Considering private uni? 🧐
Many of us hear and feel that private universities are just an easy way to get a degree, and it’s essentially just buying the piece of paper without actually having to study or put in hard work. To some extent, I can see why this impression exists and I have witnessed my fair share of classmates slacking and just barely passing classes. The friends I made from the startup internship were from local universities and I was lucky that they were just slightly ahead of me in age and life stage. I was able to recognise and learn good practices and work ethics from them, which guided me through my university journey.
Before starting my first semester, I managed to secure a part-time internship at a local non-profit, so I juggled that alongside my classes for the first 3 months. I’m thankful that my employers were flexible and understanding, it also helped that I completed my tasks promptly and showed that they could trust me. After completing the internship, I decided that I wanted to earn a bit more money and pivoted to freelancing instead. I had a few clients from the network I gained during the internship, and a few I cultivated from job listings/postings. Some designs I worked on were for an online pet retailer, networking event, and even for a booth at the Singapore Fintech Festival. In my second year, I managed to secure an internship at a department under the National University of Singapore. The office was located in Botanic Gardens, which was great because it was only a 30min bus ride away from SIM and there was beautiful greenery around the office. This role was quite different from my previous internships (which was what I was looking for, to pivot away from design only roles), here I helped manage programmes for post-graduate and corporate audiences. I’ll share more on these experiences in a separate post!
It was very important to me that I grew my professional experiences alongside my studies. My logic was that local university students themselves have to stand out through internships, for someone in a private university it was even more important that I have such experiences too. I also set a goal for myself to graduate with the highest level of latin honours as I knew that could help my chances in the jobsearch post graduation. It was relatively easy as the curriculum is (imo) more liberal than local education, lecturers were more flexible and accepting of different streams of thought and project formats. I had clear directions and goals for myself on what I wanted to achieve during my time in university, and these were considered before/at the beginning of this academic journey. To the students out there, I just want to say that feeling lost is normal, what is important is to research/find the possible paths you could take and give a good effort in whatever you choose to do. If things don’t work out, it is also normal, pivot and try something else. I can promise that in any experience you try there will be learning points and lessons you take away that will in some way or another help in whatever you do in the future.
Feel free to ask me anything in the comments! I’ll be happy to share my experience and thoughts ✨
From my own journey studying at a private university like SIM Global Education, I can attest that the experience goes far beyond just obtaining a degree—it's about building skills and networks that prepare you for the real world. One key takeaway I've learned is the importance of actively seeking internships and freelance opportunities while studying. These experiences not only supplement your resume but also expose you to diverse work environments, which can be especially crucial for students at private universities to stand out alongside peers from more established local universities. During my time, juggling an internship at a local non-profit alongside classes taught me invaluable time management and professionalism. Employers appreciate reliability and initiative, so being prompt and trustworthy helped build lasting professional relationships. Transitioning into freelancing gave me the flexibility to work on various projects and hone my design and client management skills. For anyone considering private university education, I recommend setting clear personal goals, such as aiming for distinctions or honors, to create tangible milestones for your academic and career progress. Another aspect that many might overlook is the flexibility and openness of private university curricula. My experience was that lecturers were more receptive to diverse perspectives and creative project formats, which encouraged independent thinking and adaptation—traits highly valued in today’s workforce. Also, securing internships related to your interests, even beyond design or your major, can open new career paths; my second-year internship focused on program management for post-graduate audiences helped broaden my expertise significantly. In addition, embracing the feeling of uncertainty during university years is vital. It's normal to feel lost initially. What helped me was continuous research into different career options and a willingness to pivot if necessary. Each experience brought lessons that shaped my approach to work and life beyond university. For prospective private university students or anyone worried about naysayers, remember that your dedication to gaining experience and setting goals defines your success—not just the institution’s label. Ultimately, private universities like SIM can offer a flexible and supportive environment, but success depends largely on your initiative to seek growth opportunities. If you’re looking for a firsthand perspective on maneuvering university life while building your professional profile, this insight illustrates that commitment and strategic planning truly pay off. Feel free to engage and ask questions; sharing real stories helps us all learn and grow.
