I always felt that something was off. In Singapore, community service always seemed like something to tick off a checklist. A bunch of activities to put on your CV or to make you sound like a ‘good’ person. What was particularly popular in my school was the opportunity to go overseas and volunteer in repainting some old schools in the poorer countries in this region. It was definitely fun, and eye-catching when put on a CV. One of my friends...

“I’m ashamed I actually believed it.” “I lost $888.” These were some of the comments from my friends after falling for financial ploys. While serving in the military, I would see friends and colleagues fall prey to dubious schemes such as multi-level marketing (MLM), pyramid schemes, or questionable savings plans. These predators would target the financially illiterate: mainly students and conscripts. Knowledge is power, and the nefarious agents used their power to coerce innocent youths into regrettable decisions. To me,...

It was finally time for college applications. Looking at my peers, I noticed how many had enlisted admissions consultants to refine essays. Sure, I could afford a consultant too if I stretched my measly military pay. What about less-privileged students, who are unable to hire consultants, nor find much help with underprepared school counsellors and teachers? These thoughts accompanied me as I drafted my own essays, until an idea struck me. I could create a database with troves of applicant...

As a child, I was always fascinated with the science feats displayed in movies such as the Axiom in WALL-E, or the Death Star in Star Wars. Amazed and inspired by the capability of science in building such cool machines, I decided to further my interest in science. I started by picking subjects like physics in school, but found no inspiration there. Gradually, science became a collection of tests rather than subjects of interest. Having found school lacking and discovering...

“Nah, it’s disruptive”. That was the answer I was given, when I tried to improve my school bands’ practise sessions, from memorisation to experimentation through learning sight-reading and intonation. That, however, was not an answer I was satisfied with. It felt like my proposals had been shut down on a whim. And it wasn’t an isolated case. Singapore’s education system includes a mandatory Project Work (PW) subject where students propose a project. I felt that it was...

The maritime dispute between Singapore and Malaysia has given rise to a concern that I wrestle with as I question the validity of each nation’s arguments. During my National Service (NS), my formation was thrust into the spotlight when Malaysia encroached into Singaporean territorial waters. After months of additional patrolling and close incidents with Malaysian vessels, I asked myself how dispute and conflict between Singapore and Malaysia could be reduced. It seemed, a strong rule of international law and...

(NUS Law) It was time for college applications. Looking at my peers, I noticed many had enlisted admissions consultants to refine essays. I began thinking about those students who were unable to hire consultants, nor find help with their school. Such considerations accompanied me as I drafted my essays, and it was not long until I had an idea: a database with troves of applicant information and statistics for instant and low-cost access by students. I started developing the product....

Sirens were blaring. I jumped up, hitting my head against the top bunk. Stunned and groggy, I grabbed my gear and twisted the handwheel. Struggling to fit my boots, I entered the gun-bay. Missiles were ready. During my military conscription, I was a XXX, handling firearms and conducting shipboard duties such as firefighting onboard an offshore littoral vessel. We were always ready for action against foreign threats. At that point, conflict with XXX seemed inevitable due to territorial disputes. Amidst...

Exponentiality. How do we deal with the exponential increase in our population and our demand for energy, food, and water. As a society, we should deliver solutions that instead of restricting consumption, would focus on creating support for the exponential progress of humankind, as we reach for the stars.

During two years of military conscription, I - attended Command School, served as Weapons and Operations XXX in XXX task force; - started a platform and connected with first potential investor; - joined recreational floorball group - began MATLAB and Python programming; - participated in pitch and coding competitions; - amongst others.

Having spent many late nights watching soccer, I would’ve loved to watch the goal Michael Thomas scored in 1989 to win the League. An Arsenal fan myself, I would experience sheer joy by seeing the moment in which Arsenal earned its place on the map of world football.

Fear regret more than failure.

I view online courses, such as Coursera and Corporate Finance Institute’s videos, as well as guides that put others to sleep, such as MATLAB’s and Python Institute’s online guides. I also watch South Park, as I enjoy the current affairs, political and cultural undertones in each episode.

