Advices Needed: Uni CAP Calculation

onigiri SG

Hi people,

I'm a nus freshie. Just done with my first semester. And it ended on quite a disappointing note, I would say.

I'm actually aiming for a CAP of 4.0 and above. However, my current CAP is 3.7.
If I were to exercise my S/U option on this module which I scored B- for, my CAP will increase to 3.875, which is nearer to my target CAP of 4.0 and above.

However, is it worth using the S/U option in my first semester? The difference it made to my CAP is an increase of 0.175. Is that considered significant?

I've actually done some rough calculations on my own. Assuming that I'm able to get B+ for most of my modules next semester:

If I don't use my S/U option for this semester, I will need at least 3 A- to pull up my CAP to a 4.0 next semester.

If I exercise my S/U option for this semester, I will only need to get 1 A- to pull up my CAP to a 4.0 next semester.

On the other hand, I'm afraid that I may be getting Cs for some modules in future which may call for the need of S/U option again. Hence, I have no idea if it's wise to "waste" one of the three S/U options given to us on a module which I've score B- for.

Also, I heard that it will get increasingly difficult to "save" your CAP as you take on more modules over the semesters.

So, should I or should I not use my S/U option in this case? Anyone care to share their insights? Thanks in advance! =)

mdfjami SG

Yes, S/U the B- and study much harder next sem. Non-core modules aren't that important anyway.

Did you feel that you put enough effort into your studies this semester? Try to do research on what modules are good to take. Some modules you have to struggle for a B, some modules are so easy that with consistent effort an A or A- is assured.

CAP score gets harder and harder to push up as time goes by.

What is yr major btw?

dkcx SG

Take into consideration how many courses you have that can be SU since different courses have different amounts of such courses. If you have alot of them, it might be abit riskly to use it so soon since you do not know what is to come in future which could be worse especially if you have alot more SUable modules.

Not sure about NUS system but i assume SUs are more for electives and depending on the number of electives that you have to take, to some people its what they use to raise their GPA and to some its what cause their GPA to drop to rock bottom.

Shotgun SG

I'm gonna say "save it" for now.

The 0.175 increase isn't worth it. Lets put it this way... 3.7 would still see you through to an honors program. Just don't let it drop below 3.5 (assuming you are from certain Arts facs).

If you really want to bump up your CAP, next sem, pick 3 modules from your major, and 2 outside. (ie GEK or UE thats outside ur faculty).

Work like mad for your major, and chill out for those GEKs and UE (enough to get a C). If you get 3 A-s for that three modules, throw your 2 S/U options on the GEK/Breadth/UE and that would bump your CAP up even more than this pathetic 0.175.

I was in the same position as you, just a little more dire. I had to throw my S/U to get my CAP to 3.5 to save my honors track. =P

fudgester SG

3.7 for the very first semester is still not a very dire situation.

I would say to save your S/U for when you absolutely need it, i.e. if and when you actually get C+ next time. If you get another B- or below next semester, you may then want to use it.

Otherwise, just work harder next semester and gradually pull your CAP up.

TrueHeart SG

I've actually done some rough calculations on my own. Assuming that I'm able to get B+ for most of my modules next semester:

If I don't use my S/U option for this semester, I will need at least 3 A- to pull up my CAP to a 4.0 next semester.

If I exercise my S/U option for this semester, I will only need to get 1 A- to pull up my CAP to a 4.0 next semester.

Hi onigiri,

I will strongly suggest that you do not use your S/U option now. As some of the other forummers have kindly suggested, you should use it only when you receive a grade which is very bad ( C and below ) which will have a huge impact on your overall CAP.

You are currently in the first semester, so do not worry too much, as you still have quite a number of semesters to go. I have a friend with 3.6+ SAP in his first semester, who eventually received First Class Honours, thus as long as you are willing to work hard, nothing is impossible.

Cheers.

Plastic Bag SG

I'd suggest that you S/U now. Why? Unless you are confident of Ace-ing later on, it would be hard to increase your CAP once it "stablises". It's much easier to significantly change your CAP during the first few semesters, after which it would "stabilise" and hence, your results would have little effect on it. CAP would stay more or less within the range, well unless you really score well or badly.

dkcx SG

There is not much difference if you actually go think. You SU 1 now and get a C, the effect is still the same. It just appears to affect less because of the bulk is there but the actual effect won't change and having that mentality is abit of just lying to yourself that a C later has less effect than a C in the beginning.

Chunhow SG

Since you've declared your intentions of pursuing a CAP of 4.0, then you should exercise the S/U option.

Thereafter, work harder in future semesters to ensure that this does not happen again.

Plastic Bag SG

From personal experience and my friends from NUS, I realised that my grades for my later years in NUS did not affect much for my CAP. And I did have a C in my later years but thanks to As in year 1 and 2, it did not affect much, just a teeny bit downwards.

hisoka SG

B- isn't that bad a grade. wait for the C+ and below. given the stupid modules we are forced to take, it's inevitable you'll meet a subject you just cannot handle.

at least now you can choose after rather than before the results and exams..

dkcx SG

Yeah but if you knwo how GPA is calculated, you know that its exactly the same whether the C is gotten at the beginning or later on.

Plastic Bag SG

I'm gonna say "save it" for now.

The 0.175 increase isn't worth it. Lets put it this way... 3.7 would still see you through to an honors program. Just don't let it drop below 3.5 (assuming you are from certain Arts facs).

