Schools selection... how to select?

[floppy]

Kmk\" post_id=\"2044475\" time=\"1635789312\" user_id=\"115056:

Hi parents,
what is typically the 'strategy' when it comes to schools selection? what are the schools' cut off points from choices 1 to 6 if my child scores

case 1: AL total 20
case 2: AL total 15

thanks a lot

Whether your child scores 15 or 20, the considerations are the same.

1. Where do you live?
- How much time and how far are you willing to travel?
- How much time and how far are you willing to travel for a particular school?

2. Single gender or mixed?

3. Any must-have CCA?
- Is your child an accomplished sportsman?
- Or artiste?

4. Any unique programmes (from any particular school) that you are looking at?

Everyone will have a different shortlist based on individual preferences and suitability. Only after your have come up with a shortlist then you can look at strategy or how to arrange choices 1 to 6.

[sharonkhoo]

floppy\" post_id=\"2044497\" time=\"1635821108\" user_id=\"97579:

Kmk\" post_id=\"2044475\" time=\"1635789312\" user_id=\"115056:

Hi parents,
what is typically the 'strategy' when it comes to schools selection? what are the schools' cut off points from choices 1 to 6 if my child scores

case 1: AL total 20
case 2: AL total 15

thanks a lot

Whether your child scores 15 or 20, the considerations are the same.

1. Where do you live?
- How much time and how far are you willing to travel?
- How much time and how far are you willing to travel for a particular school?

2. Single gender or mixed?

3. Any must-have CCA?
- Is your child an accomplished sportsman?
- Or artiste?

4. Any unique programmes (from any particular school) that you are looking at?

Everyone will have a different shortlist based on individual preferences and suitability. Only after your have come up with a shortlist then you can look at strategy or how to arrange choices 1 to 6.

To add - don't choose schools with very similar cut off points - I know this is the first year of AL, but it should be generally known from past lists which schools are more popular. Make sure there is a range, and at least 1 very safe choice for no. 6. If your child doesn't get any of the 6, who knows what the MOE computer will choose for him.

[Kmk]

hi both,

thanks for the replies. we stay around west coast and the expected AL is around 20 based on his prelim. we roughly have the list of targeted schools but are not sure if it is a good idea to select 1 to 2 choices lower than the AL and if yes, should we put them in the top 2 choices?

thanks again

[Zeal mummy]

Kmk\" post_id=\"2044604\" time=\"1635863927\" user_id=\"115056:

hi both,
thanks for the replies. we stay around west coast and the expected AL is around 20 based on his prelim. we roughly have the list of targeted schools but are not sure if it is a good idea to select 1 to 2 choices lower than the AL and if yes, should we put them in the top 2 choices?

thanks again

If I were you, my top choice would be a few points lower than his AL, just in case we get lucky. (no demand, cut off will be lower). The next few choices, meeting his AL or more and a final choice that is very safe to catch him. This is because, if he doesn't get any of the 6, MOE will choose for him. The computerized selected school can be more than an hour away and might not be within my expectation.


Something like that.. choices 1-6.
AL 15-17
Al 17-20
Al 20-22
Al 20-22
Al 22-24
Al25

[SG_KP1]

My understanding is that if a student scores AL 20, he/she will be in the Express course. In this case, there is no option to enter a school with an Express COP > 22. As choice order matters this year, one needs to consider whether to use the first or second choice on a lower (more demanding) COP school hoping to get lucky. I think this consideration is especially important in this case given the range of COPs you are dealing with is only AL20 - AL22. I don’t know but if a lot of the schools are COP/full at exactly AL20, choice order will play a role (of course, an AL21 or AL22 Express/N(A) Option will still be a safety net choice unless they also happen to ballot at AL20).


If you score AL21 or AL22, you will have the Express or N(A) Option but all of your choices must be for one of these courses. On the other hand, if you score AL15 - AL19, you will have more options to "take a chance" with the first or second choice. Hence, you may want to wait and see what the score is before formulating a definitive plan here.

[Zeal mummy]

Yup yup it’s a good idea to wait for final results first. All the best!

[Kmk]

hi Zeal Mummy & SG_KP1,

thanks for the pointers. have a better understanding now. all the best to everyone too!

[Ngmum]

May i borrow this thread

My dd is expecting AL6 or Al7 for psle and she got Al5 for prelim.

If she score Al5, likely we put rgs followed by ny
But if she score Al6, is really a difficult decision as i am at a loss if what to put for 1st choice. Any thoughts on this pls? Thank you
For Al7, likely will just go for scgs

[sharonkhoo]

Since you have 6 choices, no harm putting a "hopeful" one for the 1st choice. As long as the rest are safer, and you have a very safe one for the 6th choice.