An Insightful Interview with 2023 SUEC’s Top Scorers

Jointly reported by:
Goh Jian Mayne Sr2ScB
Yee Sue Wei Sr2ScB
Wong Bry Yan Sr2ScC

On the 25th of January, we interviewed 5 top-scoring SUEC candidates from Kuen Cheng High School. Special thanks to the following seniors for sharing their invaluable insights with us: Yuet Ching, Wen Han, Qi Hong, Ying Tong, and Jun Kye.

1. With only 8 months to grasp and get familiarized with the topics and contents of three academic years, what studying techniques do you consider are the most helpful and effective for your exam preparation?

Yuet Ching: As someone who is not very self-disciplined, I recommend enrolling in extra tutoring sessions, because you get to constantly revisit the topics. Also, you can get exposed to different teaching methods and decide which method is the best for you to understand the material quickly.

Wen Han: Under the immense pressure of rushing with the syllabi, especially as a science-stream student, I think doing more practice problems is the most productive way to elevate your grades because it gauges your understanding of a topic. I think contrary to the conventional method, doing practice problems right after the lesson, and only revisiting the textbooks when you’re stuck is more efficient. For memorization-based subjects like Biology, the best way to do practice problems is to memorize the sample answers. However, memorizing answers to particular questions does not suffice, because Biology is a complex network where information is not scattered but all interconnected. Instead, you’ll have to utilize your textbook. One thing to note is that the teacher teaches based on the workbooks instead of textbooks, so you should study the textbook right after the lesson to understand the whole picture rather than just memorizing the points.

Qi Hong: You need to create a study plan, allocate your time accordingly and find a study method that suits you.

Ying Tong: Other than good study techniques, having a healthy routine is also important (i.e. sleeping and waking up early). This is because you might fall into a positive feedback loop if you stay up late to study and in turn lack the energy to pay attention when the teacher teaches important topics the next day. Sleeping early also alleviates anxiety, and don’t forget to take breaks.

Jun Kye: Most of the unique study methods online are catered towards the general audience, hence we should personalize and curate them based on our schedules. Throughout these eight months, I have had two systems of studying. The first is giving my best effort to finish my studies on weekdays and rest on the weekends; The second is resting after finishing what is required on the weekdays and studying harder on the weekends. It depends on how intense the times are to decide on which system is suitable. For instance, if the exams are approaching, then I will need to switch up my system and spend more time studying.

Which subject(s) did you spend the most time preparing for and what methods did you employ to handle that particular subject(s)?

Yuet Ching: I took ten subjects, which is a lot. For humanities, I have little time to revise the subjects that are not covered during school hours, namely Advanced Mathematics and Business Studies. and we’ll need to stay after school to learn them. Other than that, we’ll have to study two Economics textbooks within months. So, I would say these three subjects were challenging for me. On how I dealt with them, tutoring is my best method.

Wen Han: From all subjects, there might be some that you don’t like and some that you favour. So, when you’re planning what to study for the day, don’t plan all burdensome subjects on the same day. Instead, you might want to study two subjects that you are interested in and one that you are good at. You can group the subjects with similar characteristics (e.g. Languages: Chinese, English and Malay; Those that need memorization: Biology, History; Those that need practising: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) and study one subject from the three groups each day. This is because different subjects require different methods. For me, practicing problems boosts my energy while memorizing drains my energy. So, you can alternate between memorizing and practising and studying subjects you like to stimulate your attention. Other than that, I think the most important thing that has helped me in studying Advanced Mathematics (ii) is to ask questions. You must take the initiative to ask the teachers, maybe bring your friend along too, and then you’ll realize the difficulty diminishes. I used to spend every second recess in the teacher’s office to seek help from my math teacher. Don’t be afraid to approach your teachers, because they are willing to help you out.

Qi Hong: Advanced Mathematics. This is because we study them after school and the self-imposed pressure. I think doing practice problems and asking peers from science streams help. For History and Geography, I revisit the materials frequently and practice a lot, especially doing past papers and papers from other schools. History and Geography exams ask questions about current events, but I don’t watch the news so I watch relevant videos from a YouTube channel called ‘The World TODAY’.

Ying Tong: Advanced Mathematics and Economics are the most challenging because of the language switch from Malay to Chinese and the increased difficulty. I think the most productive way of approaching them is to do more practice problems and ask questions, be they your peers or your teachers.

Jun Kye: Advanced Mathematics and Economics. This is because the questions for Advanced Mathematics are highly diverse, so I spent more time doing practice problems to get used to them. The questions for Economics relate closely to current affairs, so other than practising more, I read the news from October 2022 to the recent news that I think might be tested on the exams. From that, I tried to predict the exam questions and did specific problems on them.

2. Tell us more about how you manage your time, especially on juggling between your co-curricular activities and academics.

Yuet Ching: To achieve a balance between your activities and academics, some sacrifice is needed. If time is tight and the activity is not high up on your priority list, you can consider leaving it for someone else to handle that. However, I think in Senior Middle Three, both academics and activities are equally important because they help you stand out in your university application. For voluntary activities (e.g. carnival), I suggest participating within your capability. It all comes down to you when it comes to balancing them – take rests, play hard, work hard.

