Hi all,

Lately I have been feeling very conflicted about what and where I'm studying. Long story short, the uni I am in now offered me a year's exemption from my BA as I did my Diploma with them.

As much as I am grateful to get this opportunity to study, my mind's been nagging lately. For starters, my uni right now isn't the biggest or the best, but it has a good culture and offers me what I need. Lecturers are great, the structure is good, computers and libraries complete, basically the works. It's just that it isn't very populated, and classes tend to be rather small. That said, the fees are a fair bit lower compared to equivalent unis, and the overall structure of the course gives me time to pursue what I want outside of class (I am very active in several student bodies, etc.)

Having mingled with friends who are all high flyers (Ivy League scholarship holders, study in UK...), I seem to pale in comparison when it comes to my course and my institution. This is getting on my nerves a bit. Some of my friends are also studying in Malaysia but they are studying in those with big names and big reputation.

I've thought long and hard before joining. My fees here are cheaper, and that full year of exemption will allow me to join the workforce quicker. But do you think I am looking at the wrong things, and I should instead look at the best quality, price and time be damned?

Looking at things, most of my friends are also doing popular courses such as Accounts, Finance, etc. I am just doing Communications. I have also mulled switching courses just so I have a 'better shot' at things in the future.

Appreciate your advice. Thank you all.

What the heck is popular course? seems like you are just indecisive. Not all ivy league students goes out and make a million bucks, there is a dude who came out of MMU who made 10 or something millions. Your school does not guarantee your future, but it's what you do that will guarantee your future.

small class better attention？

Just remember this, not all course are the same. Not all universities are the same. What's important is that the course that you are doing and will be doing are what the industries want. You can ask your lecturers, are your courses what the industries really want. Is it what the current industries really want. Account and Finance are always in demand. I'm not sure about Communications, you have to ask someone in the field. It depends on the institution, but some institution keep track of what their graduates are doing. And if you can check that list, you will able to know whether the pwople previously doing your courses are working in the intended field, jump into different field, or just plain not working.

Look at public universities, I dare say at least half of the courses are not what the industries want.

Don't be too concerned with the course and status of your friends. So as long as you enjoy your current course, there is really no reason to worry about it. Just because you are from a non so reputable university, doesn't mean that you can't be successful in life. Lower ranked universities are probably good in the sense that they are trying to arm with with the latest knowledge and skills as their course is always evolving to keep up with the times. In fact, more prestigious unis are probably less likely to update their courses since they will be unwilling to change what made them prestigious in the first place.

TLDR, no need to be so insecure. If you enjoy it now, it's more than enough to be proud of it.

Those reputable and big unis have VERY expensive fees. There's a reason why you choosed a uni that has cheaper fees right? No need to be insecure. The only thing that matters is your effort.

Unless you're competing to enter competitive industries (eg financial institutions, law firms, etc) I don't think there is justification on the high fees from reputable university.

Contrary to Eurobeater's perspective, I argue that prestigious university have more up to date syllabus comapred to low ranking universities, as they have the fund/ranking/glamorous name to attract industry leaders to teach in their university.

"Just because you are from a non so reputable university, doesn't mean that you can't be successful in life. " true, but you're giving up a head start.

Take Dota for example, let's say your goal is to reach 5k MMR (sorry I've never played Dota since the new update). Would you rather start at 2k MMR, or 3k MMR? Obvious choice is 3k MMR right since you've got that advantage. But if u really suck at it no matter where you start you're going to have a hard time climbing the ladder. BUT is it worth paying a ton more to start at 3k MMR?????

Your peers in Ivy League have that bragging rights as they worked hard to earn that spot in those universities. And this is one reason employers would hire ivy league students as tick of most boxes in initial screening of job employment.

Work hard with what you have, stand out from the crowd, graduate top of your cohort, there are many ways you can be on par with your peers, you win in your own way.

Regarding a degree in communications, I would not recommend it actually.. If you spend some time on job street or ricebowl or whatever, there probably isn't any jobs that require a degree in communication.

It really depends on the industry, insitution or department that you are joining in future. aka Culture of the insitution/department. Some places would prefer to take in freshie from top foreign university but sometimes this may not be true. Its very realistic, if your hiring manager and his team are all graduated locally, do you think they will bother whether you graduate from local or foreign uni?? Only certain big name insitution would spefically require its applicants to gradute from top ranked uni, most mnc dont.

Whichever field you're in, there's still going to be people who excel & not excel in them. So called popular courses such as Business, Finance, Engineering are in demand everywhere but when it comes to it, it's the student themselves who will affect their career path. There can be 100 graduates and 100 job slots for Business but that still doesn't mean you'll be hired either. A lot of times people don't understand that having graduated doesn't mean you're going to excel in the field. 10 people graduated at the same time but 2 of them are top scorers and the rest are average & below.

What matters most is what you want to do. I'm in the Communications field as well so yes, we do share the same fears. I've also completed my Dip and going on for BA at another university. Yes, I'm not getting credit transfer so I'll be in Year 1 but what matters most is that I like what they're teaching in the course and I believe I'll learn new things from the course.

I have a friend who has finished her Dip in Comms and moved on to study BA in Finance. I also have friends who previously studied Marketing but switched courses to Comms.

Knowing what separates you and those top students from top universities is important. You can learn from them and elevate yourself. Sort of like packaging.

You worry too much. Graduates of big name universities doesn't mean they will be more successful in their future career. Heck, some of the bad naughty students in secondary school are more likely to be future boss of engineers and accountants graduating from big name universities.

Do your degree in this university which you yourself said have good lecturers etc. Make friends. Network. And mature and be wiser in the process.

My 2 sen

Looks like there a few things OP...

1. You sound insecure and don't want to seem 'not as glamorous' as your other uni friends.
2. You sound like you're not sure what your end-game is.

For #1.
Get over it. Honestly, while a bigger more prestigious university will give you a starting-salary boost and a way in to bigger companies, the shine of your alma mater matters less than your work ethic and performance.

Use the resources you have, and the facilities you have and stand out. Think of it this way - you have no excuse to not stand out if you're a big fish in a small pond. If you ended up in a big pond, it's harder to stand out.

Build experiences worth talking about.

#2. Do a course you like.
Do you enjoy Communications? All the knowledge we learn, especially in university, may not necessarily be useful by itself. But if you're good at what you do, you start to see PATTERNS and how one theory leads to the better application of something. What I mean is, if you really enjoy communications - study it. But pair it up with a technical minor - i.e finance, accounting, programming, IT, etc. Maybe you'll create a communication program about 'Finance for Non-Finance' or something.

I usually use unidigest to help in counseling my friends/nephews/etc but there are plenty of resources available online, a quick google search and a few articles to give you perspective on what you want.

don't jump just because you're restless. do it for the right reasons.