Raffles Institution (Year 1-4)

[coast]

iRabbit:

Sursum:

Asking experienced parents/students, is it hard to cope with 2 RAs?

Hi Sursum,

My friend’s boy took both Euler and Galileo in lower sec. From what she shared, it was manageable to cope with 2 RA subjects as her boy had genuine interest in them.

What she was more concerned with was the fact that RA subject tests were benchmarked at a much higher level compared to RP subjects. Since RA subjects grades are used for GPA calculation (for lower sec, only Euler does), it does affect the overall grade.

I believe the critical sec level milestones are at Y2 & Y4. Since most boys would like to take 9 subjects in upper sec and 4 H2 subjects in JC, they need to ensure that they hit GPA of 3.2 minimally.

So as long as one is hitting that threshold of 3.2 even with the RA subject(s), it should be okay. This was what she shared.

Hi Sursum and iRabbit,

For those taking 10 subjects, min GPA of 3.6 is required at end of Year 3. While RA is indeed at a much high level, the RA subject can be left out of overall GPA calculation as it is based on Core 5 + Best 3 subjects.

Thanks.

[Blue Dolphine]

slmkhoo:

Blue Dolphine:

Hi, iRabbit,

Thanks! The education system is so different from my time so I really don't know how to advise my boy. My hubby & I decided to leave it to him to make the choice since ultimately he is the one who is going to do the subject.
My boy decided to chose Geo. Though I am a little disappointed cos in my heart I hope he would choose Math. He thinks that my thinking is out-dated. He said the world needs critical thinkers to solve real world problems in future, not another Math teacher or professor, the computer can do that job :heresmyfish:
Didn't know the Math weightage is double is year 3. So looks like Geo is a safer choice.

Thanks always for giving me some advice!
Cheers

Jumping in although my daughter was RGS Y2-4. My husband and I actually recommended that my daughter not apply for RA in Y3-4 at all (she was asked by 3 different teachers to apply for their subjects - Maths, Lit and History). Partly because she had only joined the school in mid-Y2, and was still establishing herself in CCAs and social circles, and catching up with the Sciences, and partly because we found that the coverage of RA didn't really \"add value\" as it was mostly doing some A level work. We felt that if she was going to do it later, why the rush? She eventually took Chem RA in JC and H3 Econs, which we felt was better \"value\" as it was stuff she was less likely to cover later or might help in university applications. Personally, the real value of RA is in the doing, not the subject. If the student can cope with the added workload and slightly different way to studying, that is the real benefit. So interest is more important than content, in my view, and I wouldn't worry about your son's choice. We left the choice of subject to our daughter (her father was a mathematician so would have liked her to take Maths...) and she was already quite sure even then that she wouldn't want to pursue Chem at university, but she was interested enough at that point to take it. We reckon that the training of the mind is the main objective of RA. She's studying Econs now.

Thanks slmkhoo for sharing your girl's experience!

[Sursum]

iRabbit:

Hi Sursum,

My friend’s boy took both Euler and Galileo in lower sec. From what she shared, it was manageable to cope with 2 RA subjects as her boy had genuine interest in them.

What she was more concerned with was the fact that RA subject tests were benchmarked at a much higher level compared to RP subjects. Since RA subjects grades are used for GPA calculation (for lower sec, only Euler does), it does affect the overall grade.

I believe the critical sec level milestones are at Y2 & Y4. Since most boys would like to take 9 subjects in upper sec and 4 H2 subjects in JC, they need to ensure that they hit GPA of 3.2 minimally.

So as long as one is hitting that threshold of 3.2 even with the RA subject(s), it should be okay. This was what she shared.

Hi iRabbit,
Thanks for sharing.
We are concerned abt the stress level and also the GPA. My boy is interested in the Science RA but hesitating abt Math RA. Anyway he has decided to take the plunge and take up both.

[Sursum]

coast:

Hi Sursum and iRabbit,

For those taking 10 subjects, min GPA of 3.6 is required at end of Year 3. While RA is indeed at a much high level, the RA subject can be left out of overall GPA calculation as it is based on Core 5 + Best 3 subjects.

Thanks.

Hi Coast,
Thanks for the info.
My boy will be taking 9 subjects and giving up his elective as we felt taking 10 subjects with 2 RAs is too much for him.

[naggo-nitemare]

Hi Sursum, ur son is in the best position to determine if 2RAs / 10 subjects are manageable. If your son finds the usual curriculum going too slowly or not in depth enough, doing 2 RAs may be a gd option for him. My son did math n chem RAs and 10 subjects and he enjoyed himself tremendously. He continued with both RAs in JC1 and because he did not give up his 3rd Lang elective, he could take it at A levels as his H2 humanities subject. No regrets at all.

[dunma]

Sursum:

coast:

Hi Sursum and iRabbit,

For those taking 10 subjects, min GPA of 3.6 is required at end of Year 3. While RA is indeed at a much high level, the RA subject can be left out of overall GPA calculation as it is based on Core 5 + Best 3 subjects.

Thanks.

Hi Coast,
Thanks for the info.
My boy will be taking 9 subjects and giving up his elective as we felt taking 10 subjects with 2 RAs is too much for him.

I'm counting the subjects:
4 core - English, mother tongue, 2 maths
4 core elective - 3 science 1 humanity/ 2 science 2 humanity/ 1 science 3 humanity

What's the 9th?
I believe the 10th is elective like 3rd language.

Please help me count. Thanks.

[dunma]

naggo-nitemare:

Hi Sursum, ur son is in the best position to determine if 2RAs / 10 subjects are manageable. If your son finds the usual curriculum going too slowly or not in depth enough, doing 2 RAs may be a gd option for him. My son did math n chem RAs and 10 subjects and he enjoyed himself tremendously. He continued with both RAs in JC1 and because he did not give up his 3rd Lang elective, he could take it at A levels as his H2 humanities subject. No regrets at all.

So JC1 can choose PCM+3rd language, not PCME, right?

[iRabbit]

dunma:

Sursum:

Hi Coast,
Thanks for the info.
My boy will be taking 9 subjects and giving up his elective as we felt taking 10 subjects with 2 RAs is too much for him.

I'm counting the subjects:
4 core - English, mother tongue, 2 maths
4 core elective - 3 science 1 humanity/ 2 science 2 humanity/ 1 science 3 humanity

What's the 9th?
I believe the 10th is elective like 3rd language.

Please help me count. Thanks.

The 9th subject is Social Studies which is compulsory.

[iRabbit]

coast:

doramon:

May I check which humanities is a more popular choice when come to year 2 selection for yr3 courses?

I don't think the school releases information about this. From the boys' own observation (which may not be correct), most popular is History, then Geography, then Literature.

This is consistent with my small sample size too. I even know of 1 boy who is dropping Lit even though he consistently scored 4.0 for it.

[sharonkhoo]

dunma:

naggo-nitemare:

Hi Sursum, ur son is in the best position to determine if 2RAs / 10 subjects are manageable. If your son finds the usual curriculum going too slowly or not in depth enough, doing 2 RAs may be a gd option for him. My son did math n chem RAs and 10 subjects and he enjoyed himself tremendously. He continued with both RAs in JC1 and because he did not give up his 3rd Lang elective, he could take it at A levels as his H2 humanities subject. No regrets at all.

So JC1 can choose PCM+3rd language, not PCME, right?

Yes, my daughter's class has a couple of students with that combination.