Changing course/major in uni (NUS) | transfer application, personal statement, tips & advice

[@mamakag]

Admire the courage you had to change courses and even earlier on jumping from JC to Poly as it's what u wanted. Y4 ChE here who wanted to change to linguistics in Y1S1 but never did it. I want to tell anyone who chances upon this video hesistating on what is the right decision, go ahead and change and do something you like. After 4 years of doing something i dislike, i now have to enter a job market to apply for jobs that i am not passionate about as that would be what my technical skillset allows. The money can only hold you for that long before you decide you want something more =''). Wishing you atb for your future studies !!

[@eileeng]

even though i’m not considering of changing my major but this video really touched my heart in a different way 🥺 thank you for all the kind words !! jiayous ❤️🥰

[@xa8278]

Aw thanks for making this video, it’ll defo help future students who are transferring courses a lot :) and u look like you’ll suit CNM a lot!!!

[@xeenyy]

Thank you for this video :"). I am actually in the same poly batch as you and also got into NUS computing but IS. I always believed that if i can hold on and try my best I will be able to grad w a degree bc of the "NUS SOC Prestige". I am in Y2S1 now and i actually failed two CS module. But I am taking them this semester and I still believe I can do it as long as i can persevere. However, as days went by, I am getting more depressed and miserable as much as I have that much passion and the things I wanted to learn in my course. Now i rly do understand when my prof talked to me that sometimes things are just not meant to be. I guess it is really true despite how much I wanted to stay in my course, my mental health has deteriorated so much and physical health is p bad as well, I actually lost 6kg jus by the stress I am holding on. Till recently, I actually felt like i cant take it anymore and i wanted to transfer to business which I learned some from my poly diploma. Atleast I know I am still able to do IT with business if I can successfully transfer, even though I might take longer time or graduate later. Thank you for this video! It will actually help in my process of applying for course transfer!

[@ohaftermidnight]

I’m actually waiting for the next window to apply for a transfer. Your words of encouragement helped a great deal! Thank you for this video, Nicole!

[@NicoleBernadette]

All the best for your transfer!☺️🙏🏼

[@staryll]

You are amazing and this video is really helpful for my daughter who is applying to NUS.

[@SamElle]

congrats on changing to communications and new media!! Good for you for knowing that you weren't happy with what you were doing before. I experienced something similar and I switched majors my junior year. Because I transferred my junior year, my grades were more important and heavily emphasized!!

[@noelmadolidjr8386]

This video is something that I can relate with and can help others who are struggling and wanted to transfer to another program. I started my college life as an Electrical Engineering student, I'm blinded with the mindset that after finishing this program, a high paying jobs await. It took me 2 years to realize what successful person should be, and what I want is to be successfully happy to what I'm passionate about. A year after, I transferred to Multimedia Arts program and yes, it is kinda late. But i found something that it will make me happy to what I'm passionate about which film and media. After all being an artist generate a lot of income too.

[@NicoleBernadette]

Thank you so much for sharing!!🥺🙏🏼 I’m so glad to hear that you found something you’re passionate about - better late than never☺️

[@jasonlee0509]

I transferred into Computer Science recently and your video helped a lot !

[@Kathens]

I am trying to change course to an illustration master this Semester, so i can relate to this! Thank you for your words of encouragement!

[@awesomed1266]

All the best in ur uni journey.

[@bleakrainbow8140]

i can only imagine the difficult process of deciding whether to change courses and actually changing it so im so proud of u! hope you'll feel more fulfilled from now on 💕

[@madelinemorphis]

all of this advice is so helpful!!

[@mashimero5575]

Ahh I’m super proud of you for making the course transfer decision!! I wish you the best for the next semesters in CNM! That aside, thank you for the words of encouragement as well ^^ I’m still a high school junior but I do believe those advice will come in handy in the near future!

[@NicoleBernadette]

Thank you so much🥺❤️ I’m really glad that this video was helpful in some way☺️ All the best in your future endeavours!!🙏🏼

[@rockychieng88]

good job on you. good luck in your future endeavours.

[@NicoleBernadette]

Thank you so much☺️🙏🏼

[@niqchoi]

finally,, a video i can relate,, shifting/transferring courses is hard but i am happy now with my course 🤗🤗🤗 im also a communication student was a medical student tho,,, lez git thisss 💜💜💜💜💜

[@nigeltan4568]

All the best!

[@darryltang3999]

im in the exact same situation as you right now. CS student in SiT. I hate the fact that I'm learning discrete maths (its like all logic), and other mods that deals with hardware? Like back in poly all I was learning in IT was software and I was kinda ok with the web and app creation process but I really hate debugging and being stuck on something for days. I'm now talking to a bunch of friends, researching the courses I want to take instead, but I'm still very worried about the consequences because unlike you I would probably have to apply into a new uni (thinking SUSS), which also mean that I have to take a "gap year" until the next intake period. There are just so many considerations and I'm afraid of the consequences of dropping out of CS and applying next year into another uni and course. But yet I don't want to be learning about computer hardware, adders, CPU, OS, memory allocation, and all that shit. And as a guy its even worse because I've already spent 2 years of my life in NS and now going to waste another year just to change courses. I'm going to make an appointment with my school counsellor and see how it goes...

