Hacker News Reader

Fair enough, I agree with your advice. Thank you. In Singapore however there isn't really an equivalent of community college; there are polytechnics which are essentially associate degrees, and there are junior colleges which are like high school I guess (and besides I won't be able to just enter a junior college even if I wanted to).

But yeah I really do need to think more of their perspective and try to make myself more appealing somehow.

Agreed: if you want to get into uni then you have to show that you can do the things that a uni wants you to do.

Those aren't necessarily the most objectively sensible or intellectual things (I found uni painful at times in part becauase of that), but that's not the point.

Yes, some more than others, many degrees are just elaborate hazing rituals.

> I don't know the school system in Singapore, but in the US, we have community colleges that accept everyone. Most people in your situation take a few classes at a community college to prove that they can succeed in that environment, and then try again with the university. If there are similar option in Singapore, I'd go that route.

I also am not familiar with the Singapore system, but that is my first thought as well. Also sometimes scoring high on a standardized test (if applicable in Singapore) can make up for some bad grades.