Any Updates As To When PSLE T-Scores Will Be Scrapped?

[sushi88]

zulu:

Ah.... the good old days when it was okay to try out different subject combis.... I was pure science for 'O' , commerce for 'A' and read Law in NUS. I probably would not allow my DD to be so adventurous in her choices today.

Actually choosing commerce at \"A' only limits courses that require sciences in the uni. If your dd is like you who likes law and commerce-related courses or even arts, then your adventure is still valid for her. Unless she is not as clear as you what she wants, then going for a course combo at \"A\" level that can qualify for any courses under the sun is what one would likely choose.

[sushi88]

pirate:

zulu:

Ah.... the good old days when it was okay to try out different subject combis.... I was pure science for 'O' , commerce for 'A' and read Law in NUS. I probably would not allow my DD to be so adventurous in her choices today.

:hi5:

I was pure science double maths for O-levels.

A-level commerce background lawyers actually know how to read financial statements and accounts. Especially useful when one needs to trace where money went.

So did you think of glamour then? Obviously not right? If you did, then perhaps you would not have opted for \"something you deem as not glamorous\"? You probably think being a bean-counter is not a bad professional, it is all-time-in-demand profession.

[sushi88]

pirate:

slmkhoo:

[quote=\"sushi88\"]So I don't think MI or commerce is shunned because it is not glamorous.

I don't think glamour has much to do with it. It's simply that the polys are now catering to the post-sec market for business/commerce/finance courses. Most students prefer to take those courses at poly rather than A level commerce subjects, I believe. I think the ones doing it in MI probably couldn't get into those courses in poly, and are still hopeful that they can get to university with A levels, or at least get some commerce-related qualifications at A level.

If you are 3-pointer at O-levels, would you want to do a 3-year course at Poly to get into uni when you can do a 2-year course at JC? How likely to get into NUS law from poly?[/quote]http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/e ... w-medicine

[pirate]

sushi88:

pirate:

If you are 3-pointer at O-levels, would you want to do a 3-year course at Poly to get into uni when you can do a 2-year course at JC? How likely to get into NUS law from poly?

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/e ... w-medicine

Please lah. Accepting 6 for law is like just show-show only lah.

[zulu]

sushi88:

zulu:

Ah.... the good old days when it was okay to try out different subject combis.... I was pure science for 'O' , commerce for 'A' and read Law in NUS. I probably would not allow my DD to be so adventurous in her choices today.

Actually choosing commerce at \"A' only limits courses that require sciences in the uni. If your dd is like you who likes law and commerce-related courses or even arts, then your adventure is still valid for her. Unless she is not as clear as you what she wants, then going for a course combo at \"A\" level that can qualify for any courses under the sun is what one would likely choose.

Yeah, she is still unsure but definitely science leaning so I guess Double Sci, Maths and Econs is the way to go in 2 years' time.

[sushi88]

pirate:

sushi88:

[quote=\"pirate\"]
If you are 3-pointer at O-levels, would you want to do a 3-year course at Poly to get into uni when you can do a 2-year course at JC? How likely to get into NUS law from poly?

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/e ... w-medicine

Please lah. Accepting 6 for law is like just show-show only lah.[/quote]Please la..this article is in 2014 and it is reporting a growing trend....so give it time to grow even more lor.

I thought I wrote somewhere or maybe I deleted...I see the trend these days...even within my extended family is so-so PSLE->avg sec school-> poly of choice -> uni for a course of choice.
So the choice part can come later in life....this is not choosing a spouse...must try to get it right first time as far as possible.. Even then...some people only get that right after a few tries.

[pirate]

sushi88:

pirate:

Please lah. Accepting 6 for law is like just show-show only lah.

Please la..this article is in 2014 and it is reporting a growing trend....so give it time to grow even more lor.

I thought I wrote somewhere or maybe I deleted...I see the trend these days...even within my extended family is so-so PSLE->avg sec school-> poly of choice -> uni for a course of choice.
So the choice part can come later in life....this is not choosing a spouse...must try to get it right first time as far as possible.. Even then...some people only get that right after a few tries.

Our polytechnics were never conceived nor intended as educational institutions to prepare academically strong students for university admission. Why would a top scorer want to take a 3-year poly course to get into uni when he/she can take a 2-year course at JC?

Anyway, my point was that A-level commerce have been shunted to MI, an educational institution conceived for academically weaker students. MI does not offer H3 subjects and apparently students are not even permitted to take 4 H2 subjects!

I quote from MI's own website:[quote]MI students are to offer only 3 H2 subjects. A-Level course is a highly demanding academic course. The students who have enrolled into CI have weaker academic foundation; it is only prudent that they offer 3 H2 subjects.[/quote]In seeking to open more pathways, we must not be inadvertently shutting down other pathways.

Incidentally, MOE now classifies Principles of Accounting under Science!

[sushi88]

pirate:

sushi88:

[quote=\"pirate\"]Please lah. Accepting 6 for law is like just show-show only lah.

Please la..this article is in 2014 and it is reporting a growing trend....so give it time to grow even more lor.

I thought I wrote somewhere or maybe I deleted...I see the trend these days...even within my extended family is so-so PSLE->avg sec school-> poly of choice -> uni for a course of choice.
So the choice part can come later in life....this is not choosing a spouse...must try to get it right first time as far as possible.. Even then...some people only get that right after a few tries.