Wen Han: My co-curriculars were quite a lot. I was involved in the Senior Middle Three Presidency, the music video production, debate tournaments etc. I divided my senior three life into three segments, namely social and leisure activities, academic, and co-curricular activities. I normally work on my co-curricular and leisure activities after school and before bedtime. If the co-curricular get too overwhelming and I‘m too tired for any studying, I simply put them off and go to bed extra early and wake up earlier the next day (about 3 a.m. to 4 a.m.). I prefer waking up early rather than forcing myself to study in an extremely exhausted state because I’ll feel refreshed after resting and thus be able to study more productively. If you hold a leadership position in your co-curricular, don’t burden yourself and others with more work before the exam. Academics are the priority during Senior Three, so say no to things that hold you back. Moving on, I think it’s important to have the awareness that time is running out quickly starting from the first day of Senior Three, so you’ll need to get into studying mode, you can’t start preparing for SUEC only two or three months before it – you would not finish preparing on time.

Qi Hong: You need to be crystal clear about what to prioritize at different stages of time. If you have just finished an exam, you can take up more activities; But if the exam is approaching, you should focus on studying. Besides that, reflect on how you performed after an examination and think about how you can make changes to your study routine. As I realized that it was tough for me to handle my academics well due to my many commitments during July-August, I quickly adjusted my schedule accordingly.

Ying Tong: Contrary to others, I spent most of my Senior Three on my academics, though I do agree that co-curricular activities are important. So, for me, no time management is more about having self-discipline. This is why knowing your goals and objective of staying for Senior Three is important. You must set your priorities straight and not do things in the eleventh hour. In short, fulfil your duties, have a clear goal and strive towards it.

Jun Kye: I did athletics, and during the earlier stage, I found my mind wandering towards the thoughts of athletics training during lessons. For me to train without unfinished tasks lingering in my mind, I tried my best to finish all assignments during recess. Three days of athletics training each week was stressful to me at first, but that also allowed me to take a break from studying for two to three hours per day. After training, I rest and study subjects that are more laid back, that is, without intensely practising on past questions. I think you should evaluate your situation wisely and not take up too many commitments at the cost of your academic performance. Of course, living to the fullest of your Senior Middle Three is important, but remember don’t stress yourself out too much and get distracted from your main priority, that is, the SUEC.

3. How would you describe your exam preparation? Did you experience burnout during your preparation? How did you deal with that?

Yuet Ching: I felt a bit anxious and stressed when preparing for the SUEC exam. Time management is important as there are many subjects to study. Perfection is really hard to achieve, so I think the most important thing during revision is to capture the scoring techniques for the exam to ensure a good grade. I think writing down a timetable is useful for noting down important topics to revise and not lose focus. To destress myself, I like eating sweets and desserts as well as watching movies. Even though these do not look like the best thing to do, I think it helps improve my study efficiency. As long as you can control yourself, there will be no consequences for enjoying yourself.

Wen Han: I think that stress is strongly present during the preparation and after the examination. The expected result and the actual result were completely different, so a lot of us felt depressed. I think this outcome was more or less expected as the exam preparation time was too short, and students did not have the time to digest all the information given. I believe students should not strive for perfection, because it is almost impossible and it creates a lot of unwanted stress. I prefer studying the scoring techniques of the exam rather than just reading up about the exam topics as it is much more helpful. Students should set a clear target on what they want to achieve in the exam. Of course, like every other student, I experienced a lot of burnout when studying. As a measure to counteract this issue, I would visit my friend’s room in the hostel and enjoy snacks and noodles together to cool down.

Ying Tong: I agree with Wen Han saying that there are too many topics to study and that the scoring techniques are very important. During my exam preparation, stress was the biggest motivator for me. It pushes me to work and strive harder for my goals. In Senior Middle Three, we had to face both SPM and SUEC, so I was numbed by the exam experience. I watched my friends studying hard and thought that I also had to work hard as well. I wasn’t that stressed compared to my peers. All in all, we should study hard to guarantee a future that we will not regret.

Jun Kye: The difference between SPM and SUEC was the preparation time, as SPM candidates had a much longer preparation time than SUEC candidates. SUEC candidates immediately started going through past-year questions to prepare whereas SPM candidates take their time studying slowly. During the first semester, I didn’t feel any stress or understand how hard SUEC was. I started getting anxious during the SUEC trials, but I think you shouldn’t give yourself too much stress or it will impact your results. I like to listen to music and relax to deal with the stress. I sometimes spend a day resting entirely then afterwards I will continue with my exam preparation. After the SUEC trials, I think it is important that we reflect on the mistakes we made during or before the exam as it helps us understand and improve ourselves.

4. What or who kept you going? Is there anyone you would like to attribute your success to?

Yuet Ching: My motivation is to get into a good university to further my studies, just like everyone else. My friends helped me through my school times as they comforted me during tough times and motivated me when we were studying. My parents also gave me a lot of moral support and motivation that helped me get through SUEC.

