Is PSLE so important?

[Vanilla Cake]

Read this article in another forum and fully agreed that every mark in PSLE aggregate score is priceless after I had gone through PSLE 2008. Here it goes :


Let us use Maths to estimate the \"price\" of each mark difference in a PSLE aggregate.

The highest score is 287 and the lowest score is 87 (2008 results). The difference is 287 - 87 = 200 marks. Every year 50,000 students take part in PSLE. The simple average student/mark ratio is 50000:200 = 250:1. That means that every mark difference it can be 250 students ahead or behind you. Of course this is a simple average only. The bulk (80%) of the students probably score between 170 to 250 marks (range of 80 marks). The average student/mark ratio is 40,000:80 = 500:1. Therefore for every mark difference it can be 500 students ahead or behind you. In reality, maybe for some range, there can be as high student/mark ratio as 1000:1! (eg between 220 and 230 marks).

So every mark is priceless in PSLE. Carelessnesss in PSLE exam can be costly (eg. an MCQ answered wrongly in Science is 2 marks, or a wrong Maths problem is easily 5 marks!). Especially those who fight to be the top 5% of the cohort, in order to get into RI/RGS and HCI/NYGHS IP schools.

For those who says \"never mind, only 1-2 questions wrong because of carelessness\", think again the price of the mistake.

What is the \"dollar\" value for which to assign to \"a mark\" more in PSLE? $1000 per mark? Or more?

For girls who need 1 mark more to get into RGS(cut-off = 266)?
For boys who need 1 mark more to get into RI(cut-off = 262)?
For boys and girls who need 1 mark more to get into DHS (cut-off = 260)?
For students who need 1 mark more to get into the school of their choice?

As estimated, 1 mark can be as high as 1000 places away from the next applicant (equivalent to 2 full schools of 500 students enrolment each). Every mark is precious in PSLE but which money cannot buy. I certainly won't leave it to chance

[jzapple]

You can try crescent girls too.It is one of the future schools.Last year COP was 243.

[corneyAmber]

Vanilla Cake:

Read this article in another forum and fully agreed that every mark in PSLE aggregate score is priceless after I had gone through PSLE 2008. Here it goes :


Let us use Maths to estimate the \"price\" of each mark difference in a PSLE aggregate.

The highest score is 287 and the lowest score is 87 (2008 results). The difference is 287 - 87 = 200 marks. Every year 50,000 students take part in PSLE. The simple average student/mark ratio is 50000:200 = 250:1. That means that every mark difference it can be 250 students ahead or behind you. Of course this is a simple average only. The bulk (80%) of the students probably score between 170 to 250 marks (range of 80 marks). The average student/mark ratio is 40,000:80 = 500:1. Therefore for every mark difference it can be 500 students ahead or behind you. In reality, maybe for some range, there can be as high student/mark ratio as 1000:1! (eg between 220 and 230 marks).

So every mark is priceless in PSLE. Carelessnesss in PSLE exam can be costly (eg. an MCQ answered wrongly in Science is 2 marks, or a wrong Maths problem is easily 5 marks!). Especially those who fight to be the top 5% of the cohort, in order to get into RI/RGS and HCI/NYGHS IP schools.

For those who says \"never mind, only 1-2 questions wrong because of carelessness\", think again the price of the mistake.

What is the \"dollar\" value for which to assign to \"a mark\" more in PSLE? $1000 per mark? Or more?

For girls who need 1 mark more to get into RGS(cut-off = 266)?
For boys who need 1 mark more to get into RI(cut-off = 262)?
For boys and girls who need 1 mark more to get into DHS (cut-off = 260)?
For students who need 1 mark more to get into the school of their choice?

As estimated, 1 mark can be as high as 1000 places away from the next applicant (equivalent to 2 full schools of 500 students enrolment each). Every mark is precious in PSLE but which money cannot buy. I certainly won't leave it to chance

Thanks for sharing this insight and blood pressure just got raised further... LOLLLL.... :lol:

[Luanee]

chamonix:

1988. How about you?

Wooh, I'm younger!! I graduated in 1990!! We may have crossed paths from 1987-1988 eh? Hee...

[caroline3sg]

luanee & chamonix


I graduated in 1985.

[corneyAmber]

vanilla cake, when did your mom graduate from RGS?

[Vanilla Cake]

ks2me:

vanilla cake, when did your mom graduate from RGS?

1982

[Vanilla Cake]

ChiefKiasu:

but the calculation of PSLE T-scores is like rocket science to me.

Came upon this posting today http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20081211-106943.html
The full text :

MY INTENTION in writing this letter is not to lodge any grievances about the recent Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), but rather to seek clarification on the following matter with the Singapore Examinations and Assessment

Board and other relevant authorities. My son scored well for the PSLE this year: He received three A* in total for English, Mathematics and Science, and even managed to clinch an A for his weakest subject, Chinese.

He was overjoyed until he saw his aggregate score of 244. Most of his friends who managed 3As and a B have better aggregate scores than him.

I called up the customer- service centre at the Ministry of Education to enquire if the grades reflected the raw score or the transformed score, or T-score.

It was confirmed that it is the latter, which is derived through a complicated process.

However, what I do not comprehend is this: If his 3A* and 1A as reflected in his result slips are his T-score, why is his aggregate score so low?

My son is not disappointed, but is just as confused as I am. I would very much like to seek clarification on this matter so as to seek closure for a son who did not ask for a single reward for his good results.

All he wants to know is why, and he will then move on.

Ms Chow Chai Foon

3A* + 1 A -> 244
Cannot understand and I have a younger sister taking PSLE 2011.

[corneyAmber]

Vanilla, please keep us posted of MOE’s reply to this letter. Thanks.


Just to add to your statistics of variation of 2 students I know:

1A*, 3As = 246
4As = 249

So the 3A* and 1A with 244 is really an interesting case if it is based on T-scores

[caroline3sg]

I read this article this morning too. I doubt MOE would give an explicit reply. I guess the reply would be, he scored the lowest of A* & A spectrum.