What’s the point of being a top student in SG when “Who You Know” completely destroys “What You Know”?

Throwaway account because I just need to vent before my brain literally short-circuits. I am so freaking done, guys.

All my life, I followed the Singaporean Dream handbook to a T. I was the textbook definition of a “Top A-Student.” PSLE? 260+ back in the day, straight into an elite IP school. O Levels? Single digit raw, L1R5 6 points. JC? Straight As for A-Levels, 90 RP. University? Graduated First Class Honors, Dean’s List almost every semester. I sacrificed my youth, my sleep, and my sanity. I thought if I just worked harder than everyone else, the meritocracy promise would pay off.

Fast forward to today. I am working my a55 off in a corporate job, hitting every KPI, pulling OT until 10 PM, drawing a decent but totally average salary.

Then I look at one of my uni groupmates. This guy was the ultimate slacker. During projects, he contributed next to nothing. We practically carried him to a borderline pass/merit degree while he was busy clubbing and networking. But guess what? Today, he is a Director-level regional lead at a top-tier firm, earning easily double my salary, driving a Merc, and posting LinkedIn updates about “thought leadership.”

How? Because FRIEND’S MOTHER GOT CONTACTS.

Literally. His mom’s mahjong buddy is a C-suite executive at a multinational conglomerate. One casual dinner, one recommendation, and boom—he bypassed the entire grueling 5-stage graduate program interview process that the rest of us peasants have to suffer through. He got fast-tracked straight into a high-visibility role, handed fat accounts on a silver platter, and now he looks like a corporate genius just because he inherited a goldmine of connections.

Having a degree is one thing, but knowing the right people is on a whole another level.

It makes me feel like an absolute clown. All those nights I spent mugging under the neon lights of the study room, memorizing bell-curve god formulas, and stressing over 0.5 GPA drops… for what? In the real world, my perfect GPA means nothing compared to his mother’s contact list.

Singapore keeps selling us this illusion of pure meritocracy. “Study hard, get good grades, and you will succeed.” No one warns you that the playing field changes completely the moment you step out of the campus gates. Academic merit gets utterly demolished by social capital. It’s not about how bright your brain is; it’s about how heavy your parents’ Rolodex is.

I’m not even angry at him, honestly. I’m just deeply disillusioned. To all the younger kids mugging for exams right now thinking grades are everything: yes, get the degree, but please go make friends with the rich kids. Because apparently, a high IQ is no match for a high-SES mother.