Networking Group - JCs General
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MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2095371\" time=\"1674006563\" user_id=\"43981:
Hello Mks, try this? :-
Ok thank you..
If IB and Poly, which one would you choose?
https://nationaljc.moe.edu.sg/career-diagnostic-quiz/
You can complete it based on your understanding of your dd; get her to try it herself as well, then the options may become clearer? From there, perhaps list down the possibilities, & work backwards on what steps can be taken to achieve those goals. A general direction is good, don't over- worry alright
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SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2095398\" time=\"1674015450\" user_id=\"188234:
Yes, truly agree with this. We told our girls to choose the best of what offers at each step, even if it wasn't necessarily their first choice. A positive attitude makes a lot of things 'ok', and over time, sometimes it grows on you and you discover you like it. Or after a while, another path will open up and so you move on.
For many of the reasons listed by others, I feel that at each point in time it is best to keep moving forward with whatever is available vs. trying to backtrack to get another shot at the same original goal.
There are just many ways to advance oneself, make the most out of what you have, etc. At every level, the filter keeps getting tighter. I.e. even if you make it to your JC and uni of choice, what happens when you can't get the job you want? Sit out a year or take another degree? Even if you get the job, then what if not promoted to associate, director, VP, COO, CEO, etc? At some point, most people are going to face some type of rejection / coming up short. It's what you do next that matters more in my mind. -
Really appreciate this discussion, thank you to all!
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Slmkhoo, for MI 3 years route to A level seems not a bad idea too. If you don’t mind, during dd’s time how is the mix of kids there? Are they those kids that can still enter JC but the lower range ones? There is an entrance bar also I believe.
One of the response I got fm dd is that she still wants more time in the formal education system. I find it so fast already finishing secondary…really would like her to be by my side for few more years. -
MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2095425\" time=\"1674027734\" user_id=\"43981:
I believe there is a minimum of 20 points for 5 subjects - but this info is from 2014, so better to check again. Mix of kids - well, as you can imagine, there's a much wider range of the \"lower\" end of the achievement range. Those who are there by choice (as opposed to going to poly, or getting a job) are fairly determined to work hard. And of course, there a quite a no. who are not used to working hard! Some will be there because ill-health or learning disability made it hard for them to do well, or because they decided that they preferred the slower 3-yr programme rather than a 2-yr one. My daughter was offered a place in 2 JCs (through SPERS), but we chose MI.
Slmkhoo, for MI 3 years route to A level seems not a bad idea too. If you don't mind, during dd's time how is the mix of kids there? Are they those kids that can still enter JC but the lower range ones? There is an entrance bar also I believe.
One of the response I got fm dd is that she still wants more time in the formal education system. I find it so fast already finishing secondary..really would like her to be by my side for few more years.
Because MI takes in lower achievers, the dropout rate is high, especially in the first year. Some do eventually choose to go to poly for various reasons and leave in Y1 or Y2, some go overseas, some get jobs. Some don't make it to Y2 because they failed too many subjects. But about 30% go to local university in the end.
What was good about MI was that the kids were less competitive and more collaborative. Many had been regarded as 'stupid' in their sec schools, but blossomed when they were able to take on more leadership roles. There were the playful students who didn't obey rules, but I saw a lot of good kids among my daughter's classmates. They weren't the top student type, but they were responsible, hard workers, polite and respectful. My daughter is not easily influenced, so I didn't have any issues with her picking up any bad behaviour.
The teachers in MI are supportive and encouraging, and there is more teaching and classroom time than JC. -
Thanks slmkhoo.
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doodbug\" post_id=\"2095361\" time=\"1674004741\" user_id=\"13281:
You give very good advice too, doodbug. Much appreciated.
I agree. Those who are well resourced, will have more options (this is a general statement about life really - from stocks portfolio to cars and housing etc.) When the time comes, we each make decisions based on our current financial standing, how much we are willing to expend or sacrifice for our kids.
Admission to ACS Intl, SJII and HCIS is not a given at Year 5. If I am not wrong, SJII was full for quite some time and this year's batch who just collected O level results, I don't think they could apply for SJII at all. Even at the Sec School stages, I've had friends whose kids were on the waiting list at SJII. I am not sure what the requirements are to enter ACS Int'l or HCIS - I'm sure there is some grades requirement, even if it is not very demanding.
As for degrees in Australia, I am not sure about the costs but the costs differential especially for science courses have narrowed so much between UK and Australia that more Singaporeans have been choosing the former. Plus many Singaporeans had a very bad experience in Australia during the Covid period, not able to enter Australia to resume studies and all.
