NTU MAS or NUS stats?

This is in response to one of the post in the tagbox!

NTU MAS or NUS stats?

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Ok, I have only spent 1 semester in NUS, so I am not too sure about their math culture... 

1. Do you really like stats / understand what stats is about?

Stats is not as easy as what the JC H1/H2 math depicts. It is a specialized branch of applied mathematics, and requires deep understanding. Future job scopes will include data analyst / trend forecasters / model evaluators / etc.

If your answer is YES: and you don't really mind which school is it, then you can consider both NUS stats / NTU stats. 

If your answer is NO: Then don't bother with stats. If stats is the only reason in why you choose NUS, then the answer is straightaway NTU, and you can skip the rest of the post.

If your answer is DUNNO: If you feel that you need some time to explore a math / stats route in detail, then perhaps it will be good to consider NTU MAS, as the track selection is done only in the 2nd year.

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2. Do you love pure mathematics and will be ready for the rigour?

Pure mathematics consists of the theory of functions, algebra, structures, logic behind mathematics. Again, this is different from the JC "Pure Mathematics". Something is not considered pure is for example an optimization problem (given a problem with constraints, how do you go about the problem to get the best result), or computational methods (if you are given an integral with a function that is not directly integrable, how do you estimate this integral with an algorithm).

If your answer is YES: Then NUS is better, because there are more undergraduate courses there that cover this area. NTU has good profs for pure math, but perhaps you have may have to read these content under independent studies, which can be a bit troublesome at times.

If your answer is NO: Then don't bother with pure, and read on.

If your answer is DUNNO: Go a library with a reference section, take an algebra math book and read the first few pages. Do you feel extremely uncomfortable in reading the first two pages, or do you feel that it could be quite interesting if you understood the content? That will give an intuition whether you like pure or not. More often, most undergraduates are not interested in pure math, as most industry sectors prefer undergrads with analytical skills. 

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3. Do you prefer a more rigorous math understanding behind concepts, or do you prefer to learn some applications while sacrificing some rigour?

Let me quote an example, which is cryptography.

In NTU: The cryptography course teaches some math, but the students are also taught some non-math problem solving skills, such as developing an attack when faced with an algorithm, and to evaluate the security of systems and methods. 

In NUS: The course teaches the idea of using abstract algebra to solve mathematical problems in cryptography, very deeply. (E.g. Is an elliptic curve addition operation well defined?) So a student will go through the mathematics behind the underlying ideas very carefully.

If your answer is APPLICATION: Then perhaps NTU MAS will be better, and you will see the difference in your year 3 and 4 studies. You could basically apply your skills learnt in a module to another module.

If your answer is MATHEMATICS: Then NUS is better. Even for the applied math courses in NUS, their requirement for sound math thinking is demanding, which serves as a good training for sharper math thinking skills.

If your answer is DUNNO: Jeff always feels that application is better. After all, you are learning something so that you can find a job right? =)

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4. So where should I go?

If your answer is NUS / NTU: Congrats! You have made a decision! Jeff wishes you all the best in your studies, and hope that the 4 years experience will be a meaningful one for you!

If your answer is ITS THE SAME: You can break a tie with the distance from your house to the school. Whichever is nearer, go to that one. I don't really feel there is much of a difference, unless you are talking about the level of rigour in the mathematics. But again, it depends on whether you would like more math foundation, or you would like some non-math application learning. 

If you still can't decide, then here is a suggestion.

Pure math: go NUS.

Applied math: go NTU.

Stats: More rigorous math go NUS, else go NTU.

Business Analytics: go NTU.

If your answer is DUNNO: If you chose math just because you felt math was easy in JC and conclude that math in uni should be ok too, then you are in for a super rough time. Go to NTU if that's the case.

If you are those zai kia in JC, then go NUS if you want some challenge, or if you fancy the CORS bidding system. =P

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The end! Anybody who wish to disagree with anything, please put in the tagbox! I don't think everything I said is correct, but this is based on my feel. =)