2016 O levels (Kids born in 2000)
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Poly offers another route to the university for those who are not so academically inclined. My cousins who went to Poly all went on to local universities. Granted that they had to work hard.
A-level is very stressful and competitive. 2 of my cousins who went to JCs, albeit the lower ranked ones, ended up going back to Poly before getting into University.
IMO, MI Business stream may be a better choice. -
lee_yl:
I agree.
IMO, MI Business stream may be a better choice.
A level, like the O level, is a national exam that's graded on a curve. Hence, it's as much as doing well for yourself and doing better than your peers. However, unlike the O level, the A level is basically an exam between the top 20%, rather than the entire cohort. Furthermore, the top 5% were not even present during the O level. Some of the O level's As could well become A level's Bs or Cs when these missing students come into play.
Given that JCs do not offer the commerce stream anymore, the effect of the curve for some subjects may not be that severe. -
A levels has always been a competition amongst the best academically. I thought it would be a better situation now as there are more pathways and some are siphoned away into the IB league.
Eh actually my time hor, A levels quite relaxed leh… Cos I only take bare min subjects (3 subjects) And no extra rubbish (eg S papers etc) to pad my certificate. University is even better, can work PT and go clubbing. Oh miss those days! -
Imp75:
Wow.. Your time must be a long long time ago..A levels has always been a competition amongst the best academically. I thought it would be a better situation now as there are more pathways and some are siphoned away into the IB league.
Eh actually my time hor, A levels quite relaxed leh.... Cos I only take bare min subjects (3 subjects) And no extra rubbish (eg S papers etc) to pad my certificate. University is even better, can work PT and go clubbing. Oh miss those days!
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Imp75:
IP students > IB studentsA levels has always been a competition amongst the best academically. I thought it would be a better situation now as there are more pathways and some are siphoned away into the IB league.
Eh actually my time hor, A levels quite relaxed leh.... Cos I only take bare min subjects (3 subjects) And no extra rubbish (eg S papers etc) to pad my certificate. University is even better, can work PT and go clubbing. Oh miss those days!
The situation is indeed better because there are more pathways. But A level is more competitive than ever because the top students are identified and trained much earlier.
Those are the good days leh. I remember preparing for Os as being harder than for As. After dropping Econs, I had possibly the easiest combination available (Double Maths and Physics) for a Science student :evil:
I only remember U for the endless Jam and Hop (more Hop than Jam), Zouk Mambo and Guild House (who would have thought, a club in campus). -
I also see that most A levels subjects are extension of the O levels subjects, other than a few new ones you may choose to take (eg. Econs). As such, those with strong foundation of the subjects do have benefits, though one may argue that student can still work hard to catch up. Given that you are competing against top cohort in the A levels "race", you would not want to "lose out" right from the starting point, which you probably would if your subject foundation is not as strong. If you check around, there are some significant differences in uni entry success rates of different JCs (I heard some are even single digit %). Not putting down any JCs here, but just stating a fact that A levels is very competitive.
For poly, most students start afresh with courses they are interested in. Quite different from O levels subjects taken. I think that puts everyone on the same starting line, and every student has a chance to work hard and excel. There may be some talented ones in certain areas, but generally I think everyone starts in a more level playing field there, regardless of their O levels score. -
I have friends whose kids were not doing too well in secondary school so they opted for Poly after O levels. I can see they’ve really blossomed there. The courses they took appealed to them and they no longer needed to struggle with subjects which would have been compulsory had they chosen to do A levels, like GP. They intend to go on to university.
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jtoh:
I have friends whose kids were not doing too well in secondary school so they opted for Poly after O levels. I can see they've really blossomed there. The courses they took appealed to them and they no longer needed to struggle with subjects which would have been compulsory had they chosen to do A levels, like GP. They intend to go on to university.
The old A level (my time) is somewhat more forgiving towards students with strength in specific areas (e.g. Science / Maths) but weak in others (e.g. languages and humanities). Unfortunately, with this contrasting subject thingy, students need to be all-rounder now or they may be pull down in their overall grades. -
janet88:
I also find that boys, having tasted some working life in the army and having a couple more years to mature, will be more focused when they start university. Girls (with some exceptions, of course) are usually less mature, less sure of what they want, and still in a playful mood!
i thought GIRLS have advantage of time since they do not have to serve NS.slmkhoo:
Yes, Janet, no rush - he's got 3 yrs plus NS. Some guys I know even changed their minds and re-applied for a different course during their NS years. Boys have that advantage of time. Girls decide faster partly because their deadline is earlier; my JC2 daughter still has no idea what she wants to do (although she is finally narrowing things down a bit) and she will really be running out of time soon.
now that you have explained your daughter's situation, i have a better understanding. thank you. -
Imp75:
Regarding Commerce or Science streams, I thought Commerce stream has been scrapped? Only left Arts or Science? Anyway, to do well in Science stream, M (A and E) and S (preferably pure sciences during O) must be very good.
Commerce stream has been discontinued in JCs, but MI still has it. I think many students who are interested in the Commerce subjects now go to Polys.
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