Rupanshi Chugh
Year 2 NUS Business Student with specialisation in Finance
Hi Rupanshi! Share with us, what dilemmas did you face when choosing your university course?
With most courses geared towards either independent or collaborative learning, I was unsure which path I should take to optimise my personal growth and learning.
Why was it so hard to decide between them?
As someone who thrives in a group setting, I enjoy being in an environment where I can interact with multitudes of people with varying perspectives and exchange a myriad of ideas. This usually results in collaborations that break creative boundaries.
At the same time, independent learning allows me to set my own targets and work towards them at my own comfortable pace. Both styles of learning had their benefits! It was hard for me to choose one.
How has the NUSBIZ experience been for you?
NUSBIZ has offered me a life I cannot imagine anywhere else. The people I have met, the connections I have formed, and the culture that I have been immersed in, is irreplaceable.
The School also allowed me to experience a good mix of both independent and collaborative learning. The seminar-style classes allowed me to gain different opinions and perspectives from my peers. For our assignments, we receive individual ones as well as group projects. I believe this has groomed me to be a well-rounded person who can do well in various scenarios.
With overseas experience as a required component to the curriculum, I also get the opportunity to gain valuable life skills by learning to live in a new and unfamiliar environment while on overseas exchange. I will be heading to the University of Southern California, USA, this August and I look forward to the experience of immersing in a new work community where I get to interact with individuals with completely different outlooks. I believe this will make me more global-minded and culturally aware.
Tandon Malavika
Year 2 NUS Business Student with specialisation in Finance
Hi Malavika! What dilemmas did you face when choosing your university course?
One of the dilemmas I faced was deciding whether to study locally or abroad. I had to consider many factors, including the opportunities that I would receive, as well as the expenses involved. Going overseas to study would not only expose me to different cultures and people, but it would also teach me how to be responsible and independent. However, an overseas education would be terribly expensive and I would be far away from my family. Fortunately, there are many great local universities that provide students with excellent education options and many opportunities to gain global exposure through exchange programmes. Still, I was concerned that a local education meant being stuck in the same system and routine.
How did you decide on NUSBIZ in the end?
I decided to join NUS Business School because of the opportunities if offers students and the interactive teaching style adopted by professors.
Students can gain local expertise and global exposure by joining case competitions, engage in overseas community involvement programmes and go for student exchange programmes. Seminar-style lessons, which feature a maximum class-size of 30, encourage students to speak up and engage in discussions with their professor and their peers. This was refreshing as it differed from the conventional way of teaching in Singapore.
How has NUSBIZ satisfied/gone beyond satisfying this dilemma?
During my three years in NUS Business School, I had the opportunity to go to South Korea and France for summer school where I met and worked with many interesting people from very diverse cultures. Through these encounters, I learnt the importance of keeping an open mind and being respectful of others’ opinions. People from different cultures have unique viewpoints and experiences that we can certainly draw from. Such experiences have given me new perspectives that have helped me grow.
Khairin Fadil B Sahudin
Year 4 NUS Accountancy Student with specialisation in Finance
Hi Khairin! What dilemmas did you face when choosing your university course?
It was not easy deciding a course for university. Many undergraduate courses interested me, especially the newer ones that are niche and tailored to meet the job market’s changing demands. That said, a big portion of the world is a business-driven. Passion and interest are important but not many careers and ventures are sustainable without a good business model.
How did you decide on NUSBIZ in the end?
I figured that I could break into any industry I wanted as accounting and finance functions exist everywhere. Many books I was reading like Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and excerpts by Warren Buffett stressed the importance of accounting knowledge, even for everyday use. After seeking advice from accountants and ex-teachers , I pursued Accountancy with a goal to take up Finance as a second specialisation. NUSBIZ has flexibility for us to graduate in 3-5 years, depending on your decision to do honours or take a semester off to pursue an internship. I felt that I needed the flexibility to understand what I want out of my education and career.
How has the NUSBIZ experience gone beyond your expectation?
NUSBIZ gave me a platform to go in depth and explore different areas that interested me. I explored a broad range of modules in business school, which helped me to understand how businesses run across many industries.
The flexibility to plan our course schedule has allowed many of us to discover ourselves. I took on internships during the holidays and even a semester off for a six-month internship. I under loaded my studies in some semesters to focus my commitment on outside interests, including community service and part time internships.
