Kenn Bryan Sia

Why did you choose to come to SMU?

I chose SMU for its unbeatable central location – SMU’s campus is surrounded by great food, malls, and MRT stations – meaning that most things are within walking distance. With a variety of things to do in and around SMU, I knew I wanted to enjoy the convenience of studying in a city campus.

SMU’s unique interactive and conversational pedagogy also stood out to me. I deeply value constant engagement and dynamic growth. Knowing that class participation is a cornerstone of the SMU experience, I wanted an environment where I could constantly challenge my assumptions and grow alongside my peers.

The biggest challenge you faced in the first year of university and how did you overcome it?

Adapting my writing and reasoning skills to an entirely new area of study was exceedingly difficult for me. Having worked my way up from my GCE N(A)-, O-, and then A-Levels, I was used to falling back on the same study techniques and skills I acquired in my pre-university education. Among them was a heavy reliance on seniors’ notes and a great emphasis on rote memorisation.

To say I was disappointed when I got a “C” grade in my first semester was an understatement. But, importantly, I realised I needed to adapt. I developed new habits such as active listening and concise note-taking, which gave me much room to discover how I was expected to learn and apply course content.

Why did you choose your field of study / degree programme?

Since young, I found myself drawn to structured thinking. A programme that would allow me to reason my thoughts in a clear and structured manner was therefore greatly appealing. Looking back, I definitely made a wonderful decision to study law because it is a subject in which one is well rewarded for expressing oneself in a clear and concise manner.

Being unsure of what I was truly passionate about, I chose to study law because the legal industry has many practice areas that one can choose to specialise in. One can practice something as broad as mergers and acquisitions, or something as niche as Fintech. Uniquely, at SMU, one can embark on three “tracks” if one has a clear vision of what they wish to specialise in. Or one could choose not to declare a track at all. I knew that the flexibility of the SMU curriculum would give me much space to explore my interests and eventually settle on a practice area I am genuinely passionate about.

What advice would you give to prospective students (especially your juniors from high school) who are thinking of applying to SMU?

Learn broadly. The A-Level subjects you take should give you a good idea of what type of learner you are. Are you better with numbers or words? Beyond just that, however, you should explore which subjects truly interest you. The freedom you have during your tertiary education to gain new experiences will be invaluable in helping you find your calling. I remember, during my time at Millennia Institute, I immersed myself in as many fields as possible: international relations (through MUNs), politics (through the Global Geopolitics Conference), and linguistics (through the Singapore Linguistics Olympiad), among others. What eventually led me to study law was my participation in the Singapore Introductory Mooting Programme, where I was particularly drawn to the structured reasoning that legal practice requires. By exposing myself to as many experiences as possible, I was able to challenge my assumptions about what I liked/disliked and could therefore whittle down my university course selections to those I truly enjoyed.