Wen Han: Honestly speaking, my main motivation for SUEC was to get a name for myself. Furthermore, I wanted to get into a good university, hopefully overseas, with a scholarship to not cause trouble to my parents. I would like to thank my friends from the hostel who accompanied me throughout my time as a student in Kuen Cheng.

Ying Tong: Same as everyone else, I wanted to get into a good university with a scholarship to not burden my family. I would like to thank everyone around me, including my teachers, my family and friends who supported and encouraged me throughout my journey.

Jun Kye: My motivation was also to get into my dream university by getting good grades. I would like to thank my family above all who gave me the courage to face the plethora of exams along the way. I would also like to thank my deskmate who frequently talked to me and helped me find ways to destress during my hectic study life.

Qi Hong: I wanted to prove myself by achieving good grades to attend a good university. I wanted to achieve my limits and see where I would be in the future. I would like to thank myself above all because I didn’t give up and kept working hard to achieve the results today. Furthermore, I would also like to thank my family and friends for their support.

5. How would you rate your year as a Senior Middle Three and if you had the chance to go back in time, would you still decide to stay for Senior Middle Three?

Yuet Ching: Senior Middle Three was a short but memorable year. I started to lose track of time while preparing for SUEC. To me, preparing for SPM felt like something that had happened long ago, something so distant. But in reality, it had happened just a few months prior, and in the same year! Senior three life is compact and hectic, you are either studying or participating in various activities. Along the way, I came across many beautiful moments and these moments have all become treasured memories stored in the back of my mind. I would surely stay back for Senior three if given the chance. Occasionally, my friends and I would doubt our decision to stay back. Nevertheless, in the end, we all felt honoured to have stayed back as we got to participate in many activities that hadn’t been held at school for a long time such as the Graduation Dinner, Senior Three Interschool Sports Competition and many more. My suggestion for juniors who are thinking about staying for Senior three is that you should stay until the end and not give up halfway as you will have a lot of regrets.

Wen Han: Senior three life was very fulfilling. However, I think that the benefits I gained from staying back for Senior three were less than from other paths. In terms of club activities, it wasn’t too special as it could be done elsewhere too. I started regretting staying back for Senior three only after I had graduated. I had thought completing the course as fast as possible was the best option but after finishing it I realized that I should have taken things slower instead. Even though I had studied the pre-university curriculum throughout these past few months, I realized that I hadn’t accumulated as much knowledge as I had hoped. However, I still feel like SUEC does have some benefits, such as it being a quicker route compared to others. A lot of good can be done with the time that has been saved through completing Senior three in less than a year.

Qi Hong: Senior three was an amazing year. I had the opportunity to participate in many different activities throughout the year as well as remain an active member of my club. If I had the chance, I would still stay back for Senior three. For the juniors who plan on staying back, just do it if you are still unsure of the career path you want in the future. Moreover, you should properly assess your strengths and weaknesses, before deciding to stay back for Senior three.

Ying Tong: My Senior three life was a very busy year, but it is an experience that I will surely look back on in the future. Even though preparing and studying for SUEC was very stressful and also quite rushed, I still found it very fulfilling and memorable. When preparing for SUEC, I did occasionally regret staying back as it was tough and tiring. If I had the chance, I don’t think I would stay back for SUEC. I’m grateful to myself for persisting throughout the whole year and not giving up halfway as now I have gotten my results and can get into university.

Jun Kye: I would describe my Senior three life as a wave in the ocean as there have been both high and low tides throughout the year. One of the highlights would be around April and May of 2023 as Sports Day was being held then. Simultaneously, exams were nearing, so I had to prepare for both exams and Sports Day at the same time. It was stressful but I managed. After the exams, I started to feel like I was too free and relaxed, but at the same time, I would start to feel nervous as SUEC was also nearing. If I had the chance, I would surely stay back for Senior three. Wherever I doubted my choice of staying, the school would organize more activities which would validate my decision. I don’t regret staying back for Senior three, but for the juniors who may want to stay back, I would suggest you have a clear goal in mind as Senior three life requires discipline and continuous motivation. If you don’t think you can handle these many subjects, I would suggest you choose another pathway.

6. Could you share your life plan after graduation?

Yuet Ching: Firstly, I will start learning to drive and get my driver’s license as soon as possible. After that, I hope to be able to study economics and commerce-related courses in Singapore or China.

Wen Han: I will also be getting my driver’s license soon. My plan for now would be to rest well and improve my knowledge as well as nurture good habits such as exercising and sleeping well. I still don’t have a clear plan regarding university and am still weighing my options.

Qi Hong: I plan on becoming a landscape architect. I will be furthering my studies at National Taiwan University to study landscape architecture.

Ying Tong: I plan to start working a part-time job after graduation. I plan to study in Singapore or China. I would like to study abroad and explore the world but studying locally would be right for me too.

Jun Kye: I will also start learning to drive and get my driver’s license. After that, I will try to get used to university life. I would like to study overseas and I am currently applying for a university in China. The courses I plan on studying are related to commerce, finance and economics.

After the questions had all been answered, everyone turned on their camera to pose for a final group photo. With that, the interview came to a close.

Group Photo