Our polytechnics were never conceived nor intended as educational institutions to prepare academically strong students for university admission. Why would a top scorer want to take a 3-year poly course to get into uni when he/she can take a 2-year course at JC?

There are...those kids who are more relaxed and chilled in their style....and have won their battles with the parents to do it....

Anyway, my point was that A-level commerce have been shunted to MI, an educational institution conceived for academically weaker students. MI does not offer H3 subjects and apparently students are not even permitted to take 4 H2 subjects!

If I am not wrong, most JCs encourage their students to do 3H2 subjects but peer pressure will make everyone do more plus do more to buy insurance too.. The university UAS requirement is as follows:
The University Admission Score (UAS) is computed as follows:
- the best four content subjects (i.e. 3 H2 and 1 H1 content subjects, with at
least 1 content subject to be from a contrasting discipline)
- either GP or KI grade taken in the same sitting
- H1 Project Work

I quote from MI's own website:[quote]MI students are to offer only 3 H2 subjects. A-Level course is a highly demanding academic course. The students who have enrolled into CI have weaker academic foundation; it is only prudent that they offer 3 H2 subjects.[/quote]In seeking to open more pathways, we must not be inadvertently shutting down other pathways.

In this case MI is not shutting down options for the students but realistically focusing on 3H2 to do very well is better than spreading to 4H2 and achieve nothing. This is also a value MI is adding to the kids who have always been trying to put too many things on their plate and achieve nothing, because people often think more choices is better than less without looking at study style. As for shutting down commerce in other JCs, I think it is just MOE's way to
(1) attract more top students who are clear they want commerce(actually they classify as business) to choose MI
(2) consolidate niche course teaching resources there and polys

FYI, ACS independent also offers a business subject in their course combo.

Incidentally, MOE now classifies Principles of Accounting under Science!

You took this classification under the contrasting subject right? They only have 2 categories art and science ma....so do you classify this under art? Anything that has STRICT principles cannot be art la. [/quote]

[XYZ1]

sushi88:

XYZ1:

I think we cannot deny that cream of crop always have plenty of opportunities as compared to the \"average guy\".

I think this is an interesting point to pick out for discussion for more specifics instead of talking generally to understand what is this gap that everyone is so concerned with between the cream and the average guy.

Do you mean by design of any sort of competition of opportunities, since the best people win, so only the cream of the crop will get it?

If so, when late bloomers bloom due to timing of development, why would they not be able to compete in such competition of opportunities? If not, meaning I understand you wrongly, then can you give more concrete examples for my understanding?

Meanwhile, there are several paths MOE has offered for late bloomers to immerse themselves until they are ready to compete...eg, poly and ITE has been a very good ground to groom many who make it excellently in the uni later. So I am trying to understand where is the short-change of opportunities if meritocracy is the guiding principle behind all these?

I'm not sure if I understand u as well .....but when I say cream of crop always have more opportunities, don't they?

1) They can have access to DSA schools like NUSH/SST...
2) They get trained by schools (not funded by parents) for all sorts of maths/science/language competitions, participates in exchange programmes, some of these are national level programmes
3) If a top guy decides that he wants to be a REAL big fish in a small pond, he even has a chance to choose any lower COP sec sch he wants...

all these choices are available simply bcos he's at the tip of the pyramid.

For ave guy....just bcos u are T-score 230-240....what doors do this open to you?

Yes we still hv poly/ITE route....all roads lead to Rome nowadays anyway, some faster routes, some longer routes. However, what I've asked is that the mass middle tier, can MOE do more for them? Can we help the late bloomers in sec school or just let them bloom late by themselves (maybe some bloom only at 18, some at 20, some even later, some never :nailbite: )

That's all I'm asking.....not wanting to take away resources from the top talent....but how abt
giving our middle tier kids more confidence and guidance in their education journey starting at
sec school level?

In what way do we help our middle tier kids?
- teacher-student ratio improvement?
- make teaching slightly different to cater to students' learning abilities
- hv niche programmes in diff middle tier sec schools (aviation program in hillgrove is a good eg)

Is this making the systems less meritocratic? In my opinion, No.

[zbear]

XYZ1:

For ave guy....just bcos u are T-score 230-240....what doors do this open to you?

Yes we still hv poly/ITE route....all roads lead to Rome nowadays anyway, some faster routes, some longer routes. However, what I've asked is that the mass middle tier, can MOE do more for them? Can we help the late bloomers in sec school or just let them bloom late by themselves (maybe some bloom only at 18, some at 20, some even later, some never :nailbite: )

That's all I'm asking.....not wanting to take away resources from the top talent....but how abt
giving our middle tier kids more confidence and guidance in their education journey starting at
sec school level?

In what way do we help our middle tier kids?
- teacher-student ratio improvement?
- make teaching slightly different to cater to students' learning abilities
- hv niche programmes in diff middle tier sec schools (aviation program in hillgrove is a good eg)

Is this making the systems less meritocratic? In my opinion, No.

Just being curious, if you think mid tier Sec School students should be given more help, what about the low tier students - Normal Stream etc? Don't they need help too?

:?