Networking Group - JCs General

[doodbug]

I laughed hard at the last sentence!!


There is no shame in 3H2s. There is no shame in taking a gap year. While there is no shame, it doesnt mean there are no consequences, difficulties, or benefits or growth.

Education should help us develop more open minds.

[SG_KP1]

slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2095180\" time=\"1673837219\" user_id=\"28674:

Parents and students have to decide what really matters to them: maximising grades? breadth? depth? non-academic activities? personal growth?

The rare student can maximise all these at the same time, but most of our kids are not that \"super\"-everything. The choices made will differ depending on the end-goal. For eg. in the initial question, I would say that taking H1 Maths (for an Arts student who is not strong in Maths and intending to apply to local university), will probably maximise UAS score since it is easier to score A at H1 than at H2. The same decision may be made because the student wants a bit more spare time to spend on hobbies, CCA, volunteering, part-time job, etc. But if there is some reason why 4H2 is preferred over 3H2, the decision might be different.

Some students prefer to focus on sports, music, entrpreneurship, etc at the expense of maximising grades. Nothing wrong with that as long as they recognise the trade-offs. One problem is that many people prioritise maximising grades above all else, and judgementally impose these values on others. And with CNY coming up, that IS a problem!

Understand. My kids are at slightly different stages, but I can already see some differences in how each wants to spend his/her time. For me, I am just trying to make sure that they are aware of the tradeoffs before deciding what they want to do. I don't want to mandate anything but I do feel there are couple/few critical subjects that one should try to maintain at a high level (talking secondary level, either to keep options open or that the impact spills into multiple areas down the road). Not so much that each exam or yearly grade must be X or Y, but that you cannot allow deficiencies to accumulate over the years (within reason, relative to the student's ability).

I also believe some universities (or different courses within the same university) favour certain things more than others. Not that there is a universal way that must be followed but on the margin some stuff will get you further depending on where you are applying (and for what).

But overall, I guess it is just good that there are multiple ways to get over the finish line and each kid can pick what is best for him/her.

[sharonkhoo]

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2095187\" time=\"1673841543\" user_id=\"188234:

Understand. My kids are at slightly different stages, but I can already see some differences in how each wants to spend his/her time. For me, I am just trying to make sure that they are aware of the tradeoffs before deciding what they want to do. I don't want to mandate anything but I do feel there are couple/few critical subjects that one should try to maintain at a high level (talking secondary level, either to keep options open or that the impact spills into multiple areas down the road). Not so much that each exam or yearly grade must be X or Y, but that you cannot allow deficiencies to accumulate over the years (within reason, relative to the student's ability).

I also believe some universities (or different courses within the same university) favour certain things more than others. Not that there is a universal way that must be followed but on the margin some stuff will get you further depending on where you are applying (and for what).

But overall, I guess it is just good that there are multiple ways to get over the finish line and each kid can pick what is best for him/her.

Re the red words - that's the parents' job! And those kids whose parents are able to do this are very fortunate. That's what we aimed to do for our daughters too - both have very different abilities and interests, and we could see early on that they would have very different life trajectories. For each of them, we tried to alert them of how each choice would impact their future choices and opportunities down the road. Within reason, we gave them the freedom to make decisions - if they said that they really didn't want to pursue a particular subject, and we felt they understood themselves and the consequences sufficiently, we let them drop the subject. If they chose to study less and spend more time on a hobby or CCA, we let them (as long as they didn't stop studying altogether!). As you say, getting over the finish line is the important part, not getting over the line first. And not all kids are aiming for the same finish line.

[Imp75]

Any comments about taking F Maths? What’s the A rate typically?

[phtthp]

Imp75\" post_id=\"2095232\" time=\"1673914715\" user_id=\"2358:

Any comments about taking F Maths? What’s the A rate typically?

GCE \"A\" level results will be released tentatively,

on Friday to Tues (17 to Feb) 2023,

for students born in 2004,
who have sat for 2022 A level last year.

You can attend
Hwa Chong Junior College,
sit at the back of the school hall,

listen to the most recent, up to date cohort performance,
by individual subject performance,
for F Maths.

[Zeal mummy]

Submitted JAE options!


Release of posting results will be by End February 2023.

JAE posting results will be released through:

SMS (if you have provided a local mobile number in your application)
JAE-IS (access using your Singpass or alternatively, the JAE PIN)

[doodbug]

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/after-o-level-results-don-t-choose-jc-or-poly-just-to-get-into-university


Did any parents read this? I was surprised at this paragraph:
Still, the polytechnic route might understandably seem riskier, and less preferred when only around one in three poly graduates make it to university, compared to around 70 per cent of A-level students.

[phtthp]

doodbug\" post_id=\"2095255\" time=\"1673940559\" user_id=\"13281:

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/after-o-level-results-don-t-choose-jc-or-poly-just-to-get-into-university

Did any parents read this? I was surprised at this paragraph:
Still, the polytechnic route might understandably seem riskier, and less preferred when only around one in three poly graduates make it to university, compared to around 70 per cent of A-level students.

Why surprised ?

This has always been the trend.
Many years ago,
only 20% of Poly students entered local uni.
Now, they have improved, increased to 30% of Poly students.

However,
that doesn't mean that once Poly students graduate, they stop their education.
No !
Some of them apply for overseas uni immediately right after their graduation

OR

others come out work for 2 years first, gather some working experience first
before
continue with universities education, next stage.

[SG_KP1]

doodbug\" post_id=\"2095255\" time=\"1673940559\" user_id=\"13281:

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/after-o-level-results-don-t-choose-jc-or-poly-just-to-get-into-university

Did any parents read this? I was surprised at this paragraph:
Still, the polytechnic route might understandably seem riskier, and less preferred when only around one in three poly graduates make it to university, compared to around 70 per cent of A-level students.

Given the entire article and her experience, I take it as the author throwing a bone to the JC JC JC crowd before trying to finish her pitch for giving poly a chance.

Arguably, the statistics quoted are only so helpful in the context of any individual student making a decision. Yet, they would probably be something many would consider.

[doodbug]

What happens to the presumably bottom 30% of A level students then? It’s not a small group.