That's not true. 0.175 is a lot in CAP terms. I have a friend who missed 2nd upper just by 0.05.

hisoka SG

actually the effect is the same, it only seems less so.

anyway my 2 C+s lowered me from 1st class to 2nd upper. and the C+s were gotten in later years.

dkcx SG

That's not true. 0.175 is a lot in CAP terms. I have a friend who missed 2nd upper just by 0.05.

Its clear you do not have any idea how the GPA is calculated....

MaNyZeR SG

Woo... CAP of 3.7, that is exactly the same as mine when I was in year 1 sem 1..

Anyway, what course are you in? This is because different course allows you to S/U different type of modules. Also, are you from poly or JC? This is because poly students are exempted from some modules, meaning to say they have lesser electives and UE modules, therefore lesser modules to S/U, whereas for JC students, they need to do more modules than their poly counterparts and therefore they have more chances of getting bad grades and thus needing to S/U them.

Anyway, dont be disheartened on your CAP of 3.7. I did badly for my first year as well, getting 3.7 in my first sem and then further dropping to 3.61 in sem 2. But then I worked hard and I got a CAP of 4++ now.

From my experience, I can only say that, first, you need to work hard and get at least A- and B+ to push your cap ab above 4. First year is the year in which you will see your CAP fluctuate alot, and second year moderate fluctuation, third year, some fluctuation and last year, minor differences (0.01 to 0.1 kind).

Try getting some A and A+ in your next semester and to pull your CAP higher. Do not get any B or B-. If you get a B-, you must at least get an A to counteract it, and thus giving you a B+ for both modules. Its best to have a higher CAP score in the first 2 years, and this will give you extra motivation to maintain it.

However, you must also be prepared that even though I say that your CAP fluctuates less in year 3 or 4, getting a C+ or C-, would not doubt still pull your CAP down. I remembered that during my year 3, I used an A and A- to balance off my B and C+, and I can tell you, it was damn painful getting a C+.

Anyway, to answer your question, yes you should S/U your B-. A CAP of 3.875 is a good starting point. Try working harder and not to get anymore B- or C. As long as you maintain a grade of B+, then you probably would not need to S/U anymore in the future as the difference between before and after S/U-ing is not going to be much.

So, just S/U this module and work hard. Save your other 2 S/U options for the future in which you get a grade that is so fucking lousy that it pulls your CAP down an honours level, otherwise you probably wouldnt need to use them anymore if you study harder.

mdfjami SG

Agree with above poster.

S/U the B- now, because then you will psychologically push yourself to work harder. In the later semesters exercising your S/U option would not make much of a difference to your score.

Really important thing is Choose Your Modules Carefully. S/Uable modules are all electives, so make sure that you take things that interest you or are easy to score.No point taking modules like Nation Building as your SS, if lets say your essay writing skills are weak.

Really need to know your major, though, if the forumners can give you more specific advise.

Science is very different from Arts, which is very different from Engin etc..

2nd Upper From NUS Is Worth Fighting For.

eagle SG

if you are willing to spend extra money, one cunning way is to take more than the recommended number of modules... and do it by taking them in special semesters... Study extremely hard to get As for these modules to pull up your grades

onigiri SG

Hi people,

Thanks a lot for your replies! Really appreciate it! =)

I'm actually a Science student majoring in Life Sciences and I'm from JC. My friends from poly were telling me they used up their S/U options in their first semester. But like what MaNyZeR had said, they have less S/U-able modules and hence, can afford to do so. After doing some calculation of MCs, I have around 12 S/U-able modules to take in total (inclusive of the 2 GEMS, 2 Breadths and 1 SS modules). And out of these 12, I can only choose to S/U three of them. Thus, I'm not sure if I should really exercise my S/U options right now.

Personally, I find that it's really difficult to even get an A-, let alone an A or A+. The cohort is very competitive, I would say. And because NUS goes by the bell curve system, I find myself at a disadvantage when the cohort happens to be really good. For example, for one of my core module CAs, my raw score was around 40/50 but I was awarded with a C grade as there were just too many people scoring full marks, 49 and 48. Then again, I couldn't S/U that module if I did too badly because it's one of my core modules and thus, not S/U-able.

And like what many have said, we can pull up the CAP over semesters. But it gets increasingly difficult to pull up as time goes by because the modules will definitely get tougher and the impact of the results in our later years on our CAP seems to decrease over time as well since we are taking on more and more MCs. So is it true to say that the starting CAP we have is important? And thus, we should try to get a CAP as high as possible in our starting semesters?

The deadline for S/U option is tomorrow and I'm still very much caught in this delimma.

Forbiddensinner SG

Hi people,

Thanks a lot for your replies! Really appreciate it! =)

I'm actually a Science student majoring in Life Sciences and I'm from JC. My friends from poly were telling me they used up their S/U options in their first semester. But like what MaNyZeR had said, they have less S/U-able modules and hence, can afford to do so. After doing some calculation of MCs, I have around 12 S/U-able modules to take in total (inclusive of the 2 GEMS, 2 Breadths and 1 SS modules). And out of these 12, I can only choose to S/U three of them. Thus, I'm not sure if I should really exercise my S/U options right now.

Personally, I find that it's really difficult to even get an A-, let alone an A or A+. The cohort is very competitive, I would say. And because NUS goes by the bell curve system, I find myself at a disadvantage when the cohort is really good. For example, one of my CAs, my raw score was around 40/50 but I was awarded with a C grade as there were just too many people scoring full marks, 49 and 48.

NUS is so good, NIE we have to S/U midway through the term, and we are not allowed to S/U once results are out. : X

If I were you, I will not use my S/U. Since the cohort is so tough, you shouldn't be surprised if a D popped up, so you will have to save your S/U for these emergenices.

Anyway, ultimately it is your choice. All the best.