School of Science and Technology

[phtthp]

smartbuy\" post_id=\"2065789\" time=\"1651240017\" user_id=\"30672:

https://postimg.cc/TL5MrSpj

This year SST not conducting selection interviews for their candidates?

What interview ?

There isn't any solo 1 to 1 DSA interview conducted by SST at all.

Your question is :
How does SST select candidates, from DSA?

Well,
above mentioned Round 2 shortlisted candidates ?

So,
if your P6 ( son or daughter ) were to get selected for Round 2 assessment,
then
during F2F (face to face) mini small group discussion, SST will put 4 students together into one group. These 4 students all come from different primary schools.
If students come from the same primary school. Eg. Many applicants may come from Clementi Town primary school, because distance wise, this primary school is very nearby and close to SST, then SST will split up these students from the same school, to go into different grouping (team).


During Round 2 Assessment, these short-listed applicants will be given some hands on activity or performance task to solve, usually is a Science based question (scenario). Then, SST teachers will be assigned to each group of 4 students

- to assess how each student contribute to the overall group work team project discussion,

Eg.
If got problem, how they resolved the problem ? Basically, to see how confident these P6 students are, towards problem solving and do any of these students possess any team work spirit ?

Eg.
One group of 4 students may come from, say for
Example

- Clementi Town primary,
- Endeavor primary,
- Paya Lebar Girls primary,
- Zhonghua primary.

So, for each student inside the group, how they talk, how they present ideas across to their peers & Teachers , how they propose forth working solutions, how they solved problem, the SST teachers assigned to the group will be observing them, assessing them silently, every now & then, jotting down points into a notepad. There is never any 1 to 1 solo interview, during DSA (SST)

=================≈==================

Note

During DSA (SST) time, there is no \"one to one\" solo interview.

However, during the SIE (Supplementary) intake time in late November, after your PSLE results are released and if vacancies arise because some students offered CO (SST) did not accept the CO, because they could have received multiple COs from other Secondary schools concurrently, Yes, the interview can

be solo, during SIE interview.

[phtthp]

decollette\" post_id=\"2065932\" time=\"1651372771\" user_id=\"49326:

Hi,

can I check along with the online dsa application submission, do we need or preferred to add testimonials from teachers ?

for example,
media Club domain and getting a written testimonial from the cca teacher? Thanks for sharing.

depend on what school u applying DSA for and the specific domain u applying for. If is SOTA, Yes, recommended letter will do u good.

But,
if is MOE controlled schools that emphasized heavily on Maths & Science stuff like NUS High or SST that type,
they themselves already set their own criteria standard what they want to test students for, that's why they purposely administered ( Round 1 + Round 2 ) selection tests. So, even if u give them these letters, also useless, because is the test results that will determine they get (CO / WL or nothing).

And Yes,
indeed there have been P6 students in the past, that applied DSA for

- SOTA
- SST
- NUS High
- Singapore Sports school.

So,
just be mentally prepared that during Round 2 tests cum interview, going in groups of 4, one by one awaiting their turn to answer questions, if the Teacher were to ask u this qn, \"which other schools, did u also apply DSA for ? \"

Then,
your child must be equally mentally prepared to answer Teacher on the spot, \" what if given a slot by SST / NUS High, which one is his (her) preference ? \"

Eg.

- given slots (successful) for both (SOTA and SST / NUS High) DSA

Or

- given slots (successful) for both (Sports school and SST / NUS High) DSA

Or

- given slots (successful) for both (SST & NUS High) DSA

=============================

Why would the SST Teacher ask this type of strange question, during Round 2 ( Performance Task cum open Interview ) session ?


Because


the curriculum for ( SOTA and Singapore Sports School)
are so vastly different,

from that of
(SST GCE \"O\" level track 4 year programme

and

NUS High Integrated program 6 year curriculum )

[phtthp]

https://postimg.cc/TL5MrSpj


Past two years (2020 and 2021), due to pandemic, SST interview was conducted online via zoom ?

This year, 2022 DSA,
since is going to be Face to face for both (Round 1 + Round 2) tests, then should be very similar to the one conducted back then in Year 2019 (pre-covid days),
apart from safe distancing, where people sit further apart

[ZuEn]

My son is keen on SST and we have applied for DSA.

Just attended the open house and heard that only 55% of their graduating students go to JC post O levels.
I am uncomfortable with this number.
During the Q&A, there were several questions posted on average L1R5 scores but the school dismissed the questions, maintaining that it is not the O levels results that the parents/ students should focus on in deciding to enter sst but the unique curriculum provided.
I get what sst is focusing/ promoting but I am somewhat traditional and hope for my kid to pursue the JC route.
Anybody knows the average L1R5 score for SST?
I am wondering if the high % to poly is due to the students’ interest in pursuing a more hands-on (diploma) curriculum after O levels or generally less ideal O levels results.

[phtthp]

you have posed a good question.


Qualify for JC, & being eligible for JC admission (up to 20 points Cut off for L1R5, to enter any JC)

vs.

being influenced by peers to enter Polytechnic instead of JC path, are two different separate matter.

