Catholic High School

[Zeal mummy]

wchong78\" post_id=\"2044739\" time=\"1635939485\" user_id=\"80256:

Hi, my DS will be applying for S1 soon this month, doing the planning now.
Per the guides, if AL9, there will be 2 options for OP boys school, namely CHS and ACS(I).
Would like to get some advice, what else to be considered when decide, especially choice is one of the factors for tie-breaking. (If the travel time for both are similar at 50mins~1hr)
Some points we already aware:
1. CHS is a SAP school and ACS(I) is not. He's taken HCL for PSLE and so far is doing OK but we did not insist that SAP school is the priority.
2. ACS(I), an independent school with much higher tuition fees, but we can apply for ISB.
3. ACS(I) seems to be much bigger campus and have much more CCA which is pretty attractive to him vs CHS.
Hope to hear some inputs that we may not aware. Thanks!

Read more about the school here.
https://catholichigh.moe.edu.sg/frequently-asked-questions/

To answer your question,
1. Catholic vs Methodist culture. You might think they are both Christian.. same same, but they are quite different.

2. Chinese majority vs more diversity. CHS as a SAP sch that does only chinese/higher CL, you would have significantly less classmates/ friends of other ethnicity than in ACSI.

3. CHS Students are discouraged from taking more than 1 CCA, encouraged to do higher Chinese. Passing the HCL, gives you 2 bonus points to CJC, total 4 points max (incl affiliation) for entry to CJC. ACSI is not so pro higher Chinese, instead they want u to take 2 CCA to score that 2 bonus points towards ACJC, total 4 points max (incl affiliation) as well. You are also choosing between CJC and ACJC.

I do think that ACSI has a nicer campus (swimming pool, long drive way) and cuter boys in berms and pants. They are also more atas and you will see rich people, like extremely wealthy kids. Nice cars.

.. but, if your son does higher Chinese (easily distinction) and speaks mandarin at home. Don’t waste that Chinese culture at ACSi.

Just my opinions.

[wchong78]

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2044760\" time=\"1635950295\" user_id=\"188234:

wchong78\" post_id=\"2044739\" time=\"1635939485\" user_id=\"80256:

Hi, my DS will be applying for S1 soon this month, doing the planning now.
Per the guides, if AL9, there will be 2 options for OP boys school, namely CHS and ACS(I).
Would like to get some advice, what else to be considered when decide, especially choice is one of the factors for tie-breaking. (If the travel time for both are similar at 50mins~1hr)
Some points we already aware:
1. CHS is a SAP school and ACS(I) is not. He's taken HCL for PSLE and so far is doing OK but we did not insist that SAP school is the priority.
2. ACS(I), an independent school with much higher tuition fees, but we can apply for ISB.
3. ACS(I) seems to be much bigger campus and have much more CCA which is pretty attractive to him vs CHS.
Hope to hear some inputs that we may not aware. Thanks!

I think you will also have Victoria O (AL9) and SJI O (AL10) if these are of interest to you?

Adding on to the comments from zac's mum above, it is worth noting that for the SAP Schools the HCL D/M/P is a subset of the total AL Score and this sorting will come before choice order. I.e. if you have AL9(D), even if you put ACS(I) O as first choice and get ballot out, at CHS O AL9(D) will rank ahead of all AL9(M)-(P) regardless of whether the AL9(M)-(P) were first choice. So if you like ACS(I) more, you but think CHS is \"safer\" at AL9(D) you aren't giving up a lot (risk wise) by putting ACS(I) as first choice.

Of course, the indicative ranges do not give any insight as to the ballot odds and relatively small changes in scores and choice preference could move things, so no strategy is fool proof but I think the above makes sense based on what we know.

Yes, actually we are aware if AL9, there are still IP options are TJC and RVHS but both are too far (more than 1hr travel time from Woodlands). Same goes to Victoria High OP at AL9, way too far.
SJI OP at AL10 could be an option, but for us, will come as 3rd choice after CHS and ACSI.
Thanks for suggesting.

[emoh]

wchong78\" post_id=\"2045046\" time=\"1636107057\" user_id=\"80256:

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2044760\" time=\"1635950295\" user_id=\"188234:

[quote=wchong78 post_id=2044739 time=1635939485 user_id=80256]Hi, my DS will be applying for S1 soon this month, doing the planning now.
Per the guides, if AL9, there will be 2 options for OP boys school, namely CHS and ACS(I).
Would like to get some advice, what else to be considered when decide, especially choice is one of the factors for tie-breaking. (If the travel time for both are similar at 50mins~1hr)
Some points we already aware:
1. CHS is a SAP school and ACS(I) is not. He's taken HCL for PSLE and so far is doing OK but we did not insist that SAP school is the priority.
2. ACS(I), an independent school with much higher tuition fees, but we can apply for ISB.
3. ACS(I) seems to be much bigger campus and have much more CCA which is pretty attractive to him vs CHS.
Hope to hear some inputs that we may not aware. Thanks!

I think you will also have Victoria O (AL9) and SJI O (AL10) if these are of interest to you?

Adding on to the comments from zac's mum above, it is worth noting that for the SAP Schools the HCL D/M/P is a subset of the total AL Score and this sorting will come before choice order. I.e. if you have AL9(D), even if you put ACS(I) O as first choice and get ballot out, at CHS O AL9(D) will rank ahead of all AL9(M)-(P) regardless of whether the AL9(M)-(P) were first choice. So if you like ACS(I) more, you but think CHS is \"safer\" at AL9(D) you aren't giving up a lot (risk wise) by putting ACS(I) as first choice.

Of course, the indicative ranges do not give any insight as to the ballot odds and relatively small changes in scores and choice preference could move things, so no strategy is fool proof but I think the above makes sense based on what we know.