Having met several alumni, I found them permeating start-ups and communities. Whether they were venture capital owners, graduates or exchange students, all gushed over the vibrant start-up culture and programs. As an aspiring entrepreneur, I see myself in this community of change-makers that enables early exposure through programmes like StartX.

A friend has asked me to help co-found a geolocation events platform. I wish we could review the feasibility of the idea. Developing an online platform myself, I am drawn to his proposal. But I have already committed to design a financial literacy workshop program for students and army enlistees

It was time for college applications. Looking at my peers, I noticed how many had enlisted admissions consultants to refine essays. And I began thinking about those students who were unable to hire consultants, nor find help with their school. Such considerations accompanied me as I drafted my essays, and it was not long until I had an idea: a database with troves of applicant information and statistics for instant and low-cost access by Singaporean students. I got down to...

Good morning! Sorry for switching on the lights, I wake up early. No worries, I’ll be out soon! Actually, I’m keen to know you! I wonder if you’re into the things that I do, and whether we could do something when we’re not busy. 1. Music Maniac According to Spotify, I’ve played over 120,000 minutes of music in 2019! In fact, I can’t think of any time which I haven’t played music or played my guitar...

“I’m ashamed I actually believed it.” “I lost $888.” While serving in the military, I would see friends and colleagues fall prey to dubious schemes such as multi-level marketing, pyramid schemes, or questionable savings plans. Knowledge is power, and the nefarious predators used their power to target and coerce the financially illiterate: students and conscripts. To me, this was outrageous. I hate being taken advantage of. And when the same fate befell my peers, annoyance turned into anger, and anger...

As a child, I was always fascinated with the science feats displayed in movies such as the Axiom in WALL-E, or the Death Star in Star Wars. Amazed and inspired by the capability of science in building such cool machines, I decided to further my interest in science. I started by picking subjects like physics in school, but found no inspiration there. Gradually, science became a collection of tests rather than subjects of interest. Having found school lacking and discovering...

“I’m ashamed I actually believed it.” “I lost $888.” While serving in the military, I would see friends and colleagues fall prey to dubious schemes such as multi-level marketing, pyramid schemes, or questionable savings plans. Knowledge is power, and the nefarious predators used their power to target and coerce the financially illiterate: students and conscripts. To me, this was outrageous. I hate being taken advantage of. And when the same fate befell my peers, annoyance turned into anger, and anger...

It was time for college applications. Looking at my peers, I noticed how many had enlisted admissions consultants to refine essays. And I began thinking about those students who were unable to hire consultants, nor find help with their school. Such considerations accompanied me as I drafted my essays, and it was not long until I had an idea: a database with troves of applicant information and statistics for instant and low-cost access by Singaporean students. I got down to...

“Nah, it’s disruptive”. That was the answer, when I tried to improve my school bands’ practises, from memorisation to experimentation through learning sight-reading and intonation. That, however, was not a satisfying answer. It felt like my proposals had been shut down on a whim. And it wasn’t isolated. Singapore’s education system includes a mandatory Project Work (PW) subject where students propose a project. Amidst my frustrations with traffic jams, I suggested an e-scooter sharing system for PW....

I enjoy learning. Breaking out of the shackles of a rigid education system, I’ve found more interest in learning over the past few years. I’ve taken courses and passed certification exams in python, MATLAB, data science and Excel. I’ve also sought to improve my understanding of personal finance and financial markets, finishing the CFA Investment Foundations certification. Recently, I’ve begun studying financial modelling and valuation analysis, as I move forward as an aspiring entrepreneur. Indeed, I...

Creating and developing solutions gives me a satisfaction, as I seek to solve problems in my community and the larger world. Naturally, the MIT Sandbox Program greatly interests me, as an aspiring entrepreneur. The program will allow me to continue building my ideas through funding, access to resources and mentorship with some of the world’s best. More than just building my ideas, the program will allow me to develop the aptitudes and skillsets to be a successful entrepreneur, regardless...

