Networking Group - JCs General

[sharonkhoo]

Juz Mum:

May I know what is the difference to take 4H2 and 3H2/1H1 subjects?

Uni entry uas is based on calculation of 3H2 and the 4th H2 which will be converted to H1 score, is this correct?
If so, what if the student is weak in the 4th H2 subject, lets say scoring a C, so it will be converted to a H1 'C' score/points?

That is my understanding of how it's done. The student should take his weakest H2 subject and use it as the H1 equivalent.

[Juz Mum]

Wouldn’t it be better chance for the student to obtain a better result if he takes the 4th H2 subject in H1? Hence getting a better uas ?


What’ s the advantage and purpose in taking 4H2 if the student is not strong in the 4th H2 subject?

Any advise please?

[isetan]

slmkhoo:

isetan:

Hi parents, can I enquire if there is a choice to do only 1 science subject in JC instead of 2 in a typical science stream.

That will usually be the \"hybrid\" stream - typically Maths, Science plus 2 other non-science subjects. One of the subjects can be a H1 if the student only wants to do 3 H2 subjects. Very rarely (and JCs may not allow this), a student might do Science plus 3 other subjects without Maths. But I think this is not advisable as some Maths is useful.

Also note that the cut-off point for hybrid combinations is the same as for Science combinations, and less-popular subject combinations may not be offered by every JC. It may be good to ask first.

Thanks slmkhoo.

How does the hybrid system works? Is it new?

[jtoh]

Juz Mum:

Wouldn't it be better chance for the student to obtain a better result if he takes the 4th H2 subject in H1? Hence getting a better uas ?


What' s the advantage and purpose in taking 4H2 if the student is not strong in the 4th H2 subject?

Any advise please?

Yes. If a student is weak in one subject, then just take it at H1 level and hope to score better at it than at H2 level and convert that to H1. One adv of taking 4H2s is for scholarships and perhaps some more competitive uni courses, although I'm not sure if the latter is true.

[sharonkhoo]

isetan:

slmkhoo:

[quote=\"isetan\"]Hi parents, can I enquire if there is a choice to do only 1 science subject in JC instead of 2 in a typical science stream.

That will usually be the \"hybrid\" stream - typically Maths, Science plus 2 other non-science subjects. One of the subjects can be a H1 if the student only wants to do 3 H2 subjects. Very rarely (and JCs may not allow this), a student might do Science plus 3 other subjects without Maths. But I think this is not advisable as some Maths is useful.

Also note that the cut-off point for hybrid combinations is the same as for Science combinations, and less-popular subject combinations may not be offered by every JC. It may be good to ask first.

Thanks slmkhoo.

How does the hybrid system works? Is it new?[/quote]No, it's not new. Some students want to take a broader range of courses and are not keen on taking 2 or more sciences. My daughters have not gone through the JAE after O levels, so I don't really know how it \"works\" if that's what you're asking. In terms of the actual studying for the 2 yrs, it's like any other combination - just follow the timetable. Of course, if it's a very unique combination, the student may not have many/any others with the same timetable and will need to move around even more than the usual.

[sharonkhoo]

jtoh:

Juz Mum:

Wouldn't it be better chance for the student to obtain a better result if he takes the 4th H2 subject in H1? Hence getting a better uas ?


What' s the advantage and purpose in taking 4H2 if the student is not strong in the 4th H2 subject?

Any advise please?

Yes. If a student is weak in one subject, then just take it at H1 level and hope to score better at it than at H2 level and convert that to H1. One adv of taking 4H2s is for scholarships and perhaps some more competitive uni courses, although I'm not sure if the latter is true.

Another reason for taking 4 H2s is \"insurance\" if the student is equally strong in all 4 subjects. That way, whichever turns out weakest can be used as the H1 equivalent, whereas if he takes 3 H2s and 1 H1, he has no choice. But if the student is clearly weaker in 1 subject, taking it as H1 would seem to be wiser. It will free up more time to study for the H2s as well.

