@NUSguide Hall Tips for Incoming Freshies: How can I increase chances of entering hall?
The politically correct (and indeed correct) answer is to tie your application to what the hall needs, and display your talents and skills. In this post, though, @NUSguide will attempt to answer two other questions that you may be less certain of:
Qn: Does ranking of choices matter?
@NUSguide Answer: Yes, it may. While we may tend to think that ranking does not matter, at least one hall has been known to preferentially select those who rank it as #1 place among preferred housing options. There is a general misconception that ranking does not matter, but @NUSguide can confirm that ranking has been used at least as a factor among some halls (and sometimes, as the main requirement). This could mean an unfortunate reality: if one applies for X hall as first choice, and Y and Z as second and third choices, if he/she does not get X hall, then the chances of getting Y and Z would be lower if they prioritise applicants who had it as first choice.
What this might mean is there may be a need to be strategic with your placement of choices, especially as we enter Round 2 of applications. The approach to acceptance varies based on the JCRC of each year and each hall.
Qn: Do connections matter?
@NUSguide Answer: You have probably heard by now about seniors or peers supposedly entering halls with the help of "connections". While not necessary (the vast majority enter hall without tapping into connections), it is undeniable that inside connections do help, which one may view as an unfortunate reality. Halls, unlike some other residence types, primarily have students as the decision-makers as to who enters the hall. For many halls, the evaluation of applications is made by the President and Vice-President of the Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC), and some halls may involve other JCRC directors in the decision-making. These are students holding leadership positions in the hall. While nepotism is frowned upon, it would seem that naturally, student leaders who carry out the decision-making may be made more certain of your character or abilities if they know you personally or if there are others in hall (who they know) who vouch for you. If you already applied in Round 1, it may not be too late to turn to seniors in hall who can vouch for your unique talents/skills.
This is contrasted with e.g. houses or residences (PGPR/UTR), where the decision-maker would typically be staff (which one is typically less likely to have connections to), not student leaders.
Another reason connections could matter is that you’d get a better idea if the hall is looking for a particular set of skills/talents, which may depend on whether particular CCAs or sectors are now the focus on the incoming JCRC or are lacking in numbers.
Bonus Qn: Are there spots still in Round 2?
@NUSguide Answer: As we noted in a post last year, halls give out most spots in Round 1 -- this means your chances in Round 2 tend to be lower. That said, it is still worth applying. This is because 1) some applicants end up not accepting their Round 1 offer, and 2) we can confirm that there are JCRCs who have intentionally left some spare capacity for Round 2 knowing that there are always later applicants who miss Round 1.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
The politically correct (and indeed correct) answer is to tie your application to what the hall needs, and display your talents and skills. In this post, though, @NUSguide will attempt to answer two other questions that you may be less certain of:
Qn: Does ranking of choices matter?
@NUSguide Answer: Yes, it may. While we may tend to think that ranking does not matter, at least one hall has been known to preferentially select those who rank it as #1 place among preferred housing options. There is a general misconception that ranking does not matter, but @NUSguide can confirm that ranking has been used at least as a factor among some halls (and sometimes, as the main requirement). This could mean an unfortunate reality: if one applies for X hall as first choice, and Y and Z as second and third choices, if he/she does not get X hall, then the chances of getting Y and Z would be lower if they prioritise applicants who had it as first choice.
What this might mean is there may be a need to be strategic with your placement of choices, especially as we enter Round 2 of applications. The approach to acceptance varies based on the JCRC of each year and each hall.
Qn: Do connections matter?
@NUSguide Answer: You have probably heard by now about seniors or peers supposedly entering halls with the help of "connections". While not necessary (the vast majority enter hall without tapping into connections), it is undeniable that inside connections do help, which one may view as an unfortunate reality. Halls, unlike some other residence types, primarily have students as the decision-makers as to who enters the hall. For many halls, the evaluation of applications is made by the President and Vice-President of the Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC), and some halls may involve other JCRC directors in the decision-making. These are students holding leadership positions in the hall. While nepotism is frowned upon, it would seem that naturally, student leaders who carry out the decision-making may be made more certain of your character or abilities if they know you personally or if there are others in hall (who they know) who vouch for you. If you already applied in Round 1, it may not be too late to turn to seniors in hall who can vouch for your unique talents/skills.
This is contrasted with e.g. houses or residences (PGPR/UTR), where the decision-maker would typically be staff (which one is typically less likely to have connections to), not student leaders.
Another reason connections could matter is that you’d get a better idea if the hall is looking for a particular set of skills/talents, which may depend on whether particular CCAs or sectors are now the focus on the incoming JCRC or are lacking in numbers.
Bonus Qn: Are there spots still in Round 2?