Indeed, there is a very strong influence, coming from both ( the 4 years of unique designed curriculum training gone through as well as peers influence), to head for the Poly path. That means,
SST students may have qualified for JC admission. But during the very close 4 years’ of relationship bonding with fellow school-mates / class-mates, they may have been influenced strongly to choose Polytechnic path instead. Only those adamant to stick to JC, will choose JC after the release of their O-level results.

[ZuEn]

More interestingly, it was shared during the open house that the average PSLE scores of the students are about 10 to 11. That is quite decent in my opinion.

Compared with a 10 - 11 average PSLE score normal secondary school, the % of students going to JC would have been much higher.
Would appreciate if any parents/ SST students are share some insights.
Did the unique curriculum influence academically strong students to opt for the poly route? Or make them less academically prepped for the O levels examinations?

[floppy]

ZuEn\" post_id=\"2067964\" time=\"1652923087\" user_id=\"4514:

More interestingly, it was shared during the open house that the average PSLE scores of the students are about 10 to 11. That is quite decent in my opinion.
Compared with a 10 - 11 average PSLE score normal secondary school, the % of students going to JC would have been much higher.
Would appreciate if any parents/ SST students are share some insights.
Did the unique curriculum influence academically strong students to opt for the poly route? Or make them less academically prepped for the O levels examinations?

I think there is a need for a healthy dose of reality.

AL10 - 11 PSLE isn't a 'normal' secondary school. That's the COP of a better secondary school like Anderson, BPGH, CCHS, CGS, etc. There are probably less than 10 secondary schools (minus the IP schools) with 10-11 COP.

Unless you are fairly certain that your child is going to qualify for the IP stream, or for one of these schools (i.e. AL < 11), you are not going to get anywhere near 55% of a graduating cohort going to JC. Furthermore, there's a difference between COP AL11 and average AL11. Therefore, 45% of SST students going to poly isn't abnormal or all that surprising when all things are considered.

Generally, interest in the A Level path has declined, as evidenced by the reduction in the number of JC and centralised institutes in recent years, as well as the relatively high COP (in the single digit) for popular poly courses. This is due, partly, to the increased number of university places offered to poly students, and the number of new poly courses that are more relevant and interesting for today's youth / economy. If you have done the math, you will figure out that to get into a similar or popular course in university would require you to be among the best scorers in A Level. It is a difficult task for the majority and the odds are not in your favour if you are not among the IP cohort, or from one of the 'better' schools mentioned.

[ZuEn]

phtthp\" post_id=\"2067954\" time=\"1652910567\" user_id=\"35251:

you have posed a good question.

Qualify for JC, & being eligible for JC admission (up to 20 points Cut off for L1R5, to enter any JC)

vs.

being influenced by peers to enter Polytechnic instead of JC path, are two different separate matter.

Indeed, there is a very strong influence, coming from both ( the 4 years of unique designed curriculum training as well as peers influence), to head for the Poly path. That means,
SST students may have qualified for JC admission. But during the very close 4 years' of relationship bonding with fellow school-mates / class-mates, they may have been influenced strongly to choose Polytechnic path instead. Only those adamant to stick to JC, will choose JC after the release of their O-level results.

There is also a difference between \"qualify for JC admission\" vs \"good enough for JC\".
If a student obtained 20 points for L1R5, he/ she may choose to opt for Poly instead and be able to get into a decent course vs going into the only JC with a COP of 20.

Thus, I am really curious about SST O levels L1R5 average score.

[ZuEn]

floppy\" post_id=\"2067969\" time=\"1652926583\" user_id=\"97579:

I think there is a need for a healthy dose of reality.

AL10 - 11 PSLE isn't a 'normal' secondary school. That's the COP of a better secondary school like Anderson, BPGH, CCHS, CGS, etc. There are probably less than 10 secondary schools (minus the IP schools) with 10-11 COP.

Unless you are fairly certain that your child is going to qualify for the IP stream, or for one of these schools (i.e. AL < 11), you are not going to get anywhere near 55% of a graduating cohort going to JC. Furthermore, there's a difference between COP AL11 and average AL11. Therefore, 45% of SST students going to poly isn't abnormal or all that surprising when all things are considered.

Generally, interest in the A Level path has declined, as evidenced by the reduction in the number of JC and centralised institutes in recent years, as well as the relatively high COP (in the single digit) for popular poly courses. This is due, partly, to the increased number of university places offered to poly students, and the number of new poly courses that are more relevant and interesting for today's youth / economy. If you have done the math, you will figure out that to get into a similar or popular course in university would require you to be among the best scorers in A Level. It is a difficult task for the majority and the odds are not in your favour if you are not among the IP cohort, or from one of the 'better' schools mentioned.

What I meant by \"normal secondary schools\" are those that provide the academic route.
But I am on the same point as you that a secondary school with a COP of 10 to 11 would have much more students going to JC. My elder is in a school with 11 COP and told me that 90% of their graduating students go via the JC route (statistics not verified).

You make the valid (and probably crucial point), SST take in average PSLE score of AL 10 to 11 and NOT COP AL11, that may make the big difference.

[phtthp]

Let’s say u get 14 or 15, for your L1R5 (Raw score).


Would SST students prefer to go (Poly or JC) ?