Here is a simple comparison between a O level graduate, diploma
and degree graduate to prove that it is not worth spending so much
time and money to study.
We shall take a starting pay of $1200 for O level graduate who
work as Admin Assistant and give her a 1 month bonus and $100 pay
increment every year.
During the 3 years that you take to get a diploma from the
polytechnic you will have incureed a cost of $6000 school fees
(after government subsidy) and you will have lost 3 years of income
as compared to a O level graduate who works during the 3 years that
you are studying,
The O level graduate who is a admin assistant will have earned
this amount in the 3 years that you spend taking a diploma
1st year: $1200*13 months(including bonus)= $15 600
2nd year: $1300(assuming a $100 increment for every year that he
works)*13 months= $ 16 900
3rd year: $1400 * 13 months= $18 200.
In 3 years time, she will have earned $15 600+ $16 900 + $18
200= $50 700.
And in 3 years time due to outstanding performance she got
promoted to Admin Executive and given a $300 pay increment and her
salary is now $1700 a month.
A fresh diploma holder starts off as a Admin Executive drawing a
salary of $1700. Both of them earns the same amount of salary but
the O level graduate has worked for 3 years and during this period
she have earned $50 700. Plus the diploma holder have spended $6000
on her school fees.
Note that this amount has not include the cpf portion of her
employer contribution during the 3 years that she has worked. If we
include in this amount it will be higher.
Clearly the O level graduate is at a advantage as compared to
the diploma holder.
Now we compare a degree holder who took 5 years to get a degree(
2 years in JC and 3 years in university) with the O level
graduate.
Starting from the 4 year onwards, the O level graduate who is
now a Admin Executive earns $1700 a month.
4th year: $1700*13 months= $22 100
5th year: $1800*13 months= $23 400
At the end of the 5 years, the O level graduate Admin Exceutive
will have earned $50 700+ $22 100+ $23 400= $96 200. Her salary at
that time will be $1800 a month.
The university graduate let us give her a salary of $2200 a
month. Wow not bad sia she earns $400 a month more than the O level
graduate.
But wait. during the 5 years that she took to get a degree, the
O level graduate have already earned $96 200.
You go and calculate how long must this university graduate work
than she can earn back the loss of $96 200 income that she loss in
these 5 years. Not to mention, she started off with a net loss of
$30 000( calculated by using $10 000 a year school fee multiply by
3 years course fee. And $10 000 a year school fee is already
considered cheap. Some university courses costs more than $10 000 a
year).
So after this calculation, you say whether is it worth it to
take a degree or diploma anot? 
still worth i think. nowadays, in singapore at least a dipolma
then u can go far. think ahead not short gains...
if u can even try do business,invest or do something big.