@NUSguide Answer: As we noted in a post last year, halls give out most spots in Round 1 -- this means your chances in Round 2 tend to be lower. That said, it is still worth applying. This is because 1) some applicants end up not accepting their Round 1 offer, and 2) we can confirm that there are JCRCs who have intentionally left some spare capacity for Round 2 knowing that there are always later applicants who miss Round 1.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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What if you did not get the course of study you want, or change your mind later? (For freshies & seniors)
New fact obtained by @NUSguide (June 2026):
• While transfers to Law has historically been few (and remains extremely competitive), it is noted that for the 2025 intake, there was a surprising uptick of about 10 successful transfers (@NUSguide conducted our own checks, as there is no public data). This marked an increase from the usual 0 to 2 per batch. We are still confirming data for the latest transferee intake.
• If you have questions on transferring, you may message the @NUSguide channel.]
A) Continue with the course you were given, and apply to transfer courses.
It is possible to change courses. As a transfer applicant, while your pre-university score (e.g. A-Level) is likely still considered to some extent, doing well in Year 1 in university may also be helpful in proving academic merit to transfer to a course you could not enter. Depending on which faculty you transfer to and what courses you take in Year 1, you may be able to count credits towards your new course of study should you successfully transfer, such that there is less or no delay in graduation. This may work well for faculties that provide more leeway for unrestricted electives, or if the faculty you transfer to shares similar courses with your Y1 faculty.
Note that there may be an increase in university fees payable should you have to extend candidature past the normal number of semesters as there would not be further MOE Tuition Grant. However, NUS subsidises the first and second semester past normal candidature such that the increase in fees is significantly mitigated.
The first window to apply to transfer is usually in February.
NUS Law, for instance, allows a transfer of 40 units from your previous course if you successfully transfer to law school (this means no delay in graduation if you transfer in after Y1, or only a one year delay if you transfer in after Y2). This is rare, with typically only 1-2 people per batch succeeding, though @NUSguide did a manual count to find that it was ~10 in 2025. This could be due to increased awareness of the transfer option (perhaps thanks to us raising awareness on this in recent years? 👀) such that there are simply more quality transfer applicants, or an increased acceptance rate. We will update when we obtain data for 2026.
————————————
B) Upgrade to a double degree later on. Similar to a transfer, there may be the option to apply to enter into a double degree program on a later date. This is competitive, and a double degree generally means a longer candidature.
C) It is said that NUSC students get a special benefit of being able to transfer to any course they want within NUSC, with a supposedly 100% success rate; this excludes restricted programs (Refer to Page 4 here): “NUSC students have the option to switch into another major (not including Law, PPE, and Pharm Science) without further application, that is, they won't be scrutinized, approved, or rejected for reasons of fit.”
D) Post-graduate options: Duke-NUS offers Medicine at a post-graduate level for those who have completed a bachelors degree in a different field. Similarly, NUS and SMU Law offer a "Juris Doctor"—where you can take Law for three years after completing a bachelors in something else first. However, this does mean many additional years of schooling, and much cost. It remains an option for those who still want to go into Law/Medicine after completing an undergraduate degree in something else, though!
E) Retake pre-university exams such as the A-Levels, to either attain a better score or retake specific subjects to fulfill prerequisites to re-apply. You may benefit from a gap year. It is not advisable to retake this while juggling with university studies, though it may be a possibility if you are simply retaking a single subject prerequisite you previously did not fulfill.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
New fact obtained by @NUSguide (June 2026):
• While transfers to Law has historically been few (and remains extremely competitive), it is noted that for the 2025 intake, there was a surprising uptick of about 10 successful transfers (@NUSguide conducted our own checks, as there is no public data). This marked an increase from the usual 0 to 2 per batch. We are still confirming data for the latest transferee intake.
• If you have questions on transferring, you may message the @NUSguide channel.]
A) Continue with the course you were given, and apply to transfer courses.
It is possible to change courses. As a transfer applicant, while your pre-university score (e.g. A-Level) is likely still considered to some extent, doing well in Year 1 in university may also be helpful in proving academic merit to transfer to a course you could not enter. Depending on which faculty you transfer to and what courses you take in Year 1, you may be able to count credits towards your new course of study should you successfully transfer, such that there is less or no delay in graduation. This may work well for faculties that provide more leeway for unrestricted electives, or if the faculty you transfer to shares similar courses with your Y1 faculty.
Note that there may be an increase in university fees payable should you have to extend candidature past the normal number of semesters as there would not be further MOE Tuition Grant. However, NUS subsidises the first and second semester past normal candidature such that the increase in fees is significantly mitigated.
The first window to apply to transfer is usually in February.
NUS Law, for instance, allows a transfer of 40 units from your previous course if you successfully transfer to law school (this means no delay in graduation if you transfer in after Y1, or only a one year delay if you transfer in after Y2). This is rare, with typically only 1-2 people per batch succeeding, though @NUSguide did a manual count to find that it was ~10 in 2025. This could be due to increased awareness of the transfer option (perhaps thanks to us raising awareness on this in recent years? 👀) such that there are simply more quality transfer applicants, or an increased acceptance rate. We will update when we obtain data for 2026.