Yes, actually we are aware if AL9, there are still IP options are TJC and RVHS but both are too far (more than 1hr travel time from Woodlands). Same goes to Victoria High OP at AL9, way too far.
SJI OP at AL10 could be an option, but for us, will come as 3rd choice after CHS and ACSI.
Thanks for suggesting.[/quote]since u r in the north (woodlands), u may also want to consider Anderson at AL10

[wchong78]

Comparing CHS and ACSI OP again, was told that both schools are actually affiliated with CHS (Primary) with AL12 COP and ACS (Junior)&ACS Primary with AL13 COP, respectively.

As my DS is just from a non-affiliated primary school, would like to know which school have a bigger intake size (eg 20% reserved) for non-affiliated?
For example, 20% of CHS S1 cohort X vs 20% of ACSI cohort Y?
Just wonder anyone knows their S1 cohort size. Thanks!

[zac's mum]

wchong78\" post_id=\"2045345\" time=\"1636288263\" user_id=\"80256:

Comparing CHS and ACSI OP again, was told that both schools are actually affiliated with CHS (Primary) with AL12 COP and ACS (Junior)&ACS Primary with AL13 COP, respectively.
As my DS is just from a non-affiliated primary school, would like to know which school have a bigger intake size (eg 20% reserved) for non-affiliated?
For example, 20% of CHS S1 cohort X vs 20% of ACSI cohort Y?
Just wonder anyone knows their S1 cohort size. Thanks!

The 20% reservation for non-affiliated students had already kicked in for last year’s S1 posting, so I’d say the indicative AL cut off score of 9 points would be as accurate as can be.

Not very sure why you’re concerned about the exact cohort size (number of places for non-affiliates) since it will not change the COP by much. If you’re worried about assimilation of the non-affiliates, again not much to worry about since 20% (per class, the usual practice) will be non-affiliates.

I do not know the exact cohort size of both schools, but I believe ACSI has a smaller intake.

[wchong78]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2045348\" time=\"1636289512\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2045348 time=1636289512 user_id=53606]

wchong78\" post_id=\"2045345\" time=\"1636288263\" user_id=\"80256:

The 20% reservation for non-affiliated students had already kicked in for last year’s S1 posting, so I’d say the indicative AL cut off score of 9 points would be as accurate as can be.

Not very sure why you’re concerned about the exact cohort size (number of places for non-affiliates) since it will not change the COP by much. If you’re worried about assimilation of the non-affiliates, again not much to worry about since 20% (per class, the usual practice) will be non-affiliates.

I do not know the exact cohort size of both schools, but I believe ACSI has a smaller intake.

Was wondering bigger intake size = higher chance to get in among non-affiliates?

[zac's mum]

wchong78\" post_id=\"2045349\" time=\"1636291791\" user_id=\"80256:

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2045348\" time=\"1636289512\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2045348 time=1636289512 user_id=53606]

Was wondering bigger intake size = higher chance to get in among non-affiliates?

I kinda know what you mean, but the indicative COP has already factored that in. It is different from P1 registration where if number of vacancies is more, maybe better chance. But S1 posting looks at applicants’ scores too. If the school is 20% full with non-affiliates at 9M then it is full. 9P can’t go in. Unless you are thinking balloting at 9M will have higher chance if more vacancies vs fewer vacancies.

[SG_KP1]

wchong78\" post_id=\"2045345\" time=\"1636288263\" user_id=\"80256:

Comparing CHS and ACSI OP again, was told that both schools are actually affiliated with CHS (Primary) with AL12 COP and ACS (Junior)&ACS Primary with AL13 COP, respectively.
As my DS is just from a non-affiliated primary school, would like to know which school have a bigger intake size (eg 20% reserved) for non-affiliated?
For example, 20% of CHS S1 cohort X vs 20% of ACSI cohort Y?
Just wonder anyone knows their S1 cohort size. Thanks!

CHS O level class size is about 150 students.
https://catholichigh.moe.edu.sg/frequently-asked-questions/

I don't know the ACS(I) O level size and while neither school should be near the 80% cap, I think it is likely that ACS(I) O has a higher % of affiliates (two affiliated primary schools, slightly tougher IP programme to get into, relative benefits of affiliated JC, slight difference in AMR). Whether this means there are fewer spots (in absolute number) for non-affiliates is still a bit unclear.

But in terms of ballot odds, I kind of agree with the previous comments. First, absolute spaces are still relative to how many people apply (which we don't know). Second, even if CHS has more spots for non-affiliates, we don't know how many were taken up from AL4 - AL9(D). There could be many at AL9(M) for a few spots. Or, the COP could slip to AL9(P), in which case all AL9(M) are in.

[wchong78]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2044752\" time=\"1635943740\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2044752 time=1635943740 user_id=53606]
[/quote]

If thinking future affiliated JC as consideration for the 2 points as you suggest, should we seriously consider Chung Cheng Yishun (COP at AL11) which affiliated with NYJC?
And the distance is nearest from Woodlands!

[phtthp]

Yes, u should seriously consider Chung Cheng (Yishun), affliated to Nanyang Junior College, if you are considering O-level path, instead of Catholic High (O-level), who is affliated to Catholic Junior College. Moreover, Yishun is much nearer to Woodlands (your house)


You consider Catholic High, only if your son is keen in IP track, affliated to Eunoia Junior College

OR

Alternatively, at the end of Sec 2 during streaming exercise, you have the intention of switching your son over from the O level track to the IP path (EJC).

Ask your son, which A level JC he prefer ?
Nanyang JC, after passed his O level or Eunoia JC (via IP), be it enter at P6 with his PSLE results, assuming able to meet CHS IP COP, or enter IP track 2 years later, at the end of Sec 2 (O level), assuming unable to meet CHS IP COP, at PSLE ?