful compared to both the UTILITY (economic or otherwise) and the HONOUR of serving in the US military. And not even counting Iraq/Afghanistan, perhaps you are not aware of its current work to suppress the hard drug cartels in Latin America, or how it will probably be a critical component of any humanitarian intervention into Somalia, Guinea, Zimbabwe, or Sudan. What is the use of humanitarian “aid” when the system whose country it goes to remains fundamentally corrupt?</p>
<p>But I did not mean to argue this at all here, lol. It’s just that you keep attacking my personal choice.</p>
<p>Anyway, under the NUS admissions system, all individuals presenting the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-levels examinations (what NUS calls Category A applicants) will only be evaluated with that set of results (+ additional interviews/tests/recommendations in specific faculties like medicine or law). </p>
<p>They will ignore all other qualifications (with the exception of the Law faculty, which you can use the SAT CR/W to make up for a lousy GP result).</p>
<p>Whatever it may appear be, it is, when you strip away all the embellishments, just a game played for national interests (sometimes quite badly played as well - the US should never have invaded Iraq, for example - it would be better for American interests to keep Saddam and the Ayatollahs at loggerheads, among other things). </p>
<p>I don’t think there is any more “honor” or “glory” in enlisting in the American army as compared to enlisting in the SAF, nor vice versa for that matter. You might very well see more action in the American Army (and you might get some more interesting vocations/MOS specialties, but that is due to the size and nature of potential/actual operations of the US armed forces), but that’s about all. The average soldier is just a mere expendable tool for the projection of national power and might - whether it be in the Malacca straits or Iraq and Afghanistan.</p>
<p>woah what’s with the heated NS discussion. why must there be a big reason to serve your nation? NS is tough but its really a good time to let you think about your future, and also take a break from what 12 straight years of education? not to mention the friends you make in the army.</p>
<p>the SAF’s deterrent force, so of course we don’t want to participate in war. if people only serve when war breaks out, well we’re all dead.</p>
<p>i’m halfway through my NS, and its really true that the longer you serve, the more you realize that its part and parcel of a s’porean male’s life. people who have not enlist won’t realize that.</p>
<p>anyway back to me LOL, i’m more interested in the arts, not engine, eg. psychology, sociology, maybe econs or business.</p>
<p>any realistic targets? instead of just advice to aim for dream schools haha.</p>
<p>We should all be very glad that galoisien can never come back to Singapore without getting the serious ass-whooping by the government that everyone here thinks he deserves, whether or not he escaped national service. People like him need reminding that the world doesn’t revolve around him, especially not when the whole world despises and ostracises him. It’s a proud day for losers everywhere because FINALLY, there’s one loser who beats them all.</p>
<p>A loser who absconded from NS and, while crying himself to sleep at night because he had no friends in HS and even managed to get everyone on an INTERNET FORUM (LOL) to hate him despite 2200+ posts of tremendous charm and wit, tries to tell himself that everyone else is wrong and he’s not an AWOL sissy coward (which he is). </p>
<p>So, WOW, you’re not a coward - heck, you’re even better than the rest of us who meekly submitted to the Greater Good by ACTUALLY sacrificing 2 years of their lives - because you’re gonna serve in the US military? That’s the best you can come up with? Despite how Singapore’s NS should be no problem for someone who wants to enlist in the US military which, according to him, is so much better than the military of his country of birth? Oh, personal choice? Wow, I bet you’re the ONLY absconder whose escape is a personal choice! The others were obviously not as brave as you to make the courageous choice to AWOL - they probably involuntarily fell off the boat on the way to Tekong, or God told them they’re children of God, not children of Singapore (or America), who don’t need to serve NS and threatened them with 20 plagues if they didn’t comply. Personal choice is just the coward’s term for cowardice.</p>
<p>And please, every non-idiot (and even some idiots) knows why you refuse to serve NS. For one, it’s not like you made many friends in HS or got voted prom king. You had a funny voice with funny hair and funny face and provided great entertainment at your own expense (wow, you’re not only BRAVE, but GENEROUS!!) and didn’t fit in anywhere and your social skills and confidence took a huge hit, because they weren’t great to start with before you even went to America to escape NS. Wonder why there aren’t many people like you around whom you could connect with? If Darwin were alive today, he would tell you that someone who irritate everyone, exhibits cowardice by escaping NS, and refuses to see from any POV other than his own “libertarian citizen-of-the-world” delusion, lacks reproductive fitness. Yes, such people became extinct long ago! Maybe (and hopefully) you’re the last one! Isn’t that nice. (Oops, looks like I’m going OFF-TANGENT here, sounds like someone I unfortunately know) So anyway, now you would come back to Singapore with an even funnier voice and face and TOTALLY blend in with the rest of us uncouth ahbengs and second-class intellects. You don’t want to be oh-so-popular in NS because of your obvious charm and wit and your compassionate concern for everyone else’s male ego. (Or maybe your own?) We understand.</p>