————————————
B) Upgrade to a double degree later on. Similar to a transfer, there may be the option to apply to enter into a double degree program on a later date. This is competitive, and a double degree generally means a longer candidature.
C) It is said that NUSC students get a special benefit of being able to transfer to any course they want within NUSC, with a supposedly 100% success rate; this excludes restricted programs (Refer to Page 4 here): “NUSC students have the option to switch into another major (not including Law, PPE, and Pharm Science) without further application, that is, they won't be scrutinized, approved, or rejected for reasons of fit.”
D) Post-graduate options: Duke-NUS offers Medicine at a post-graduate level for those who have completed a bachelors degree in a different field. Similarly, NUS and SMU Law offer a "Juris Doctor"—where you can take Law for three years after completing a bachelors in something else first. However, this does mean many additional years of schooling, and much cost. It remains an option for those who still want to go into Law/Medicine after completing an undergraduate degree in something else, though!
E) Retake pre-university exams such as the A-Levels, to either attain a better score or retake specific subjects to fulfill prerequisites to re-apply. You may benefit from a gap year. It is not advisable to retake this while juggling with university studies, though it may be a possibility if you are simply retaking a single subject prerequisite you previously did not fulfill.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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For those looking to buy NUS shirts, those from this official fundraiser below are the cheapest you can get them (at as low as $13 per shirt). The main alternative is to buy from NUS Co-op, but their prices are usually seen as over-priced (so an NUS shirt there costs ~$26 per shirt, which is double that of this official fundraiser) so it's recommended that you get your shirts from the @nusshirts fundraiser! The fundraiser only runs for a limited duration, so this is the best time to get your merch!
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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Forwarded from NUS Shirt Sales
[OFFICIAL NUS FUNDRAISER]
HEY FRESHIES!! (and seniors who missed out on past shirt sales)! WELCOME TO NUS 😝😝
🚨 The Classic NUS Shirts are FINALLY HERE!!🚨
⁉️ Looking for a nice, clean, simple Dri-fit NUS tee⁉️
✨ The Beloved NUS Shirts are back! AND it will be available in 7 unique colours in Dri-Fit material! Perfect for late night suppers, to sweat in during trainings, or just something to throw on before you make ur way to class🫣
😘Pre-orders are open finally open! What are you waiting for!🥵
💵 Pricing
3 for $39 ($13/shirt)
2 for $30 ($15/shirt)
1 for $16
📲 How to Order: Fill in the Microsoft form and NUSync form together
🔔IN THE MEANTIME! Do check out @NUSguide for seniors tips, advice and reminders that could be helpful for you! 😴
✅AND If you’d like to know the best student deals available do join the @thiscounted channel!⚠️
📅 HURRY! There will be a limited run for Sem 1 collection so don’t miss your chance!
HEY FRESHIES!! (and seniors who missed out on past shirt sales)! WELCOME TO NUS 😝😝
🚨 The Classic NUS Shirts are FINALLY HERE!!🚨
⁉️ Looking for a nice, clean, simple Dri-fit NUS tee⁉️
✨ The Beloved NUS Shirts are back! AND it will be available in 7 unique colours in Dri-Fit material! Perfect for late night suppers, to sweat in during trainings, or just something to throw on before you make ur way to class🫣
😘Pre-orders are open finally open! What are you waiting for!🥵
💵 Pricing
3 for $39 ($13/shirt)
2 for $30 ($15/shirt)
1 for $16
📲 How to Order: Fill in the Microsoft form and NUSync form together
🔔IN THE MEANTIME! Do check out @NUSguide for seniors tips, advice and reminders that could be helpful for you! 😴
✅AND If you’d like to know the best student deals available do join the @thiscounted channel!⚠️
📅 HURRY! There will be a limited run for Sem 1 collection so don’t miss your chance!
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AY26/27 course listings and schedules are out:
View them here: https://nusmods.com/timetable/sem-1
You may insert courses you are considering into the NUS mod’s timetable to view their day/timing. We will send CourseReg tips (aka “bidding”) on a later date!
(When searching up courses, you may find it helpful to use the starting letters of the major’s course code to have the list of courses in the major displayed — e.g. most computer science courses start with CS____, or a chemistry course may start with CM____, or a mechanical engineering course may start with ME____. Do also search up your faculty website for information on what courses you need to take to clear e.g. major/common curriculum requirements)
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
View them here: https://nusmods.com/timetable/sem-1
You may insert courses you are considering into the NUS mod’s timetable to view their day/timing. We will send CourseReg tips (aka “bidding”) on a later date!
(When searching up courses, you may find it helpful to use the starting letters of the major’s course code to have the list of courses in the major displayed — e.g. most computer science courses start with CS____, or a chemistry course may start with CM____, or a mechanical engineering course may start with ME____. Do also search up your faculty website for information on what courses you need to take to clear e.g. major/common curriculum requirements)
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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Academic Plan Declaration opens on 13 July, 9 a.m.