In addition, the support network that NUS BIZ provides is extensive. Our Career Services Office bring recruiters from governmental agencies, corporations, non-profit organisations to meet with students on campus to explore job opportunities. We also have access to rub shoulders and interact with business leaders through industry talks and networking sessions.
To my juniors, my advice would be to let your experiences in life shape you, not define you. See yourself as an individual with many small plates around you (career, interests, family, and community) rather than an individual sitting on a big single plate. Most important, remember to have fun!
Ryan Quek
Year 3 NUS Business Student with a double degree in Economics
Hi Ryan! What dilemmas did you face when choosing your university course?
I wanted to go study business since I was secondary school. I was curious about how companies price their products and how they function. However, in junior college, I started being interested in economics and thought of pursuing it in university.
When I heard about the double degree programme, I thought my dilemma was resolved! However, another dilemma came up – the programme was longer at 5 (or more) years, and one’s academic path would largely be fixed, with nearly no unrestricted electives. This also meant that my path would veer from my peers since I would graduate later.
The pragmatic side of me said to go for the four-year degree since the tangible benefits were not worth the extra year. However, in my heart, I really wanted to read both majors and this was the last chance to do so before embarking on my career.
How did you decide on NUSBIZ in the end?
There are a couple of reasons. I eventually decided on the double degree after I had the chance to interact with Vice Dean Dr. Jumana Zahalka. I still remember what she told me then – she asked what one additional year really means when you are going to work for the next 40 years (or possibly more). I realised that the sacrifice of one additional year suddenly was not as major in the bigger scheme of things. Yes, I would be 26 when I join the workforce, but considering I really had interests in both subject matters of business and economics, I felt like the sacrifice for an additional year was worth it. In addition, the good campus life, CCAs and facilities that NUS had to offer, as well we its location played a huge part in my final decision too!
What has been the best advice you have received thus far? Any advice you would like to share with your juniors?
The best advice I have received is to chart your own path. You will no doubt see people joining the ‘paper chase’, frantically building their resumes to pursue their dream jobs. Remember that the ‘dream jobs’ are subjective and varies between different people. The advice I would like to share is to let your interests drive you, and do not do things just purely for the resume. Go into business with an open mind, cast those preconceptions aside, and experience NUSBIZ for what it is – a place of endless opportunities and resources to forge your own path.
Nathaniel Yim
Co-founder at Janio Asia, Recent NUS Business Alumnus with specialisation in Marketing
Hi Nat! How did you decide to build your own start-up as opposed to joining an organisation?
I would say it depends on what you value and where you are at that point in your life. A corporate path would provide a higher degree of stability and a more defined path. In contrast, being in a start-up is about creating a brand new machine from nothing, especially if you are one of the founders. You get to chart your own path for the company and for yourself, and learn a lot along the way.
Conventional wisdom will tell you to work in the corporate world for a few years, get experience and grow your network before starting up your own company. However, I feel the opportunities to really do something that has the potential to change the world only comes by once in your life, and for me this was within two months of graduating. The allure for me was to play a much bigger role in shaping the outcome in this start-up as opposed to any of the roles I was interviewing. Starting my own company would also allow me to utilize everything that I have learned in school and internships and apply my knowledge and skills across all business functions.
How has your NUSBIZ experience benefited you?
I specialised in marketing and managed to extensively explore other topics such as finance . The academic experience gave me the knowledge and tools required to run a business and a marketing team. Modules that covered topics such as business strategy planning, digital marketing for a services firm, and how to structure and lead a team prepared me to take on my current role with confidence.
During my time in School, I interned at bank, a tech start up, a branding agency, a market research firm and a non- profit organisation. I was fortunate enough to be exposed to a range of companies in different industries at various stages of growth to help me figure out what I liked and did not like. Academic and professional experiences aside, I also took on several co-curricular activities including joining the NUS Case Consulting Group where I represented University on the world’s stage and helped companies and even governments solve real business problems. I learned a lot about how to lead teams, delegate workflows, as well as how to think under pressure and present to senior leaders. Most importantly, I learned that even as undergrads, we can hold our own in front of ministers and CEOs, and that the work we do has impact.