Hwa Chong Institution(Junior College) is an independent institution, founded in 1974. Each cohort has roughly 1000 students, comprising of Hwa Chong Institution(High School) IP boys, Nanyang Girls High School IP girls and O-level students from various Secondary Schools. Hwa Chong prides itself in having nurtured various leaders and numerous passionate, innovative learners over the years. In addition, Hwa Chong aims to engender compassion and commitment to excellence in its students. It hopes for students to continue to serve the community and reach their fullest potential even after graduation.

Cut-Off Point: Arts- 6, Science- 5

" I would say hc is surprisingly hyped and has a strong school spirit. I came in assuming that hc would be very boring and everyone only knows how to study but actually we play hard too!! the faculty is a major part of student life and enriches it alot w many events n all that rly strengthens faculty n school spirit." --- Senior Y

" HC holds many different events throughout the year, ranging from sports events to enrichment programs. I always enjoy myself during these events since I get to take a break from studying, to participate in competitions with my friends and forge new memories together. As two years is relatively short, I cherish these events more because they are the few opportunities where I can do experience different things with my friends. HC’s events are mostly fun and exciting, and those are the times when the most significant memories of my JC life are made, and also when I get to know more people in my cohort." --- Senior J

"It is quite academically rigorous and hc is quite competitive but not in a toxic way! I feel like the people surrounding you are generally very supportive and always willing to help if you ask them :) i share notes w my friends and we cross check wtv we put into them" ---Senior Y

" I was initially hesistant to choose HC because I was afraid of the high competition within the cohort, especially since most HC’s students are known for achieving good results. However, I came to realise that the preparation for As would be as tough even if it was another JC. The competition between students served as a drive for me to work harder." --- Senior J

" hm I personally faced some difficulties as I wanted to transition from a performing arts cca to sports - not many sports ccas like to take in people who werent in a sports cca before - plus trial timings would often clash so you can only go for a few that you rly want and hope for the best :”) non sports ccas are difficult too since there are interviews to get in but if you have genuine passion it shldnt be too hard(?)" ---Senior Y

" HC offers a large number of CCAs for students to choose from. While some CCAs have larger capacity, some such as sports have smaller capacity, therefore the competition between your peers may be higher. This is also dependent on the popularity of the CCA in your admission year. The difficulty of the trials depends on the competition for the available slots for the CCA, and it varies for different CCA groups since different CCAs have varying requirements." --- Senior J

" definitely Faculty Outing was my favourite amongst other events like MAF(Mid-Autumn Festival), CNY, Faculty Brunch!! FO is basically a concert plus food event and it is always nice to see your friends performing while you eat good food and take bomb pics at photobooths/venue with your 10/10 outfit and friends" ---Senior Y

" Some of HC’s special activities include Mid-Autumn Festival, Faculty Outings and Festival of Sports. Post-Orientation Party would be one of the more significant events in C1 where the four different faculties would put up 5 minute performances in the central plaza at night, using props such as finger lights, arm sleeves and shiny gloves. One of the more special ones is the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is an event celebrated at night, in school. During the event, there would be performances by the school’s performing groups including wushu, There is also the annual street market with interesting merchandise booths and beautifully decorated photobooths. I remember the most significantly the grand light up, which features a beautifully made Centrepiece by the Student’s Council, a Fountain in the Central Plaza as well as the Fireball. These were all prepared by the members of the Student’s Council and although it was their first time, the event was impressive." --- Senior J

" I chose jc over poly partly because of the preconceived notion that jc students are smarter/better than poly students... but also i didnt have any course in mind and didnt think i was ready for such a drastic change in curriculum (one major exam based vs coursework)" ---Senior Y

" I chose JC over polytechnic because:
1) I was unsure about what I am interested in pursuing and hence, I could not choose a course to study in poly. I personally feel that the JC route covers a broad range of academic subjects, allowing students to have a “taste” of different disciplines before having to make up my mind on a field that I am interested in when applying for university

2) In general, the JC route to university is accelerated, and takes two years. This is shorter than studying in poly, which takes three years, but one would graduate with a diploma and would be better prepared for the workforce. Even so, I chose JC since I am not in a hurry to enter the job market soon after I graduate from pre-university.

3) being in a JC means that I will be saved from having any outfit-induced headaches everytime i go to school.

4) I felt like I will be more comfortable with having to follow strict timetables and a more structured style of learning
, instead of having to do several presentations and project work in poly." --- Senior J

" I wld say alot of factors - environment, prestige, peer pressure. I wanted a “studious” jc to motivate me to study (due to peer pressure) and a “good” or “elite” jc so that my parents could humble brag about me... pary kidding but you get the gist;; i liked hci’s overall vibe and my friend convinced me to go so :”)" ---Senior Y

" 1) my seniors had made wonderful memories in HC, describing it as wonderful experience where they took part in various events throughout the 2 years and were also exposed to a lot of learning opportunities

2) I was also looking for a school which share a similar culture as my secondary school, so that I would feel less uncomfortable in a new environment and HC was one that had a similar culture

3) it has a good reputation, and is one of the more prestigious JC in Singapore" --- Senior J

" hmm I would say initially it was abit difficult since some IP kids know each other already before orientation and when they spill tea i wouldn't even know who they were talking abt HAHAHA but eventually you will fit in cos it is not like the IP kids r v exclusive and look down on jae or anything and it rly doesnt matter whether you are jae or ip " ---Senior Y

"It was awkward interacting with my orientation group for the first few days since JAE students were to attend first day of school in our individual secondary school uniform, while the IP students were already dressed in HC uniform. However it only lasted a few days because everyone soon got close to each other and our differing backgrounds did not interfere with making friends with one another. To be honest, I came to HC thinking that I would definitely face difficulties with making close friends since most of them already know one another for a long time. However, I realised that this was just a stereotype that most IP schools would have. " --- Senior J

" usually around 25 per class and gender ratio depends on subject combi but the teachers try to make it as even as possible!! computing (my combi) used to be 1 girl to 4 guys but since its v popular we r alm at 1 to 1 ratio " ---Senior Y

" Class size is usually around 20-27 people, depending on your subject combination. Gender ratio is also dependent on your subject combination, and the popularity of it in the particular year. Physics is usually more popular among guys than girls so there may be more guys than girls in a physics class. However, it still differs from year to year." --- Senior J

" Yes tutors are very easy to approach! Most encourage you to consult them if you have any questions and are always ready to help you :) Some don't mind you just dropping a text while others already have a fixed schedule where you can book a slot " ---Senior Y

" Yes, HC teachers are very welcome to questions posed to them. Most of them are very open to questions whether it is face-to-face or through whatsapp. Most of them are also open for consultations, where there is even a consultation area specially for students to consult teachers outside the staff room." --- Senior J

" I think it is quite competitive to get a leadership position especially given most ppl want one (portfolio or otherwise) and jaes may be disadvantaged especially in elections where most of the sch doesnt know you or even within your class where they only have one or two months to get to know you if you’re running for ct rep :”) there is honestly so many talented people in hc ready to contribute to the school and you have to be up to par if you want to compete for a leadership position " ---Senior Y