This allows you to declare your primary/second major/minor. While this officially closes on 17 August, you would actually want to finish this at least 24 hours before CourseReg opens (20 July) as it affects your priority for course bidding. The need to do it at least 24h ahead of CourseReg opening is for processing time/administrative delays (i.e. try to do by 18 July🚨, ahead of CourseReg opening, despite the deadline for academic declaration being supposedly far later on paper).
Tip: As mentioned before, some students find it strategic to just declare a major/minor related to courses they plan to bid next semester (even if they actually don’t truly plan to major/minor in that, or haven’t fully decided) in order to have more priority during coursereg (e.g. an economics minor/second major student gets priority bidding for EC1101E than someone who bids for it without making such a declaration). This academic plan can anyway be changed before every semester (during academic plan declaration) up till your fifth semester of study.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
This allows you to declare your primary/second major/minor. While this officially closes on 17 August, you would actually want to finish this at least 24 hours before CourseReg opens (20 July) as it affects your priority for course bidding. The need to do it at least 24h ahead of CourseReg opening is for processing time/administrative delays (i.e. try to do by 18 July🚨, ahead of CourseReg opening, despite the deadline for academic declaration being supposedly far later on paper).
Tip: As mentioned before, some students find it strategic to just declare a major/minor related to courses they plan to bid next semester (even if they actually don’t truly plan to major/minor in that, or haven’t fully decided) in order to have more priority during coursereg (e.g. an economics minor/second major student gets priority bidding for EC1101E than someone who bids for it without making such a declaration). This academic plan can anyway be changed before every semester (during academic plan declaration) up till your fifth semester of study.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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Forwarded from Student Discounts! By ThisCounted
🎓 Circles.Life Exclusive Premium AI + 5G Offer
🟢 For $6/month, get all-in-one access to 6 Premium AI tools with 1TB 5G data (60% off, U.P. $15/month).
📘 Access premium ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, DeepSeek and Qwen in one plan. No need to pay for multiple AI tools.
✨ Full access on mobile and desktop via CirclesAI
✨ 300 AI image generations/month. Enhanced web experience. Updated premium models.
✔ 1TB 5G Data + Unlimited Talktime
✔ No Contract or Hidden Fees
📒 Student Exclusive: Now at 60% off, $6/month.
Claim now: https://bit.ly/SDAI5G
Find more such discounts at: @ThisCounted 😇 (we are a student deal channel run by students!)
🟢 For $6/month, get all-in-one access to 6 Premium AI tools with 1TB 5G data (60% off, U.P. $15/month).
📘 Access premium ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, DeepSeek and Qwen in one plan. No need to pay for multiple AI tools.
✨ Full access on mobile and desktop via CirclesAI
✨ 300 AI image generations/month. Enhanced web experience. Updated premium models.
✔ 1TB 5G Data + Unlimited Talktime
✔ No Contract or Hidden Fees
📒 Student Exclusive: Now at 60% off, $6/month.
Claim now: https://bit.ly/SDAI5G
Find more such discounts at: @ThisCounted 😇 (we are a student deal channel run by students!)
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^ also, @ThisCounted (a student deals channel run by students) usually shares versions of promos that are better than that promoted elsewhere (e.g. this Circles.Life promo also includes a bonus $10 Grab voucher with no minimum spend requirement from Circles.Life, while other platforms sharing this promo do not include it).
They are most well known for working with Apple during Back to School Sales the past years (which from hearsay is coming soon 👀) to offer perks on top of the usual free accessories. Do subscribe to them to show your support for this student-run initiative!
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
They are most well known for working with Apple during Back to School Sales the past years (which from hearsay is coming soon 👀) to offer perks on top of the usual free accessories. Do subscribe to them to show your support for this student-run initiative!
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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Forwarded from Student Discounts! By ThisCounted
Apple Store Online’s Back to School Offer (with ThisCounted Exclusive Bonus) 📱🖥️
🟢 Maximise your student benefits with ThisCounted’s exclusive link — Get bonus cash if you purchase a product that does not already come with Apple’s bonus accessory. (T&C apply)
📒 Purchases must be through our unique link ( bit.ly/ThisCounted ) and follow the tracking steps below.
📘 Bonus up to $60 is provided based on the items you purchase
🍪 Steps for successful tracking:
1. Ensure that you’re using ThisCounted’s link ( bit.ly/ThisCounted ) when making your purchase; you will need to enter this again when actually checking out (Step 2). Your browser should allow cookies to be tracked.
2. After student/staff status verification, enter bit.ly/ThisCounted again on the same tab 🚨(UNiDAYS may redirect you incorrectly, so just re-enter our link after student/staff status verification). i.e. Re-enter bit.ly/ThisCounted again on the same tab when you reach the final check-out page; your cart should still be saved.
