2019 PSLE Discussions and Strategies (Children born in 2007)

[rawsalmon]

Hi all,


HCI has isparks class for the GEP kids and the top main stream scorers. Can I know what is the minimum Tscore the main stream scorers must have to be eligible to isparks class? Any idea on the number of intake of students for isparks class each year?

Does RI have special class for the GEP and the top main stream scorers? Or all classes are a mixture of different Tscore students?

Between these 2 schools - HCI and RI, which is preferred in terms of future career prospect, academic opportunities with local uni/foreign uni character building and culture of the school?

[phtthp]

juzzmee\" post_id=\"1948856\" time=\"1574614100\" user_id=\"95866:

Hi, I posted this earlier but no replies/advises.

I know this forum moves very fast but hope someone can shed some light or advise pls.

My DD obtained 251, a t score neither here nor there.

We are thinking of trying for MGS O levels (COP 254 - 2018) as first choice.

SCGS IP as 2nd and SCGS O level as third (both COP 252 - 2018).

Any idea what are the chances of the getting into any of the 3 listed above? TIA

Cut off point, for past 3 years


1a)
MGS (OP)

2018 : 254
2017 : 254
2016 : 255

noticed that MGS was consistent, for past 3 years, with 254 ?
this year, will MGS (OP) drop 3 points, down to 251 ?
any strong reason for MGS to drop this year ? i doubt


1b)
MGS (IB)

2018 : 258
2017 : 260
2016 : 259


2a)
SCGS (OP)

2018 : 252
2017 : 250
2016 : 252

SCGS (OP) has been consistent with 252 except 2017, dropped to 250

this year (2019), hard to say. There is 50-50 chance

any strong reason for SCGS (OP) to rise, this year (2019) ?
the newly located Euonia Junior college @Bishan Park is ready to shift in year-end Dec 2019

will this lure (attract) more 2019 P6 students to apply both SCGS (OP) and (IP) programme ?
@end of 2021 Sec 2, selected SCGS (OP) candidates can join SCGS (IP) programme, starting 2022 Sec 3 Term 1 IP, (January), affliated to EJC

What do you all think ?


2b)
SCGS (IP)

2018 : 252
2017 : 252
2016 : 252

SCGS (IP) maintained at 252, for past 3 years

[emoh]

Mama_ambitious\" post_id=\"1948622\" time=\"1574568530\" user_id=\"58805:

Hi,

My son did well (we live in the east) and we are not evaluating between Victoria (IP) and ACS I IB programme. The latter is further away but there is bus service. So I am now torn between IP and IB programme and culture fit in. Does anyone have any inputs please?

Thanks so much!

https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=8100

[manorway]

floppy\" post_id=\"1948863\" time=\"1574619235\" user_id=\"97579:

manorway\" post_id=\"1948831\" time=\"1574608706\" user_id=\"9303:

Asking for a friend. Please share your views.

Kid is in the NA/NT range. They did not want NT. But NA means only a few schools in the town they live in and they went open houses for schools in 3 nearest towns. But they want “nice” facilities and interesting ALP. Did not like some older looking schools or those with “sleepy” vibes. Don’t mind travelling for 60-90 min on bus one way.

All these are their words. They don’t know how to elaborate what “sleepy” or “nice” means.

I thought it is more important to look at subject combo and CCAs. But kid is really weak in all subjects. No strength or talent. Even if school has Leadership prog, ALP Science related, competitions etc... Low chance that kid will be selected.

My recommendation is to just pick a decent enough school nearby. Save travelling time as kid is weak academically. Any advice?

This post probably will get a better response in NA / Express thread.

To put it crudely, your friend wants ”green”, must be cheap and preferably comes with big melons. Can... but those are only available for top of the class. The way our meritocratic system works, the bottom of the food chain has, unfortunately, limited pickings. It’s not going to be easy to find schools with “nice” facilities as well as “happening” within that range. The best such schools would most likely be the missionary schools. However, I’m not sure that with a t-score in the NA / NT range, he would be able to meet their COP.

Frankly, the real question is what’s the (immediate) end point that they are looking at. By choosing NA, I’m assuming that they are looking for an opportunity to go Poly instead of ITE. As such, there is very little point in looking at all those frills (because the likelihood of the child enjoying / using them is fairly low). Focus on choosing a school that can produce decent results for their NA students and especially, one that can help their students get into the PFP. They should have or should be able to look at the psyche of the school and their approaches if they have paid attention to the teachers / pupils during OH (but if they were distracted by facilities... then jialat lor). O Level is never, ever going to be a realistic option for the child, NA or otherwise. He is most likely going to end up as fodder if he decides to sit for O Level.

Thank you so much Floppy. I agree with you!! I have been trying to explain to her for days since PSLE result was out that her choices are not wise, but she thinks I am prejudiced against low scorers (which I am definitely not!) and do not believe they deserve good facilities and nice environment too.

