What To Do When Your Results Aren’t As Expected

What to do when your results aren’t as expected

You may be reading this and feeling that you are about to be condemned for life just because you didn't score perfect grades for your major examinations. We assure you that you are not. It just means that your road to success is fairly different.

Let’s start off with a story. Do you know that the renowned Albert Einstein failed his entrance examination to the Federal Institute of Technology? Obviously, young Einstein didn't let the small setback define him.Should he chose to give up back then, you wouldn't be reading general theory of relativity in your textbook today.

With that out of the way, here are five routes to consider if your ‘N’ level, ‘O’ level or ‘A’ level results were not as expected.

1. Retaking examinations

Results could differ from expectations for many reasons – underestimating, overestimating, state of mind on the day of the exam, not understanding what the examiners expect despite understanding the material well, or just sheer bad luck.

In terms of examinations, thankfully, there is always a second chance, whichever level you are at.

If you are not eligible to retake the exams in your school, you can always enrol as a private candidate. Just make sure that you do a thorough reflection of what went wrong and not repeat the same mistakes.

You may be ruling out this option for fear of lagging behind your peers by a year. If that’s you, your worry is unfounded, provided you set your sights further.

A recent article in BusinessWeek tells us that one of the most important attributes that employers look for in sourcing for potential candidates is their ability to bounce back from failure.

Compared to the others who only claim to have it, you are definitely one story ahead. Not to mention that the whole episode being beneficial to your growth as an individual.

2. Heading overseas

Another alternative that you can consider is heading overseas to further your studies. As daunting as this may sound, it might be an excellent platform for you to step out of your comfort zone and indulge into a whole new environment.

One country you can consider is the UK which is an increasingly popular study destination for Singaporeans. British Council figures show that the number of Singaporean students in Britain went up from 4,000 in 2009 to 7,000 in 2015.

Of course, this option comes with a pretty hefty price tag. Digital Senior estimates it to cost up to $30,000- $60,000 a year for tuition fees and $25,000 in living expenses. If this is something you consider, have a discussion with your family to make sure it is within their financial means.

3. Entering the workforce

Sure, having a degree is essential in Singapore, but job experience is not something to be overlooked as well. When you work, you get to try out different things (assuming you don’t have a demonic boss asking you to sweep the floor all day) and gain an understanding of what you like and dislike. This helps in making an informed choice at the tertiary studies level.  

Even if you work as a waiter, you get to find out if customer service is your thing. If you enjoyed it, you can consider going for further studies in tourism & hospitality. This ensures that you do not spend three or four years in a course of study that is not suited for you, only to regret it later in life. Another plus would be the accumulation of savings. It never hurts to earn more money in preparation for the grand plans of your future, such as doing a degree or short course down the road. 

Furthermore, for guys, you can choose to enlist into national service as your possible alternative. Two years in the army can have a huge impact on your life, allowing you to understand yourself better and eventually choosing a course that reflect your life's calling. 

4. Heading to a PEI

If you think that gaining work experience means sacrificing on paper qualifications, think again. Have you considered working and studying at the same time? This may sound unfamiliar to you if you are focusing only on the public institutions.

Part-time studies is a reality with a Private Education Institution! This is precisely what Au Win has done. In a span of two years, he achieved a diploma in Business Studies as well as two years of invaluable work experience. That puts him far ahead of his peers who are merely just studying or working. According to Au Win, he actually made more sense out of his learning through this dual experience. (Read more about him here) In a nutshell, best of both worlds between practicality and theory is now within grasp.

Not just that, a 4 year EduTrust-certified institution like LSBF in Singapore provides a whole range of programmes to allow you to pursue your passion, whether it be tourism, finance or logistics. It was also named the best private school in accountancy and best private school in hospitality & tourism at the JobsCentral Learning TED Awards 2016.

Conclusion

Have we opened up a whole new window of opportunities that you didn't consider before? Don’t be too fixated on the default option of the system. As Alexander Graham famously said, ''When one door closes, another opens. '' Just keep an open mind and be prepared to turn the lemon in your life into lemonade