📘 T&C apply (refer to ThisCounted T&C and Apple’s T&C)
🔴 Bonus cash is only for those who make verified purchases through ThisCounted’s link from now till 31 July.
Fill this claim form after your purchase: https://forms.gle/M8hQCdYiPzUTqtXb7
Questions? Reach out to us at ThisCountedBiz@gmail.com , @ThisCountedSupportBot or message the @ThisCounted channel directly
———
FAQ and more student deals: @ThisCounted
🟢 Maximise your student benefits with ThisCounted’s exclusive link — Get bonus cash if you purchase a product that does not already come with Apple’s bonus accessory. (T&C apply)
📒 Purchases must be through our unique link ( bit.ly/ThisCounted ) and follow the tracking steps below.
📘 Bonus up to $60 is provided based on the items you purchase
🍪 Steps for successful tracking:
1. Ensure that you’re using ThisCounted’s link ( bit.ly/ThisCounted ) when making your purchase; you will need to enter this again when actually checking out (Step 2). Your browser should allow cookies to be tracked.
2. After student/staff status verification, enter bit.ly/ThisCounted again on the same tab 🚨(UNiDAYS may redirect you incorrectly, so just re-enter our link after student/staff status verification). i.e. Re-enter bit.ly/ThisCounted again on the same tab when you reach the final check-out page; your cart should still be saved.
📘 T&C apply (refer to ThisCounted T&C and Apple’s T&C)
🔴 Bonus cash is only for those who make verified purchases through ThisCounted’s link from now till 31 July.
Fill this claim form after your purchase: https://forms.gle/M8hQCdYiPzUTqtXb7
Questions? Reach out to us at ThisCountedBiz@gmail.com , @ThisCountedSupportBot or message the @ThisCounted channel directly
———
FAQ and more student deals: @ThisCounted
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ThisCounted’s Apple partnership — offering bonus rewards on top of Apple’s Back to School Sales — is back! This time, its arrangement with Apple gives cashback of up to $60 for products like the iPad and iPad Mini, and other purchases, when you use ThisCounted’s link. It is also noteworthy that this time, Apple isn’t offering free AirPods or Apple Pencils (you’d need to top-up) for Pro/Air purchases like it normally does, offering only AirTags instead. This could make the non-Pro/Air devices a better choice this time.
Do view their FAQ @ThisCounted if you are unsure how this works. (Note that you have to use their tracking link and follow the steps, and this remains safely on the official Apple website albeit with a tracking cookie).
We will post our thoughts on which device to get later today!
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
Do view their FAQ @ThisCounted if you are unsure how this works. (Note that you have to use their tracking link and follow the steps, and this remains safely on the official Apple website albeit with a tracking cookie).
We will post our thoughts on which device to get later today!
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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CourseReg Round 1 opens at 9 a.m. tomorrow and closes at 12 p.m. on 21 July (ie the next day). It is not first-come-first-serve.
Round 1 is a protected round.
Students will be able to select courses (subject to meeting course pre-requisite, co-requisite and preclusion rules) in this round if the courses can be used towards:
(i) Programme (Faculty, Major, Specialisation) requirements
(ii) Second Major requirements
(iii) Direct admission/restricted Minor requirements
(iv) Prescribed English requirements (i.e. courses offered by CELC)
Students will vie for a spot in the course within the available places allotted to their student category (e.g. separate numbers for UG and GD).
Note: if you had done what we suggested previously, you may have declared the major associated with e.g. UEs you want to clear as a “second major”. This would then already allow you to bid for them in Round 1. In this round and future rounds, having declared it as such would also give priority (as part of the priority scoring rubrics) against someone else who did not do so.
Ranking of courses does matter (a better rank gives more points for bidding).
You can find past year demand/allocation info at https://courserekt.vercel.app/ which may be helpful when you want to strategise your course preferences! (typically, courses which often have excess vacancies don’t have to be as heavily prioritised during bidding—one may be able to afford to rank this lower).
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
Round 1 is a protected round.
Students will be able to select courses (subject to meeting course pre-requisite, co-requisite and preclusion rules) in this round if the courses can be used towards:
(i) Programme (Faculty, Major, Specialisation) requirements
(ii) Second Major requirements
(iii) Direct admission/restricted Minor requirements
(iv) Prescribed English requirements (i.e. courses offered by CELC)
Students will vie for a spot in the course within the available places allotted to their student category (e.g. separate numbers for UG and GD).
Note: if you had done what we suggested previously, you may have declared the major associated with e.g. UEs you want to clear as a “second major”. This would then already allow you to bid for them in Round 1. In this round and future rounds, having declared it as such would also give priority (as part of the priority scoring rubrics) against someone else who did not do so.
Ranking of courses does matter (a better rank gives more points for bidding).
You can find past year demand/allocation info at https://courserekt.vercel.app/ which may be helpful when you want to strategise your course preferences! (typically, courses which often have excess vacancies don’t have to be as heavily prioritised during bidding—one may be able to afford to rank this lower).
