DSA 2017

[mn_1704]

I suppose we as parents, we just want our DCs to do their best in their PSLE and hopefully (if possible) to apply via DSA to a preferred Sec school. But at the same time even with the DSA in mind, we must always motivate our DCs to focus and concentrate on their preparation for their PSLE (for the COP). At the end of the day, as parents, we want our DCs to enrol in a Sec school best suited for our DCs learning profile, character development, and he or she will be happy in that learning environment to thrive in his/her academic and CCA pursuits.

[yap_susan]

Yngmng:

yap_susan:

Any idea dsa application starts in April or May according to trend?

You can refer to the threads on previous year DSA. I find them quite useful. For DSA via sports or arts, the kid cannot change the cca for the next 4 or 6 years. Hence, need commitment and passion.

Thank you

[iRabbit]

coast:

I agree with you on Maths.

But how about the other 3 subjects? For Science, there is a SO competition held by NUS High for P5.

While winners for SO, EL essay writing, National Debates, Big Spell are exemplary students, the numbers are insufficient considering the number of DSA vacancies … for IP ... 1400 minus Sports/Arts/ … so it seems unlikely that schools will just rely on competitions to identify subject strength talent.

I think schools will likely conduct subject tests and if the number of successful academic applicants (unless IP schools decide to reduce the number of COs under the new system), I think \"general academic abilities\" will likely do well especially if they choose their strongest subject.

I see where you're coming from. For popular MO competitions like NMOS and SMOPS, typically they can have 3-5 thousand participants. There's no way competitions for the other 3 subjects can come close to those numbers.

I agree with you that schools would most likely have to conduct subject specific domain tests for the other 3 subjects. And then there's the all impt interview too.

[zoolet]

Does DSA effective? Student A has no special talent, can’t DSA in any IP school depend on PSLE results. He/she managed to score 258 (so-called borderline cut-off for top IP school). But the new rule stated 20% of the vacancy to keep for DSA talent, thus Student A can’t get into the IP school as all vacancy filled up since there are other students with better scores. Does that mean Student A will be deprived from receiving IP training totally since all vacancy of IP school has filled up? Student B is an average academic results student, all 4 subjects are barely 70 but excellent in sport, entered the IP school via DSA sport. But student B struggled to keep up with his peers in IP school since peers have very strong academics and the style of teaching in the school is to impart advance skill. Student B may have to work harder as he/ she has to self read up on the basic before understanding the advance skill. Is this effective for student B both academic and sport? Is this mentally healthy? Will this student B able to qualify to local university after A Level? (Hopefully, parents will not go and complain about the entry level for local university and they re-look and introduce something like DSA. If start with another type of DSA, this will be very crappy and make our university look so pale off compared to top university in the world.)

[floppy]

zoolet:

Does DSA effective? Student A has no special talent, can't DSA in any IP school depend on PSLE results. He/she managed to score 258 (so-called borderline cut-off for top IP school). But the new rule stated 20% of the vacancy to keep for DSA talent, thus Student A can't get into the IP school as all vacancy filled up since there are other students with better scores. Does that mean Student A will be deprived from receiving IP training totally since all vacancy of IP school has filled up? Student B is an average academic results student, all 4 subjects are barely 70 but excellent in sport, entered the IP school via DSA sport. But student B struggled to keep up with his peers in IP school since peers have very strong academics and the style of teaching in the school is to impart advance skill. Student B may have to work harder as he/ she has to self read up on the basic before understanding the advance skill. Is this effective for student B both academic and sport? Is this mentally healthy? Will this student B able to qualify to local university after A Level? (Hopefully, parents will not go and complain about the entry level for local university and they re-look and introduce something like DSA. If start with another type of DSA, this will be very crappy and make our university look so pale off compared to top university in the world.)

There's a big difference between setting aside 20% for DSA students and raising the cap of DSA students for the school to 20%. The former implies the school die-die must have 20% DSA students while the latter means the school can decide to accept DSA students up to a max of 20% (the latter is the actual change to the policy).