[Juz Mum]

[/quote]


Yes. If a student is weak in one subject, then just take it at H1 level and hope to score better at it than at H2 level and convert that to H1. One adv of taking 4H2s is for scholarships and perhaps some more competitive uni courses, although I'm not sure if the latter is true.[/quote]
Another reason for taking 4 H2s is \"insurance\" if the student is equally strong in all 4 subjects. That way, whichever turns out weakest can be used as the H1 equivalent, whereas if he takes 3 H2s and 1 H1, he has no choice. But if the student is clearly weaker in 1 subject, taking it as H1 would seem to be wiser. It will free up more time to study for the H2s as well.[/quote]


Thanks so much slmkhoo and jtoh for taking time to share and advise!!

[Boys2Men]

Juz Mum:

Yes. If a student is weak in one subject, then just take it at H1 level and hope to score better at it than at H2 level and convert that to H1. One adv of taking 4H2s is for scholarships and perhaps some more competitive uni courses, although I'm not sure if the latter is true.[/quote]
Another reason for taking 4 H2s is \"insurance\" if the student is equally strong in all 4 subjects. That way, whichever turns out weakest can be used as the H1 equivalent, whereas if he takes 3 H2s and 1 H1, he has no choice. But if the student is clearly weaker in 1 subject, taking it as H1 would seem to be wiser. It will free up more time to study for the H2s as well.[/quote]


Thanks so much slmkhoo and jtoh for taking time to share and advise!! [/quote]


Thanks to JuzMum, simkhoo and jtoh. I am learning something useful from here as well

My child told me that he plans to take 2 Science (Bio and Chem). While he is very sure of his choice for the Sciences, he is unsure of which Humanities subject to take. Currently he is taking English Literature as well as History and seems to be doing quite OK for both (scores an average of A2 for both). Some of his friends are suggesting that they should take Economics. As my son is geared towards the Sciences, he seems quite neutral when it comes to making a choice for the Humanities subject. Hence I am trying to see if I can help him in his decision-making. Are they any national statistics on how studentsfare in the Humanities subject in the A levels? Among Eng Lit, History and Econs, which is the better performing subject? Which subject is easier to study/score?

[sharonkhoo]

Boys2Men:

My child told me that he plans to take 2 Science (Bio and Chem). While he is very sure of his choice for the Sciences, he is unsure of which Humanities subject to take. Currently he is taking English Literature as well as History and seems to be doing quite OK for both (scores an average of A2 for both). Some of his friends are suggesting that they should take Economics. As my son is geared towards the Sciences, he seems quite neutral when it comes to making a choice for the Humanities subject. Hence I am trying to see if I can help him in his decision-making. Are they any national statistics on how studentsfare in the Humanities subject in the A levels? Among Eng Lit, History and Econs, which is the better performing subject? Which subject is easier to study/score?

Perhaps you might want to consider which subject will be of greater value in the future? That question is usually answered by \"Economics\" as it is seen to be useful.* It is also mid-way between Arts and Science, and is something most students have not had a chance to take earlier. My daughter (in JC1 now) is taking 2 sciences too, and she decided to take Econs as her contrasting subject partly because we told her it would be useful and because we believed she would like it (that turned out to be true, thankfully), and partly because she had already taken Lit, Hist and Geog in sec school and thought she'd like to do something new. Her other idea was to take something like Linguistics, but we thought Econs was more her thing.
*[I don't mean to say that other Arts subjects are not useful, but I know that they are perceived that way by many, especially those who are stronger in sciences. I myself was Arts stream in JC!]

\"Easy to study and score\" depends a lot on the individual, so I'm not sure looking at national statistics will help. I'm sure the statistics exist somewhere, though they may not be made public?

[Boys2Men]

Thanks for sharing. I suppose that since Econs is a mid-way subject between art and science, it would be easier to score a distinction as compared with the other arts subjects if one were to get the facts and concepts right?