[@NicoleBernadette]

I hear you🥺 Thanks for sharing, Darryl and I hope you manage to make a decision that will be the best for you🙏🏼 I was really afraid of the consequences as well - not just because I was “giving up the prestige of CS” and the well-paying jobs in the future, but also because I’m 2 years older than the female peers in my year and I had a lot of self-doubt. But a choice that looks bleak and unsettling can turn out to be a huge blessing! I was afraid to transfer at the start but looking back, I’m so glad I did🙏🏼 I’m so much happier now and I really feel like I’m enjoying my new course of study☺️ I hope this encourages you to make a choice that is healthy for you in the long run🙌🏼 Jiayous and all the best for your counselling session!!

[@annisa7061]

Ahh you've finally changed your course! Goodluck, Nicole💜

[@NicoleBernadette]

Thank you so much, annisa!💛🙏🏼

[@tyler1fanboy111]

Hi,have been watching your videos for awhile and was kinda inspired by u thats why i chose nus cs.Currently Y1/S2 and am dying.U are kinda like someone i look up to so when u quit i dont have anyonelse to look up to anymore😢

[@tyler1fanboy111]

From watching your videos i did think u were going to make a great comeback(like the underdog story) previously..so i was abit sad that you changed course.You kept me sane as i thought i was"nt the only one that found it tough😢Stay strong and all the best for ur future.

[@NicoleBernadette]

Ahhh, thanks for your faith in me! :’) NUS Computer science is reallyyy tough and if you’re looking for inspiration, there are many amazing CS students around to be motivated by☺️🙏🏼 Also know that you’re not alone in your CS struggles, there are also many students who can empathise with the difficulty of CS :’) I wish you all the best as well🙌🏼✨

[@wantengtham4099]

I'm in CS now in Monash Y1S1 and i am struggling so much that i have lost motivation to study and lost motivation to do the assignments. I am thinking of transferring to another University because i have done Diploma in CS before. But my parents are not particularly supportive of the decision because of the prestige of the school as well as the course. I am really stuck, i am sure i want to change because of how technical and how logical i have to be in a CS degree which I don't really prefer. I am really so lost and this video helped a bit in making my decision much more clearer but may i know roughly how did you break the news to your parents and how were their reactions towards your decision?

[@NicoleBernadette]

Hey Wanteng, thanks for sharing! I think I’m very lucky to have parents who care about my wellbeing and sanity above other things like academics and prestige🥺🙏🏼 My parents saw firsthand how much I struggled in CS. I would have moments where I would be crying during mealtimes because of how much stress I was facing. I think what really helped me and my fam was knowing that I had a different option or path that I could take - made it easier to drop out of CS👍🏼 Hope this helps and all the best to you🙏🏼🙌🏼

[@justinkarunia5699]

"Don't choose a major or course just because of money" "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love" - 1 Corinthians 16:14 Thank you for the golden advice in the video, Nicole!!! I will apply for a major transfer next week! Pray and wish me luck! ^^

[@NicoleBernadette]

All the best Justin!!☺️🙏🏼

[@aliciagoh2325]

hi nicole! may i know if you’re able to transfer the module credits to your new course and will the amount of years of study be the same ?

[@claudiachin5860]

Can I ask how did u make friends and rebuild your network in the new course/faculty? Thanks!

[@NicoleBernadette]

That’s a great question! Actually I’m so thankful that I stay on campus because that’s how I made most of my friends in uni! Besides friends that I made in my residential college, I also have uni friends from church☺️ I’m still figuring out how to make new friends in my new course/faculty but one way is to intentionally form friendships from project groups☺️ It’s especially difficult when everything is online but I got to know some people better by eating with them after class! Hope this helps in some way🙏🏼❤️

[@claudiachin5860]

@@NicoleBernadette oh icic... do transfer students get to go for orientations? I’m y1 going on Y2 and I was hoping I could make some FASS friends by going for FASS orientation but I’m not sure if transfer students do this. Did u go for any orientation after transfer?

[@NicoleBernadette]

@@claudiachin5860 I’m quite sure it’s possible to go for orientation if you want to☺️ I didn’t go for any orientation though!

[@claudiachin5860]

@@NicoleBernadette ah okay thanks Nicole!! God bless ☺️

[@vidhisharma4862]

Am I supposed to write a big statement on my reason for transferring to NUS as an international student?

[@sacc4360]

Thanks for making this video. Emmm I heard some of my seniors say that if you want to change courses, you need to choose one or two modules from the new course in the first semester, is that true?

[@NicoleBernadette]

Thank you! Hmm, I don’t recall seeing that requirement, I didn’t take any CNM modules while in CS😅 But it’ll definitely be helpful so you can use those modules under the new course☺️ Here’s a link to see transfer application matters: www.nus.edu.sg/oam/apply-to-nus/transfer-applicants

[@xiaohuang7562]

Thank you for your video and encouragement!! btw i want to ask when will the admission decision of transferring courses will be made? Is it possible to receive the outcome before y1s1 final result releases? im so stressful doing CS : (

[@NicoleBernadette]

Ahhh, CS can be so tough, jiayous! If I remember correctly, I only knew the outcome of my transfer application after school ended but slightly before my y1s1 results came out! If you want to transfer after seeing your y1s1 results, there’s a very short application period then as well - more information can be found on the school website!🙏🏼🙌🏼 All the best Xiao Huang!!🥺✨

[@xiaohuang7562]

@@NicoleBernadette Thank you soooooo much!!

[@xiaohuang7562]

ohhh sorryyy, I want to ask a bit more... I did not take the courses from the major I want to change to.. will this influence my application..

[@NicoleBernadette]

@@xiaohuang7562 I don’t think it should affect your application much! All the best for your transfer☺️🙏🏼

[@xiaohuang7562]

@@NicoleBernadette Thank youuuu!