As for your query, yes, the scenario you have painted is healthy because the emphasis is on a shift away from academic excellence. Your assumption is IP track is only meant for the academically brilliant students (which is if based strictly on COP) but I'm not sure that is the case. So, there isn't a need to worry too much about student B.

[pirate]

zoolet:

(Hopefully, parents will not go and complain about the entry level for local university and they re-look and introduce something like DSA. If start with another type of DSA, this will be very crappy and make our university look so pale off compared to top university in the world.)

Top universities look at more than just academics in their admission. They certainly don't have \"cut-off points\". Might as well get used to it earlier.

[Fried chicken]

floppy:

zoolet:

Does DSA effective? Student A has no special talent, can't DSA in any IP school depend on PSLE results. He/she managed to score 258 (so-called borderline cut-off for top IP school). But the new rule stated 20% of the vacancy to keep for DSA talent, thus Student A can't get into the IP school as all vacancy filled up since there are other students with better scores. Does that mean Student A will be deprived from receiving IP training totally since all vacancy of IP school has filled up? Student B is an average academic results student, all 4 subjects are barely 70 but excellent in sport, entered the IP school via DSA sport. But student B struggled to keep up with his peers in IP school since peers have very strong academics and the style of teaching in the school is to impart advance skill. Student B may have to work harder as he/ she has to self read up on the basic before understanding the advance skill. Is this effective for student B both academic and sport? Is this mentally healthy? Will this student B able to qualify to local university after A Level? (Hopefully, parents will not go and complain about the entry level for local university and they re-look and introduce something like DSA. If start with another type of DSA, this will be very crappy and make our university look so pale off compared to top university in the world.)

There's a big difference between setting aside 20% for DSA students and raising the cap of DSA students for the school to 20%. The former implies the school die-die must have 20% DSA students while the latter means the school can decide to accept DSA students up to a max of 20% (the latter is the actual change to the policy).

As for your query, yes, the scenario you have painted is healthy because the emphasis is on a shift away from academic excellence. Your assumption is IP track is only meant for the academically brilliant students (which is if based strictly on COP) but I'm not sure that is the case. So, there isn't a need to worry too much about student B.

Adding to this, the onus is on student B's parents to pick a school that is suitable for their child. If student B, having done his/her best, is an average student, then it is irresponsible to DSA to a top IP school, knowing that their child will probably struggle, and then expect the school to turn their average kid into a top-scoring kid.

[floppy]

Fried chicken:

Adding to this, the onus is on student B's parents to pick a school that is suitable for their child. If student B, having done his/her best, is an average student, then it is irresponsible to DSA to a top IP school, knowing that their child will probably struggle, and then expect the school to turn their average kid into a top-scoring kid.

That said, if student B, an average student, pick and got selected into a top IP school, and after 6 years in the programme turns out to be, well, average... what's the issue?

As long as the parents don't have the unrealistic expectation that an average kid will turn into a top-scoring kid upon entering a top IP school, I think all targets are met.

[Fried chicken]

floppy:

Fried chicken:

Adding to this, the onus is on student B's parents to pick a school that is suitable for their child. If student B, having done his/her best, is an average student, then it is irresponsible to DSA to a top IP school, knowing that their child will probably struggle, and then expect the school to turn their average kid into a top-scoring kid.

That said, if student B, an average student, pick and got selected into a top IP school, and after 6 years in the programme turns out to be, well, average... what's the issue?

As long as the parents don't have the unrealistic expectation that an average kid will turn into a top-scoring kid upon entering a top IP school, I think all targets are met.

Yes, true. All about realistic expectations.

[Nebbermind]

floppy:

Fried chicken:

Adding to this, the onus is on student B's parents to pick a school that is suitable for their child. If student B, having done his/her best, is an average student, then it is irresponsible to DSA to a top IP school, knowing that their child will probably struggle, and then expect the school to turn their average kid into a top-scoring kid.

That said, if student B, an average student, pick and got selected into a top IP school, and after 6 years in the programme turns out to be, well, average... what's the issue?

Yalor!!
[quote]As long as the parents don't have the unrealistic expectation that an average kid will turn into a top-scoring kid upon entering a top IP school, I think all targets are met.[/quote]Yalor*2!!