I will show her your reply, hopefully she will reconsider.

Thanks again.

[O_O_Dad]

Hi, I hope more parents can see the danger of having their decisions dictated by PSLE scores. Hopefully my personal stories can help you to find a decision-making process that suits your family.


I know this article that has a shelf life of no more than 3 days (before 27 November the deadline), but I certainly hope it can go a long way to help more families. Happy reading and have some laughs.

https://livetill100.blog/2019/11/24/078-how-to-choose-schools-wisely/

[rawsalmon]

O_O_Dad\" post_id=\"1948895\" time=\"1574642465\" user_id=\"61178:

Hi, I hope more parents can see the danger of having their decisions dictated by PSLE scores. Hopefully my personal stories can help you to find a decision-making process that suits your family.

I know this article that has a shelf life of no more than 3 days (before 27 November the deadline), but I certainly hope it can go a long way to help more families. Happy reading and have some laughs.

https://livetill100.blog/2019/11/24/078-how-to-choose-schools-wisely/

Thank you for sharing ur story. Ours is very similar to your story, still finding consensus on RI and HCI. Boy wants his first and only choice, HCI. That is why we are still heafache over this and yet to submit online.

[MerlionInGermany]

Omar\" post_id=\"1948832\" time=\"1574608979\" user_id=\"30035:

My daughter had scored 244 and she wants to know which sch is better either PLMGS or Tanjong Katong Girls Sch. Since PLMGS has only 20% for non affliated sch intake, is there a chance that she get in there.
If a person with 240 applies for sch A as first choice and another person with 244 applies for sch A as the second choice, who would get the place assuming that the COP is 241 for this year at that school. Cedar Girls has consistently had a COP of 250, are there any chances for a score of 244 this year. Please guide me.

Cedar O had 24-something as COP not too long ago.

Someone I know from Student Care got into PLMGS express with 24-something in, I think, psle 2015.

[MerlionInGermany]

kiasusis\" post_id=\"1948826\" time=\"1574607696\" user_id=\"182531:

Hi! Would appreciate valuable feedback and recommendations. My boy scored 216. We went to the open houses for both North Vista (COP 214) and Compassvale (214). They both seem okay to us, in terms of the subject combinations offered and also the CCA varieties, thus we cannot make a decision. Does anyone know more about these schools, in terms of culture, teachers, or any other things we may have missed out? Thanks.

North Vista has a strong hockey team if I recall correctly and maybe track and field also? You should check.

Compassvale has a new uniform which I find, is nicer than NV’s

[sembgal]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dX-7hBoAjD0bf9O9Jy02OpSBnkxP0lSF/view?fbclid=IwAR0K1smHS3yCzNQz-2kV-VoWl4IcUPsycbEdl5qVMkgpHgO_MUk_gMBiNzE


Someone shared this list of past 8 years’ cut off points and credits to Math Scientists’ Workshop.

[jedamum]

manorway\" post_id=\"1948883\" time=\"1574637269\" user_id=\"9303:

Asking for a friend. Please share your views.

Kid is in the NA/NT range. They did not want NT. But NA means only a few schools in the town they live in and they went open houses for schools in 3 nearest towns. But they want “nice” facilities and interesting ALP. Did not like some older looking schools or those with “sleepy” vibes. Don’t mind travelling for 60-90 min on bus one way.

All these are their words. They don’t know how to elaborate what “sleepy” or “nice” means.

I thought it is more important to look at subject combo and CCAs. But kid is really weak in all subjects. No strength or talent. Even if school has Leadership prog, ALP Science related, competitions etc... Low chance that kid will be selected.

My recommendation is to just pick a decent enough school nearby. Save travelling time as kid is weak academically. Any advice?

Manorway,
The way i would approach this is to list out the schools within 50min travel reach (this is my limit) that offers the NA/NT class. Then list the ALP of these schools. Then rank them according to how old/new the facilities or school compound is. Then choose. Can go to the sch website to learn more about their ALP.

I seen \"sleepy\" and upgraded sec sch before, so i know what she meant. I know of people who chose further schools (more than an hour travel) for bigger nicer compound and better programs though that kid was much older eg ITE age.

Some sch ALP are open to all streams. It is the sch niche programme that all students get to go through at least the basic tier training. (eg https://www.boonlaysec.moe.edu.sg/holistic-development/applied-learning-programme-alp/)

Perhaps because the kid is weak, subj combo and cca does not matter as they will take whichever comes along and try their best. In my generation, my parents never look at subj combi or cca. They look at distance and facilities too (not too old) .

As for travelling, it could be because sch hours are generally shorter for them, they don't mind spending it on travelling or having a nice student corner in sch to spend in than loitering in the mall.