<p>No wonder you call yourself a citizen of the world. You can never come back to Singapore again, and America’s probably tiring of your fascinating personality. You’re gonna be stateless soon, aren’t you? You don’t belong anywhere - but it’s not like you’ve ever belonged. “Citizen of the world”… why am I not surprised to hear that from a NS-absconding coward? When he has been so frantically defending his cowardice by calling NS wrong for all sorts of reasons? Congratulations! I bet you’re the only cowardly absconder who thinks NS is wrong. You want a prize for that? Or some friends? Embellishing your cowardice with all kinds of pretentious excuses only makes you more pathetic than the absconder who simply and honestly says he hates NS and escapes.</p>
<p>Actually, you might be more likable (as disturbing as it is to mention “you” and “likable” in the same sentence) if you stopped going off-tangent. Either there’s something seriously faulty with your thought process, or your social skills, or both, or you’re simply pretentious. Get this straight: going off-tangent and ranting on about all sorts of unrelated and uninteresting things is not so much a sign of intellect as an effective way to encourage people to turn around and walk away. Get a life - but before that, get social skills.</p>
<p>How is it cowardice?</p>
<p>Singapore is not under attack, and probably will never be under attack in my lifetime. Its government doesn’t even use its military for any good. It is in fact helping to prop up the regime in Myanmar. How can one in good conscience serve a regime like that?</p>
<p>How is it cowardice to a decline serving in a military that will see no action at all, and no good deeds? And why do you seem to act that should be morally obligated to go back? I have chosen to emigrate. I have chosen to dissolve all previous legal and political ties with it, forever – though I still choose to associate with it culturally. That is not cowardice, any more than you could blame Japanese Americans in WWII for cowardice in not obeying the call to serve in the Army of the Rising Sun.</p>
<p>What is your fascination with “country of birth”? Where I was born is meaningless. I did not choose to be born under an undemocratic regime. But of course you, my dear Princeton boy, love its administration, and it’s no surprise, because from YOUR BIRTH it has endowed you (and your family) with abundant wealth and privilege. The policies of the administration have never negatively affected your stake in life.</p>
<p>You did not lose your home because of compulsory en bloc. That made serving NS quite amenable because you actually had a place of residence to go back to in the first place. The views of your social class and pedigree have always been well-represented. For you, the courts never failed to enforce child support and alimony, because you had a perfectly intact domestic arrangement in the first place. That ruled out any possibility of the administration being inquiet at that, for you never had anything to hide. Be proud! The government’s favourable expectations of you from birth have paid off, as have the rest of your aided labours, and you can expect secure and comfortable employment when you return.</p>
<p>p.s. I don’t think Darwin would have actually advocated social darwinism.</p>
<p>Wow, for someone who thinks it was right to be a coward you’re getting extremely defensive. Aww, did we hurt your feelings? Please go cry and whine to your gf. It’ll only hasten the inevitable break-up that’ll thankfully spare the world your socially inept, unable-to-think-straight and yes, cowardly offspring. As rich as your family was to afford that long trip to America because you couldn’t fit in with Singapore kids, only to find that you just can’t fit in anywhere anyway, I don’t think all the money in the world would find you a mate. Nobody’s that suicidal.</p>
<p>For all that time spent in NS, my dear boy of privilege, perhaps you were not taught to recognise the distinction between defence and assault. Never mind, for let me teach you the distinction in this case. The administration’s call and rhetoric are those defending; and with your parroting of their oft-repeated nationalistic rhetoric, and worse, perpetuating that common ignorance, how could I resist attacking?</p>
<p>p.s. I migrated to America when I was five. Sorry, but your error became so annoying that I had to point that out. The only reason I moved back to Singapore for four years was because my father absconded on child support. <em>gasp</em> Maybe it is genetic! But I bet you will never have to worry about that problem, or finances, won’t you?</p>
<p>Oh lies, lies and more pathetic lies. You were born in Singapore, so OF COURSE you were born into privilege. You had all the MONEY to go all the way to America, and you have the temerity to call yourself poor and underprivileged? You think you’re some sort of a demigod, an amazing example of rags to potential riches, but seriously, you think too highly of yourself and your supposed “hard” life. I’m not surprised your father absconded - now that’s not cowardice. Nobody wastes money on a coward, because you are the perfect example of how money and education could never fix a broken mind. I feel sorry for the graduate program that accepts you - as if your own people at UVa weren’t already disappointed at the admissions office regarding your admission… And please, you can go throw all your money around, but you’re never gonna find a friend.</p>
<p>Also, could you please spare us your boring personal history? Nobody actually cares. It’s not as heart-wrenching or credible as you may like to think it is, given the fact that it comes from you.</p>
<p>Wow, you win the thread again! I mean, whatever happened to Singapore’s abnormally high Gini coefficient and large social inequality. You’ve probably never lived in an HDB flat, no doubt. Clearly, I was referring to the large prosperity in SG that everyone enjoys, and not just say, the privilege enjoyed by the few select privileged families in Singapore, (such as yours.)</p>
<p>p.s. my father’s company paid for the trip. That’s the only reason why we afforded it.</p>