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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NUS guide: entering university! 🏫🎓💯
Tele groups for incoming freshies: Credits: GROUP CHATS (collated by @unigrouplinks , other uni group links there too) More to be added ———————————— [stuff for all students regardless of uni r at the bottom of the post] Incoming NUS Freshmen 🟦🟧 Useful…
Also, various group chats are used for swapping tutorial slots etc.! P.S. we have also edited to add on a CDE group chat link we missed earlier.
If you have pre-allocated courses, you may view these at Edurec > Academics > View Courses.
(For the coursereg tomorrow, head to Academics > Course Registration > Select Courses)
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
If you have pre-allocated courses, you may view these at Edurec > Academics > View Courses.
(For the coursereg tomorrow, head to Academics > Course Registration > Select Courses)
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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Reminder that CourseReg closes in less than an hour (12 p.m.) today!
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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CourseReg Round 1 results are out for most! Head to Edurec > Academics > Academic Records > View Classes.
There is still a slight chance of allocation until the official release time, 9 a.m. tomorrow, though most courses are usually fully allocated by this time.
Round 2 starts on 28 July 9 a.m.; this is no longer the protected round, so there are courses you can now bid for that you previously could not.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
There is still a slight chance of allocation until the official release time, 9 a.m. tomorrow, though most courses are usually fully allocated by this time.
Round 2 starts on 28 July 9 a.m.; this is no longer the protected round, so there are courses you can now bid for that you previously could not.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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NUS guide: entering university! 🏫🎓💯
The Classic ‘NUS’ Shirts in Collegiate font is finally back again🤩 A popular design and a ‘must-have’ for many, our annual shirt sale is a rare opportunity for you to get this limited-design shirt. Available in 7 different designs and Dri-Fit material, it…
UPDATE: They have announced they just closed sales (11.12 p.m.)!
The NUS shirt sales are closing tonight instead of 31 July! They have to end sales early because of high demand. (This is an official fundraiser by KEVII — refer to @nusshirts for more info!)
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
The NUS shirt sales are closing tonight instead of 31 July! They have to end sales early because of high demand. (This is an official fundraiser by KEVII — refer to @nusshirts for more info!)
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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DemandAllocationRptUG_R1.pdf
550.9 KB
CourseReg Round 2 opens at 9 a.m.! You may view the demand and allocation report from the last round here; this lets you know the vacancies left and a sense of how in demand a course is. Noting that the ranking of courses does affect your priority for allocation (as rank preference is part of the formula), this can help you plan strategically as to how you would rank your courses.
Generally:
Priority Score = Program Requirements × Student Seniority × Rank Preference
[the more so it is a program requirement (e.g. major vs minor), the higher your student seniority, and the better the ranking you give the course, then the higher your priority score]
For instance, one view may be that if you really want a course a lot and it is of high demand with few vacancies left, it may make sense to give it a better rank so you stand a better chance of getting it. Another view may be that if a course is too competitive to bid for, and you are not actually that interested/in need of it, then you might consider whether it is even worth bidding for when you could use the better rank preference score for other courses you have a more realistic chance of getting.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
Generally:
Priority Score = Program Requirements × Student Seniority × Rank Preference
[the more so it is a program requirement (e.g. major vs minor), the higher your student seniority, and the better the ranking you give the course, then the higher your priority score]
For instance, one view may be that if you really want a course a lot and it is of high demand with few vacancies left, it may make sense to give it a better rank so you stand a better chance of getting it. Another view may be that if a course is too competitive to bid for, and you are not actually that interested/in need of it, then you might consider whether it is even worth bidding for when you could use the better rank preference score for other courses you have a more realistic chance of getting.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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CourseReg Round 2 results are mostly out! Head to Edurec > Academics > Academic Records > View Classes.
There is still a slight chance of allocation until the official release time, 9 a.m. tomorrow, though most courses are usually fully allocated by this time.
Round 3 starts on 3 August, 9 a.m.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
There is still a slight chance of allocation until the official release time, 9 a.m. tomorrow, though most courses are usually fully allocated by this time.
Round 3 starts on 3 August, 9 a.m.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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CourseReg Round 3 opens at 9 a.m. (tomorrow, 3 Aug) and closes 12 p.m. the following day.
For seniors, you will be able to overload—this means taking more units than the usual workload. Some may consider bidding for courses in excess and then dropping specific courses later on. (E.g. you may already be at the usual 20 units workload, but if there is another course you prefer but could not get, you can bid for that and if you successfully get it then you can drop the less preferable course afterwards).
Freshmen are generally not allowed to overload unless you have the limit specially waived by appealing.
Why some people overload:
It may sometimes be strategic to overload extra courses you are unsure of, then narrowing down to which courses you really want to take after trying them out. This is because if you drop a course by week 3, it won't show up in your transcript / or if you drop a module before recess week, it would only show up as a 'W' grade with no effect on GPA. This way, you may be able to opt to keep only the courses you expect to do well (which you may have a better sense of by that point in time) and be more likely to get stronger GPA. (that said, it may also be unstrategic to do this if it means you can't cope in the first few weeks)
Of course, a more common reason to overload is because you may want to have an easier workload in your final years in uni!
