2010 DSA(Direct School Admission)

[phankao]

2ppaamm:

That's interesting. I would've thought that they would definitely participate in SYF as that is their niche area, especially in Dance and Band. Maybe their earlier cohorts were too small to submit an item?
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If the kids are so good with their art, I am really inclined to look at SOTA for these reasons:
1. Can really practise their art, unlike mainstream schools, where it is at most MEP or AEP and at worst CCA.
2. IB program. No need to worry about 'O' Levels.
3. There's also an express lane for musicians, right?
4. Nowadays, new schools seem to have more innovative ways of doing things, I read the tread on SST, the kids seem to have a lot of fun. My friends' kids are having fun at SOTA as well.

I'd check with the VP later this week, but I think they should be able to go to SNYO or something, find their competitions and performance opportunities somewhere else, and something bigger and more international.

I haven't really checked them out, these are gathered from what I read from the website only.

SOTA seems to have small group ensembles, maybe not enough students for a full orchestra. There are sota students in SNYO (i think now it's SYO) but don't seem to have any in SYCO (chinese orchestra). Anyway, my kids love the pressure from the syf training, the big group, the intense practices and performing. Yeah, sota has competitions, but mostly individual and mostly overseas. Not enough emphasis on chinese music, I find, altho' there are some. And it's not difficult to gain entry, I notice.

[2ppaamm]

phankao:

If the kids are so good with their art, I am really inclined to look at SOTA for these reasons:

1. Can really practise their art, unlike mainstream schools, where it is at most MEP or AEP and at worst CCA.
2. IB program. No need to worry about 'O' Levels.
3. There's also an express lane for musicians, right?
4. Nowadays, new schools seem to have more innovative ways of doing things, I read the tread on SST, the kids seem to have a lot of fun. My friends' kids are having fun at SOTA as well.

I'd check with the VP later this week, but I think they should be able to go to SNYO or something, find their competitions and performance opportunities somewhere else, and something bigger and more international.

I haven't really checked them out, these are gathered from what I read from the website only.

SOTA seems to have small group ensembles, maybe not enough students for a full orchestra. There are sota students in SNYO (i think now it's SYO) but don't seem to have any in SYCO (chinese orchestra). Anyway, my kids love the pressure from the syf training, the big group, the intense practices and performing. Yeah, sota has competitions, but mostly individual and mostly overseas. Not enough emphasis on chinese music, I find, altho' there are some. And it's not difficult to gain entry, I notice.[/quote]
Chinese orchestra instruments. NAFA is really good. I remember attending one of the concerts and the chinese instrumentalists play so well, it almost drove me to tears.

[phankao]

2ppaamm:

Chinese orchestra instruments. NAFA is really good. I remember attending one of the concerts and the chinese instrumentalists play so well, it almost drove me to tears.

But NAFA is not a secondary school, so we're not comparing apples to apples. This topic is about DSA right? Thats how we got to talking about SOTA accepting DSA already.

[verykiasu2010]

how come the number of pages on this thread increased by 30 overnite ?

[corneyAmber]

verykiasu2010:

how come the number of pages on this thread increased by 30 overnite ?

Either a merger or system went haywire....same happening to 25hourmaid's thread on PSLE COP...

[2ppaamm]

phankao:

But NAFA is not a secondary school, so we're not comparing apples to apples. This topic is about DSA right? Thats how we got to talking about SOTA accepting DSA already.

Yep, but I'm thinking if your kid is in NAFA, then don't have to consider so much when choosing SOTA. Maybe don't need to do CCA, but do NAFA instead? Along those lines...

[phankao]

2ppaamm:

Yep, but I'm thinking if your kid is in NAFA, then don't have to consider so much when choosing SOTA. Maybe don't need to do CCA, but do NAFA instead? Along those lines...

But NAFA is a course, like taking private 1-to-1 lessons with private teacher, not similar to CCA at all. There's no ensemble prac for chinese instruments at NAFA. The only extra is that they have theory classes. My boy already has private instructors plus outside ensemble plus theory class plus school cca. We are not thinking of NAFA at all. Yeah, he's only interested in mainstream schools bc SOTA doesn't seem like it offers enough in that area, altho' being an \"arts\" school, it should. That was what I brought up about.

[joconde]

Anyone has advise on how to ‘groom’ a child for SOTA visual arts ? I have a friend whose child is very good at drawing and attends art lesson at private school, but yet did not get selected. Schools like NUSH give preference to kids with credentials like Math Olympiad awards. For SOTA (visual arts), is there anything similiar ?


Are there any primary schools that nurtures talents in this area ?

[phankao]

joconde:

Anyone has advise on how to 'groom' a child for SOTA visual arts ? I have a friend whose child is very good at drawing and attends art lesson at private school, but yet did not get selected. Schools like NUSH give preference to kids with credentials like Math Olympiad awards. For SOTA (visual arts), is there anything similiar ?


Are there any primary schools that nurtures talents in this area ?

Everything needed is listed on their webpage:

http://www.sota.edu.sg/Admissions/TalentAcademy/PreparationAuditionVisualArts/tabid/342/Default.aspx

I think just prepare thoughtfully. I've found that for SOTA, as long as the child has done that, not last-minute work that has been simply rushed-together, and the work/portfolio is satisfactory, there's a high-chance of being accepted. Of course the child must also show a passion for his/her work. Same for the music auditions - just make sure to have prepared. The pieces are given some 3weeks to 1 month ahead of time, sufficient time to prepare. The kids i know who prepared, got in. There was one that only worked on it few days before, didn't get thru.

[joconde]

phankao:

Everything needed is listed on their webpage:


http://www.sota.edu.sg/Admissions/TalentAcademy/PreparationAuditionVisualArts/tabid/342/Default.aspx

I think just prepare thoughtfully. I've found that for SOTA, as long as the child has done that, not last-minute work that has been simply rushed-together, and the work/portfolio is satisfactory, there's a high-chance of being accepted. Of course the child must also show a passion for his/her work. Same for the music auditions - just make sure to have prepared. The pieces are given some 3weeks to 1 month ahead of time, sufficient time to prepare. The kids i know who prepared, got in. There was one that only worked on it few days before, didn't get thru.

Thanks phankao.

Actually i'm not enquiring abt audition preparation, but rather, how to groom from young if one (or rather, the parent) aspires to get into SOTA. My girl is in P1 and has a flair in drawing. So I wonder what I can do to increase her chances. Cos i see that my friend's child's art work is really impressive but still did not get selected. Perhaps results not good enuf, or maybe SOTA looking for medalists or other credits, i dunno.....

The kids you know who got in, did they win any prizes in art competition or anything like tat ? They join art club in sch or attend art lesson outside ? Do you know how they nurture and develop the talents ? Sorry if my questions sound stupid, but i am really a layman in this area