The main sources of energy today are from hydrocarbons, which are finite and polluting in nature. In recent years, Hydrogen, an alternative with renewability and non-polluting processes of energy production has been explored. To produce Hydrogen, water splitting is used, which consists of two half-reactions: Water Oxidation and Hydrogen Reduction. The Oxidation half-reaction (Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER)) is less energy efficient and slows down the Hydrogen producing Hydrogen Reduction half-reaction, stunning the use of Hydrogen fuel. Current research focuses on...

During the research process, I strengthened on my ability in writing, project management and presentation skills. But more than that, I ventured into fields beyond those I was comfortable in – significantly, data science. As part of the research process, I attended modules in data and statistics. Although the modules opened my eye to the world of data science, it was the research process of data analysis that allowed me to test out my knowledge in the classroom in applying mathematics...

Diverse. Inclusive. Radical. My distillation of Ezra Cornell’s vision isn’t too different from my own values and life. Drafting several “proper” essays, I wondered whether any of those truly represented me, what I was looking for, and what I’m planning to achieve with Cornell. An aspiring entrepreneur and workaholic, my heart and mind have gradually fixated on Cornell. Solely Cornell. I’m not your typical Singaporean applicant. I’m not a government scholar lured by Ivies, nor...

I’ve always loved exploring. In school, I explored – participating in a year-long research mentorship at NTU, where I discovered my passion for sustainability, working on water-oxidation catalysts. I realized sustainability could go beyond saving energy; rather, new solutions and resource management proliferate energy. This sparked my interest in economics, a field centered on scarcity and resource allocation. It intertwined with my knowledge of public policy that I acquired through debate. There, competitive debating on incentives and economic systems intrigued...

Over the past year, I’ve been exploring the start-up ecosystem in Singapore, be it networking with venture capitalists, hackathons, or acquiring first-hand experience in start-ups through projects. Having explored the wider ecosystem, I’m looking to use college as a platform to delve deeper into specific disciplines in business, specifically start-up development and consulting. Naturally, I was fixated on Penn. Undoubtedly, Penn provides me the perfect launchpad to explore its world-famous business ecosystem and career-oriented clubs. I’m excited...

U. I scrutinized the paper, trying to spot any marking errors. With the finals of my ISEF regional qualifying fair, Model UN, and my hockey season approaching, I faced difficulty in balancing a new content-heavy subject – organic chemistry (orgchem). Now here it was, the U grade staring back at me. “If you don’t attend tuition, you will mess up your A-Levels!” Peeking at my grade, my friend suggested I attended “AB”, a chemistry tuition center. Now, I’ve definitely...

Diverse. Extraordinary. Defiant. These words encapsulate my thoughts of UChicago, and it isn’t too different from my own values and life. Drafting several “proper” essays, I wondered whether any drafts truly represented me, what I was looking for, and what I’m planning to achieve with UChicago. An aspiring entrepreneur and workaholic, my heart and mind have gradually fixated on UChicago. Solely UChicago. I’m not your typical Singaporean applicant. I’m not a government scholar lured by Ivies,...

Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad: “In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. Yet, if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by mistakes. We learn to walk by falling down. If we never fell down, we would never walk.” I had an epiphany a year back, when I thought my peers’ access to expensive, even exorbitant, consultants for college applications should not be exclusive to...

I had an epiphany a year back, when I thought my peers’ access to expensive consultants for college applications should not be exclusive to only those who could afford. Equal access to education was a hallmark of Singapore’s, yet the underprivileged couldn’t find help, nor from underprepared counsellors and teachers. Exasperation turned into reflection, and reflection turned into action. As I drafted my essays, an idea struck me: a database with troves of applicant information and statistics for...

Over the past two years, I’ve been exploring the Singaporean start-up ecosystem, be it networking with venture capitalists, or acquiring experience in start-up development. Having explored the wider ecosystem, I’m looking to use college as a platform to delve deeper into the realm of start-up development and consulting, while studying a broad array of disciplines to develop technical skills and inquiry. Naturally, I was fixated on Yale-NUS, and its vision, ‘founded by two great universities’. It means to...