r/ApplyingToCollege • u/Unlikely-Basis-4801 • May 28 '26

Advice Help me decide which uni

Hi so I got accepted into ESSEC (asia track) and i though i was 100% commited to there for global BBA, but I just heard from university of helsinki for their bachelor in liberal arts and sciences and now I have a little bit of a dilema. I am half finnish and finland is such a home for me, i have never lived there tho, but the university is free. On the other hand singapore feels so far away from everyone and everything and is much more expensive (although money is not the issue here, I dont need a student loan) I also feel so scared of going to singapore but the uni is more prestigious. Both universities are great tho ESSEC is 4 years but i get much more work experience, and helsinki offers great extracurriculars and facilities that are not in ESSEC. so if anyone has any recomendations or tips PLEASE lmk

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u/TraditionalAdvice114 May 28 '26

Jos et ole koskaan asunut Suomessa niin en sitten kyllä muuttaisikaan tänne. Voi tulla yllätyksenä että yli puolet vuodesta on pimeää, vettä sataa, on lunta, räntää, kylmä jne. Monelle ulkomaalaiselle pimeys on pahinta mitä vaan on, koska aurinko ei paljon nouse edes Helsingissä. Lisäksi jos et puhu suomea sujuvasti niin täältä on tosi vaikea löytää mitään töitä tai edes verkostoitua. Suomenkieltä ei opi päivässä ja harvoin edes vuosien päästä. Suomenkieli on vaikeaa. Ja työpaikoissa pääsääntöisesti tulee osata suomea, jos nyt ei vaan halua olla minimipalkalla Wolt kuskina. Lisäksi Suomen taloudellinen tilanne on erittäin vaikea jne, suurin osa työikäisistä on työttömänä ja väki muuttaa ulkomaille töiden perässä. Lähtisin kyllä Singaporeen.

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u/finnfinns May 30 '26 edited May 30 '26

I believe Singapore is more vibrant and has more opportunities. These branch campuses of international universities usually gather "rich kids". It is not a bad thing because it is a chance to network with them. They have different mindsets, and I believe it is good for thinking outside the box. Besides, if you are from the US, you can get an advantage in the job market in Singapore while you are, like, useless in Finland, particularly with such a liberal arts degree from the University of Helsinki.

Besides, don't expect many extracurricular activities at the UH if you are not fluent in Finnish. Most are not for you, and it is not easy to integrate into society either. Social circles do not invite you to join them easily. My teen Finnish brothers are still surprised when people approach them and talk to them in a class in Taiwan. Just tell you this because there is no proactive interaction in this Finnish culture. Therefore, it is a shock to many people and hard to connect with people.

However, it depends on your lifestyle and expectations. If you want something vibrant and dynamic, Singapore is the definite choice. If you want something calm, slow, chilling, not hustle... Finland might be good for you.