In fact, if you are able to overload enough across multiple semesters, you would be able to finish your degree earlier, i.e. graduate earlier. This can mean major savings in school fees and time, e.g. paying a semester less of school fees.
However, overloading is not always recommended and is ultimately a personal decision that requires you to balance various pros and cons and what you’re personally able to have on your plate in a semester.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
For seniors, you will be able to overload—this means taking more units than the usual workload. Some may consider bidding for courses in excess and then dropping specific courses later on. (E.g. you may already be at the usual 20 units workload, but if there is another course you prefer but could not get, you can bid for that and if you successfully get it then you can drop the less preferable course afterwards).
Freshmen are generally not allowed to overload unless you have the limit specially waived by appealing.
Why some people overload:
It may sometimes be strategic to overload extra courses you are unsure of, then narrowing down to which courses you really want to take after trying them out. This is because if you drop a course by week 3, it won't show up in your transcript / or if you drop a module before recess week, it would only show up as a 'W' grade with no effect on GPA. This way, you may be able to opt to keep only the courses you expect to do well (which you may have a better sense of by that point in time) and be more likely to get stronger GPA. (that said, it may also be unstrategic to do this if it means you can't cope in the first few weeks)
Of course, a more common reason to overload is because you may want to have an easier workload in your final years in uni!
In fact, if you are able to overload enough across multiple semesters, you would be able to finish your degree earlier, i.e. graduate earlier. This can mean major savings in school fees and time, e.g. paying a semester less of school fees.
However, overloading is not always recommended and is ultimately a personal decision that requires you to balance various pros and cons and what you’re personally able to have on your plate in a semester.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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Round 3 CourseReg results are out!
What happens if I still do not secure courses I need?
You may begin appealing to your course's host department through CourseReg@EduRec (“Submit Appeals/Inquiries”). Limited reasons are accepted for appeals. You may attempt this if you have any extenuating circumstances.
If a course is required for graduation, and you are about to graduate, then that may increase your chances of a successful appeal (even if the course does not have vacancies).
It would presumably be easier to appeal into courses that still have vacancies. If you are below the usual workload/behind in fulfilling requirements, you may have a better chance of appeals.
It is unclear what other reasons of appeal would be successful.
NOTE: Appeals are first come first serve, unlike CourseReg rounds.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
What happens if I still do not secure courses I need?
You may begin appealing to your course's host department through CourseReg@EduRec (“Submit Appeals/Inquiries”). Limited reasons are accepted for appeals. You may attempt this if you have any extenuating circumstances.
If a course is required for graduation, and you are about to graduate, then that may increase your chances of a successful appeal (even if the course does not have vacancies).
It would presumably be easier to appeal into courses that still have vacancies. If you are below the usual workload/behind in fulfilling requirements, you may have a better chance of appeals.
It is unclear what other reasons of appeal would be successful.
NOTE: Appeals are first come first serve, unlike CourseReg rounds.
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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🚨 Tutorial Registration Round 1 opens on August 11, 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.
Unlike CourseReg, the window for tutorial registration is much shorter — ending at 5 p.m. the same day.
—-
Re-sharing this: Below is a message on the balloting process that has been passed down by various NUS seniors! Note that “courses” used to be referred to as “mods”:
“Balloting process
How to ballot like a senior
(by sam chan)
First, here is how the balloting works:
- you rank up to 20 tutorial slots according to your preference, with the slots you want more ranked higher
- you do not have to use all 20, and in fact you can just put one tutorial slot per mod
- the system looks at your first choice, checks the tutorial class, and if there are vacancies, you're in!
- the process then repeats for your second, third choice etc. until you have tutorials for all your mods, or you have no viable options left (i.e. all your preferred tutorials are full)
- it's quite by luck in the sense that if you're the 26th person the system sees for a 25-person class, you don't get it, even if you put it as first choice. hence the term balloting. IT IS NOT FIRST COME FIRST SERVE!
Now that you know how balloting roughly works, here are some pointers!
1. Plan for multiple timetables
- needless to say we all have that one tutorial slot we want (for free day, with friends, both, etc.), however it would be terribly unwise to not have any backup plans/tutorial slots. having three choices per mod is a safe number, although you can go up to 4 per mod (equal distribution among 5 mods) or any number really (unequal distribution)
2. Know your preferences
- even among your first choice tutorial slots for your modules, it's good to know which are the ones you want the most
- generally you get your first three choices, while anything after that is more risky, so you need to priorities which are the ones you diedie must get, and hence rank first
3. Know that certain tutorial slots are more popular
- generally tutorial slots from 10-4 are the more popular ones
- likewise for those on the same day as the lecture for that mod
- you might want to rank these slots higher
- this is more for your knowledge, but if you plan to take this tutorial with say >5 friends, some of you might not get it
Keeping these pointers in mind, you ballot! And here's now:
(note: you don't have to follow this method but I find it really helpful. also, it's based on the assumption that one has 5 mods to ballot for)
1) Note down the tutorial slots you want on a piece of paper (virtual or otherwise) according to your modules, while ranking them at the same time.
