ChoiCes I'm MakInG........

Ok, I’ve decided not to blog about economics for this week as I have absolutely no inspiration. Maybe when I start to read through this huge stack of economics notes, then maybe I will have some stuff to write about?

So I’ve decided to explain about some aspects of my life, which is why I’m pursuing my education at Cambridge as well as why I’m taking up MOE EMS.

I know that most of you are like wondering why I’m taking up EMS, cause you all are shocked that I’m being a teacher instead of an economist/administrator. Ok, at that period of time you must say that I was experiencing a lot of ups and downs. Basically I applied for quite a few scholarships, got rejected by firefly (well thankfully cause I think EDB and JTC are the only good ones there), GIC and MAS ignored me (looking back, it could be because they never received it and I think that’s very very possible as I did not call to double check), SPH played punk and said that they are putting me on hold until 2005/06 (crap!), DBS rejected me (though they put me on waiting…..) and finally PSC (my dream organisation!) pushed me to MOE (well at least I got something as well as met the board). Sp when I went for my MOE interview, I was pretty upset/irritated/anguished and so on. Haha, but Selina, my scholarship officer in charge was real nice and friendly, and they certainly treated me like a first class citizen, sending registered mail, giving me name cards and so on. It was quite good to feel like I was the king. Anyway, I went into the room, was so disappointed that my interviewers were small fries (yes, I was real jealous then cause ZX was meeting the perm sec while I was meeting some small director?). Well, I thought I had an ‘attitude’ in the room, and I was literally criticising our education system. And I know that how I answer the question of how I would motivate and unmotivated student was total bullshit, cause I just ramble on and on and I got confused (they got confused as well) and I thought I was talking crap as well. Haha. Anyway I seriously thought that I performed badly.
Well, the weirdest thing was that I was super confident that they will offer me EMS(Education Merit Scholarship, and it’s the biggest scholarship that MOE gives), and I was telling my mum not to worry. And I was right cause I found out at noon from Selina that they are indeed offering me EMS (it was super funny, cause all the rest of my friends waited for weeks to get a response while I got one in hours). Well, I think my dad was happy about it and I was quite ok with it as well.

Ok, I bet you guys after understanding the circumstances, which I got it, will realise that I was desperate for any organisation to sponsor me overseas. Yes I am. Its true that I do not want to study in Singapore, and obviously I want to study in Cambridge (I will elaborate later). Anyway, I must say that I am getting more and more impressed with MOE. The meeting with the permanent secretary really showed me the opportunities that I will have in the organisation, as well as some of the challenges. Hmm, to put it, I have been emotionally bribed by MOE, especially by their staff who totally impressed me with their dedication. Of course, I’m real glad that they were all so willing to intercede on my behalf for my place in Cambridge, but I guess they themselves also have their own vested interests at stake.

Anyway, EMS is not that bad. And just to let you know I’m not trained to be a teacher! My job is more of an educator, i.e. I will be (hopefully and quickly) promoted to leadership roles in the ministry. For example, becoming a principal or a director. Now, I think that thrills me because the thought that I might mould a school/department’s direction is really exciting. I admit that I think I can’t teach, but I think I will love a job that involves policy making. Policymaking (some of you have already heard this from me) is a job which I will like, and I think that having such a good opportunity to jump into the driving seat is real good. Ok, I will prefer a corporate world, but I need to say that MOE is now revamping itself and it is now becoming to look more like the private sector. And of course, I do have a personal aim of imparting certain skills to students as well as kick-starting an economics Olympiad for students if possible (I think it is, considering the number of scholars I know studying Economics). Anyway, my bond period will allow me to complete some stuff that I’m currently doing, as well as allow me to pick up management skills. If I happen to dislike my job and move on to the private sector, some of the skills are certainly relevant and I have faith that my degree will more than make up for it (Economics is pertinent everywhere). Moreover, (as some of you will know), I am also doing an actuary course now (its super tough lor……I’m fainting already) so as not to waste my 2 years and 2 months in NS, and I think that with this qualification, I will be able to find a job much easier in future. So I don’t think that I will put myself at a disadvantage if I take up EMS.

Ok, so I guess some of you will finally understand why I’m taking up EMS. If you still have any queries, feel free to drop any comments =P

I shall now elaborate on my choice of institution. Let me start by giving you my personal rankings of universities in the field of Economics.

1.   Chicago (its clearly the best in terms of research and public choice theory, policymaking and   so on. Furthermore, it has some of the best professors there and the environment there greatly supports economic work and I like the way they emphasise econometrics as well as mathematical elements)

2. Cambridge (Modern economics came from there, with the works of people like Ricardo and Marshall. It’s at the forefront of economic research, right up until Keynes and Robinson. The tutorial system there is fantastic, something which I love. Best of all, the system there contrasts Chicago’s one, in the sense that they tend to be more wordy)

3. MIT (Its great place, the atmosphere is fantastic, and they have professors there who are at the forefront of economic research in a lot of areas. Paul Krugman was from there, but I think he changed to Princeton recently. Solow is still there, and he has certainly done much to shape my thinking. Barro is there as well if I’m not wrong)

4. Columbia (Its fantastic, especially for international economics as well as public economics. Some of my most favourite economists are there, Bhagwati, Stiglitz, Edmund Phelps. They have certainly played a huge role in influencing the development of economics for the past few decades)

5. Stanford (I love the sun, and the fact that it allows me to do double degree. Well, Romer is from there, and I heard the teaching staff there is great)

6. Princeton (A world class teaching stuff as well as world class economists. The student environment there is great as well)

7. U Penn –Wharton (They got quite a lot of good economics tutors, but not stunning economists. But I think they are really good at financial economics, considering that their Business School is world number ONE)

8. London School of Economics (It’s the next best British institution for the discipline, with a lot of leading economists and tutors. Furthermore, it’s a school which places great emphasis on Economics)

9.UC-Berkeley (the teaching staff and environment there are fantastic and I think they focus a lot on economics application as well)

10. Yale (it’s a great US school, just that it is not that renowned for its economic courses. There are also few distinguished economists there, but the overall environment that it provides is great)

Ok, I must admit that the above suggests that I will prefer Chicago, but I rejected my place there. Well, its partially about the living environment, but most importantly, I think by going Cambridge first, its easier to get firs-class and its also my dream school. Doing my foundation there will also train me in writing, so that when I do my graduate studies in the States I can write my papers better. And I don’t think I will neglect my math as well. If all goes well, combing Cambridge and Chicago might produce an outcome in which I will be able to see both schools of thought as well as even fuse them together.
I hope I have explain some of my choices in my life. Hope you all will understand me better. =)