On 11 April 2013, Straits Times reported that SMU interviewed 100% of its student applicants because it felt that grades do not tell everything about these candidates. SMU was looking for the ‘X-factor’. They call it the ‘X-factor’, I call it the qualitative aspect. Grades to me is the ‘quantitative’ aspect. The importance of a person having strengths in quantitative and qualitative aspects cannot be over emphasized.

For too long, our schools have been churning out people who are good in scoring exams. Those who can’t scores are sidelined and given names such as ‘It’s the End’. Those who scored well are given honorary names such as Scholars. What we end up with is a bunch of bookworms who cannot contribute much to society because society consists 100% of humans who cannot be managed like one can manage an exam. Does that mean that academic results are of no use? ...