- you should have 5 columns of 4 tutorial slots each (assuming equal distribution), already in order of preference
2) Double check the timings and the tutorial number (eg. D3, E5, etc.)
3) Rank all your tutorial slots in a flop-table style (MOST IMPORTANT STEP). This might require some explanation, so bear with me.
Let's say your 5 mods are called 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and it's according to the mod which first-choice tutorial slot you want the most
Each mod has 4 tutorial slots, called A, B, C, and D according to your preference.
Here's how your ranking would look like then:
1A
2A
3A
4A
5A
5B
4B
3B
2B
1B
1C
2C
3C
4C
5C
5D
4D
3D
2D
1D
Basically you "reflect" your mods. Since you're quite likely to get your choices for 1, 2, and 3, but less so for 4, and 5, your sixth and seventh choices should be the second-choice for mods 4 and 5 to increase your chances of getting what you want.
4) Finally, don't panic if you don't have any tutorial slots! There is always add/drop and online swaps, and worst case manual registration. It's all part of student life! But if you follow the above, it's less likely to happen (: “
—-
Also, wishing everyone a happy national day! 🇸🇬
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
Unlike CourseReg, the window for tutorial registration is much shorter — ending at 5 p.m. the same day.
—-
Re-sharing this: Below is a message on the balloting process that has been passed down by various NUS seniors! Note that “courses” used to be referred to as “mods”:
“Balloting process
How to ballot like a senior
(by sam chan)
First, here is how the balloting works:
- you rank up to 20 tutorial slots according to your preference, with the slots you want more ranked higher
- you do not have to use all 20, and in fact you can just put one tutorial slot per mod
- the system looks at your first choice, checks the tutorial class, and if there are vacancies, you're in!
- the process then repeats for your second, third choice etc. until you have tutorials for all your mods, or you have no viable options left (i.e. all your preferred tutorials are full)
- it's quite by luck in the sense that if you're the 26th person the system sees for a 25-person class, you don't get it, even if you put it as first choice. hence the term balloting. IT IS NOT FIRST COME FIRST SERVE!
Now that you know how balloting roughly works, here are some pointers!
1. Plan for multiple timetables
- needless to say we all have that one tutorial slot we want (for free day, with friends, both, etc.), however it would be terribly unwise to not have any backup plans/tutorial slots. having three choices per mod is a safe number, although you can go up to 4 per mod (equal distribution among 5 mods) or any number really (unequal distribution)
2. Know your preferences
- even among your first choice tutorial slots for your modules, it's good to know which are the ones you want the most
- generally you get your first three choices, while anything after that is more risky, so you need to priorities which are the ones you diedie must get, and hence rank first
3. Know that certain tutorial slots are more popular
- generally tutorial slots from 10-4 are the more popular ones
- likewise for those on the same day as the lecture for that mod
- you might want to rank these slots higher
- this is more for your knowledge, but if you plan to take this tutorial with say >5 friends, some of you might not get it
Keeping these pointers in mind, you ballot! And here's now:
(note: you don't have to follow this method but I find it really helpful. also, it's based on the assumption that one has 5 mods to ballot for)
1) Note down the tutorial slots you want on a piece of paper (virtual or otherwise) according to your modules, while ranking them at the same time.
- you should have 5 columns of 4 tutorial slots each (assuming equal distribution), already in order of preference
2) Double check the timings and the tutorial number (eg. D3, E5, etc.)
3) Rank all your tutorial slots in a flop-table style (MOST IMPORTANT STEP). This might require some explanation, so bear with me.
Let's say your 5 mods are called 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and it's according to the mod which first-choice tutorial slot you want the most
Each mod has 4 tutorial slots, called A, B, C, and D according to your preference.
Here's how your ranking would look like then:
1A
2A
3A
4A
5A
5B
4B
3B
2B
1B
1C
2C
3C
4C
5C
5D
4D
3D
2D
1D
Basically you "reflect" your mods. Since you're quite likely to get your choices for 1, 2, and 3, but less so for 4, and 5, your sixth and seventh choices should be the second-choice for mods 4 and 5 to increase your chances of getting what you want.
4) Finally, don't panic if you don't have any tutorial slots! There is always add/drop and online swaps, and worst case manual registration. It's all part of student life! But if you follow the above, it's less likely to happen (: “
—-
Also, wishing everyone a happy national day! 🇸🇬
If you found these useful, do share our channel @NUSguide with your friends/juniors — we share uni tips/hacks throughout the year! 🙌🏻
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