DSA 2022

[newkeynesian]

genice\" post_id=\"2079649\" time=\"1661387016\" user_id=\"11997:

Hi all,

This is my boy’s profile:
1) one of the Gep primary schools but not in gep.
2) Consistently scoring mid 90s for science since P3.
3) Consistently in top 25% in sch since p1.
4) E2k science since P4
5) Piano grade 8, tkd junior black belt , ice skating ( tries many activities but not master of any )
6) Did some self initiated science projects in end p5 and P6.
7) Took part in some math MO in p5. Some better results like high distinction and honourary mention
Took part in only 1 science MO and didn’t do well.

I would say my son is pretty average relative to those who are doing many olympiads so we are really surprised and count our blessings to be given a chance. He has worked hard to prepare for interview, he is definitely doing well in Science and can grasp the understanding well but no Olympiads results to validate that. I did not make him join Sci Olym , the questions that I have seen are mostly secondary school questions from those books in popular. And I believe he can internalise them well when he progresses up.

He probably did well in selection test and interview.

Some tips :

1) Read widely on science related stuffs, many interesting videos on you tube and not just Sci O questions.
Eg Pythagorean’s cup

2) Keep abreast with recent Science Technology like cultured meat, important to read newspapers ( I mean the parents too so you can share with the kids)

3) Show self initiative.

4) Prepare for the interview.

I think he probably stands out through the selection test activities and interview.

Hope these tips help.

All the best to the rest waiting for results! Whatever it comes, let’s still work hard for Psle. Mine just had a bad dream that he scored AL2 for science ( As he is dsa-ing Sci, he is aiming AL1)and he woke up in cold sweat :scared: and looked for me this morning. He is feeling the stress to make sure he meets cutoff of HCI.

AL 2 for Science is considered very good already.

[genice]

Mewowo\" post_id=\"2079681\" time=\"1661397916\" user_id=\"54276:

Congrats! Can I check if the kids who got COs for Science DSA from HCI, are their overall grades for p5 and p6 in HCI cut off range? (That is within AL6-7). Curious If their consistent grades play a part in their consideration as well. Thank you!

Nope. My son achieved 9 for P5 SA2 and 8 pts for P6 SA1. Missed 6 pts by 1 mark each from each language
Languages are his main issue. Math and Sci always AL1

[Shortribs]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2079679\" time=\"1661396899\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2079679 time=1661396899 user_id=53606]
Hi, they do not set aside seats for affiliation. Neither do they give preference to affiliated boys for DSA. Very very few of my son’s schoolmates (affiliated) received offers this year.

Individual sports, usually 0-2 offers. Team sports maybe up to 5. Not sure about non-sports domains.[/quote]

For academic domains I understand it is around 3 or so per subject.

[genice]

mystique_j\" post_id=\"2079678\" time=\"1661396765\" user_id=\"39431:

My DS’s profile similar to yours but he is in a neighborhood school. No strings of Olympiad awards. Participated in SO but did not win. MO bronze at best. His Science and math is usually in mid to high 90s. But he has EAGLES which is probably his “best” award.
Other that his good results, he does piano, badminton, in-line skating and in the past also did taekwondo, swimming, which we have lumped all together in the DSA application. He did all these extras not with DSA in mind but really for various reasons like for taekwondo, for self defense as he is small sized and always picked on in P1 by some kids, swimming for survival skills, badminton and in-line skating, he really enjoys.

So I’m also pleasantly surprised he got a CO.

But would like to share my experience. Do find out what is included by the school in the portal. It’s not the same for every school. My DS’s school, actually left out a lot. They input the bare min requirements which are school results, edusave awards and any school based awards, including any wins or medals in Olympiads. They will not input if you have only participated but no medals won. E2K was also not included, their reasoning is that it is an enrichment, not an award. And in P5, they did quite a major sustainability project. The project went on for weeks and they collaborated with schools from other countries, come up with a sustainable soln, present their slides via zoom to partner schools and organizers, do a prototype, etc. But again the school didn’t think it was important enough to include for DSA. I got a feeling that this was the crucial one, that got him selected for the first round, since it’s DSA science.

So my advice is, do find out what the schools have added into the DSA portal. Some schools really input bare min. Use the 10 extra activities wisely.

Yeah, i literally indicated everything that he did including his swimming achievements ( Gold), advanced rollerblader and advanced ice skater. Took part in all these for health, fitness and interests reasons and not for DSA purpose.

[genice]

newkeynesian\" post_id=\"2079684\" time=\"1661398744\" user_id=\"5441:

AL 2 for Science is considered very good already.

Agree!

[phtthp]

newkeynesian\" post_id=\"2079684\" time=\"1661398744\" user_id=\"5441:

AL 2 for Science is considered very good already.

True

AL 2 is (85 to 90) marks.

Under old Tscore system -

when in that year the PSLE paper was tough and when students scored 86, 87 marks after peer to peer adjustment, this can lead them to score an A* (Science).

[Ma3]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2079670\" time=\"1661392295\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2079670 time=1661392295 user_id=53606]
If he gets 20, it will just be a one-time aberration because that is not what his usual calibre is.

I hope he believes more in himself, certainly he deserves the Science CO as he has earned it and has passion for science. Nothing can change that. Hence the eventual PSLE grade is “unimportant” in the bigger scheme of things. It doesnt suddenly make him less smart in Science.[/quote]

Totally agree! Entering secondary sch is the next phase of life. It’s a total new ball game. Nobody talks about PSLE scores not to mention boys don’t usually “gossip” not “kpo”

[leo26]

Oops sorry! to rephrase - yes I’m aware there’s no affiliation for dsa …. As in out of whatever seats there are available for non-affiliation, how many are set aside for kids who enter by dsa ….

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2079679\" time=\"1661396899\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2079679 time=1661396899 user_id=53606]Hi, they do not set aside seats for affiliation. Neither do they give preference to affiliated boys for DSA. Very very few of my son’s schoolmates (affiliated) received offers this year.

Individual sports, usually 0-2 offers. Team sports maybe up to 5. Not sure about non-sports domains.[/quote]

[Mkang2]

phtthp\" post_id=\"2079692\" time=\"1661399947\" user_id=\"35251:

True

AL 2 is (85 to 90) marks.

Under old Tscore system -

when in that year the PSLE paper was tough and when students scored 86, 87 marks after peer to peer adjustment, this can lead them to score an A* (Science).

Sorry.... may i correct. AL 2 is 85-89. 90 and above is AL 1

[zac's mum]

For ACSI, even via S1 posting, there are no seats set aside for affiliated kids per se. Reason:

- for IB track, anybody who meets the IB COP will enter (subject to any balloting)
- for O level track, all affiliated kids must meet a fixed COP of AL13 to enter. Those who cannot meet, no entry.
- remaining places (don’t worry, far more than MOE’s mandated 20%) will be available to non-affiliates. Estimated COP is usually very similar to previous year.

Back to DSA (your original qn), school sets aside N number of DSA places ahead of the S1 posting (total N hasnt been revealed, but they did answer for certain sports). That’s why I mean the affiliation part is irrelevant.

leo26\" post_id=\"2079711\" time=\"1661417017\" user_id=\"23962:

Oops sorry! to rephrase - yes I’m aware there’s no affiliation for dsa …. As in out of whatever seats there are available for non-affiliation, how many are set aside for kids who enter by dsa ….