I have a plan. I want to study at a University in Taipei. Not exactly sure what I want to study yet, but that actually doesn’t seem as important as the idea of using Chinese for full time study. This is a long way off for me (3 or 4 years?) as I’ve only been studying for about a year and I can only recognise a few characters (concentrating on spoken Chinese at the moment).
The reason I’m posting is this: I’m looking for people who have or who are currently studying at University in Taipei to inspire me with their stories. How long had you been studying before you were able to pass the entrance exams? Any particular courses that would be easier to attempt? Any joyful stories of success of miserable tales of failure?
Please help, I think that this is the goal that will encourage me to study hard everyday!
Thanks
Someone who doesn’t want to teach English for the rest of their life!
If you’re teaching English, I assume you have a university degree in hand for the purposes of this discussin (tell me if I’m wrong) so check carefully if you will even be allowed to do an undergrad degree in Taiwan. I don’t know, but the question occurs to me.
Secondly, what is your goal? Do you think having an undergraduate degree from a Taiwanese university is going to open doors for you somehow? I don’t really see it happening. I suppose if you study something like electrical engineering, then you are an engineer (provided you can pass licensure requirements wherever you end up after Taiwan, which may include advanced education beyond a BS, or which may not recognize some or all Taiwanese credentials) but if you major in something like liberal arts, English literature, Chinese history or the like…um…I’m not quite sure what that will get you.
I’m not trying to deflate your sails as to having this as a motivator, but think carefully before investing five or six years of your life in a Taiwanese university undergraduate program (including time to manage to pass the entrance exam, maybe.) Where do you see yourself in ten years? Twenty? etc. etc…all those boring job-center questions, but remember that just improving your Chinese won’t do diddly for you in the long run unless you decide (against my advice!) to become a translator. (Okay, it’s not THAT bad but I don’t like where I see the field moving in the next ten to twenty years, and wouldn’t strongly advise anyone to go that way.)
Maybe you can post more about what you’re thinking about (if you want to, that is) and folks could give you some broader opinions on which way to think about.
Mmm I already have a degree in Civil Engineering. I was an Engineer in the UK but I really have no desire to continue down that path. It was mind numbing. I only chose to study Civil Engineering as I had no idea what to study. The whole idea was to study something that i want to study, just for the enjoyment of studying, not for any particular career move. I had never actually enjoyed any form of study until I started to learn Chinese. It kind of put a whole fresh tint on the idea of going to university. It never occurred to me that some people might actually be enjoying university (apart from the partying that is).
I am actually thinking of studying something like Media or pscychology or something completely different. And studying in Chinese might add a new dimension to the whole process.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Maybe you can visit the website of ministry Education first.
english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem= … e=415&mp=1
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Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of “the best university in Taiwan” necessarily being the best university for YOU as an individual and a non-Taiwanese. For you, the best univeristy will be on that offers an interesting program of study and some support for you as a foreigner. NTU may not be the best in that regard, although it is consistently ranked as the top in Taiwan – for Taiwanese who need the piece of paper to get ahead in Taiwan.
Also, think carefully if you are looking at this as a means of career-changing, as Taiwanese credentials are not as widely transferable as those from some other countries. Make sure your credentials will be recognized in places where you might want to use them. I’m not trying to discourage you, but I do have to question the utility of the plan. If you just want to hang out for a couple of years and improve your Chinese, well, that might be fine, but as a long-term career-builder, unless you’re majoring in Chinese history or literature, I’m not so sure.
[quote=“ironlady”]Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of “the best university in Taiwan” necessarily being the best university for YOU as an individual and a non-Taiwanese. For you, the best univeristy will be on that offers an interesting program of study and some support for you as a foreigner. NTU may not be the best in that regard, although it is consistently ranked as the top in Taiwan – for Taiwanese who need the piece of paper to get ahead in Taiwan.
Also, think carefully if you are looking at this as a means of career-changing, as Taiwanese credentials are not as widely transferable as those from some other countries. Make sure your credentials will be recognized in places where you might want to use them. I’m not trying to discourage you, but I do have to question the utility of the plan. If you just want to hang out for a couple of years and improve your Chinese, well, that might be fine, but as a long-term career-builder, unless you’re majoring in Chinese history or literature, I’m not so sure.[/quote]
Good point here.I second this.
Maybe try the MBA programs here that some foreigners are attending.
[quote=“katy”]It’s a good idea but exactly, a long way, too.[/quote]What does this mean?