The problem with going to Poly I see is ... the discipline part.
In Poly,
u don't wear school uniform anymore. There's a lot of free time or freedom to do whatever u want, inside the Poly. You can skip lecture, nobody bother. You can wear singlet / flip flop into the lecture theatre, nobody care.
Because a lot of free time inside the Poly, girls tend to doll themselves up. Put on make up, lip stick, look pretty, before enter lecture theatre. They are teenagers. Normal lah ! Who doesn't want to look pretty, right ? That day went Republic Polytechnic Open House, saw some pretty girls around, they applied make up.
Towards the end of Year 3 Poly, u get to do FYP (Final year project), followed by an Internship (6 to 9) months attachment period, working in some company. So as to get some relevant working experience, in that field (specialization) of Diploma which u have chosen to study, for the past 3 years.
If failed to maintain a good GPA, that's it. Poly require u to maintain a consistent GPA, in your studies. If your Semester 1 go wrong / hey-wire, u come under pressure to \"must really catch up hard, pull up your socks\" in Semester 2. Otherwise, your GPA impacted !
After work one or two years, be prepared to go overseas uni study.
Whereas
If go Junior College, it still operate like a typical familiar Secondary school environment, with the classroom structure, Teachers, etc. How to say (describe) ?
The discipline part ... is already auto \"built in\", inside a JC. There is this tidal wave, at regular check point interval set by your JC class Teachers, to test u those core A level H2 subjects. -
slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2095435\" time=\"1674028971\" user_id=\"28674:
Interesting, slmkhoo. So your daughter qualified for JC and was offered places at two JCs, but elected to pursue the MI pathway instead.
I believe there is a minimum of 20 points for 5 subjects - but this info is from 2014, so better to check again. Mix of kids - well, as you can imagine, there's a much wider range of the \"lower\" end of the achievement range. Those who are there by choice (as opposed to going to poly, or getting a job) are fairly determined to work hard. And of course, there a quite a no. who are not used to working hard! Some will be there because ill-health or learning disability made it hard for them to do well, or because they decided that they preferred the slower 3-yr programme rather than a 2-yr one. My daughter was offered a place in 2 JCs (through SPERS), but we chose MI.
Because MI takes in lower achievers, the dropout rate is high, especially in the first year. Some do eventually choose to go to poly for various reasons and leave in Y1 or Y2, some go overseas, some get jobs. Some don't make it to Y2 because they failed too many subjects. But about 30% go to local university in the end.
What was good about MI was that the kids were less competitive and more collaborative. Many had been regarded as 'stupid' in their sec schools, but blossomed when they were able to take on more leadership roles. There were the playful students who didn't obey rules, but I saw a lot of good kids among my daughter's classmates. They weren't the top student type, but they were responsible, hard workers, polite and respectful. My daughter is not easily influenced, so I didn't have any issues with her picking up any bad behaviour.
The teachers in MI are supportive and encouraging, and there is more teaching and classroom time than JC.
I am all for a more diverse, variegated educational landscape. Very glad to read of how MI has worked out for kids who had found a viable option in MI, even if they are not regarded as top students, or university-bound students by others. It offers a chance for students who do not qualify for JC, to have a shot at the A levels. -
floppy\" post_id=\"2095360\" time=\"1674004679\" user_id=\"97579:
When one goes ACSI or RI, perhaps it’s no longer whether one can get into local Uni. For those who took IB at ACSI and SJI, it will be more interesting to look at the number of students who scored 42pts and above. It was previously published in ST that 82% of those in ACSI. For RI, about 50% of the cohort scored AAA/A.
Comparing IB students from ACSI / SJI against the entire A Level cohort is hardly apple to apple. Yes, most ACSI / SJI IB students will likely make it to local universities, but you could probably say the same for A Level IP students from RI / HCI / VS / DHS etc.
Not all international schools are the same. Some, like ACS International, applies minimum criteria:
Minimum criteria:
- Singapore GCE ‘O’ Levels: Attained aggregate of 18 or less
- Minimum B3 for High Level enrollment
Hence, in that sense, ACS International is not much different from a JC, albeit offering IBDP. In terms of results, the school achieves an average score of 38.04 for the IBDP in 2022. Taking 38 as the lowest entry point to local universities, you can approximate that probably half of its cohort wouldn’t meet the COP for local universities (which isn’t that much different from one of the weaker JC).
More than half of SJI scored 42pts and above. VS/DHS definitely do not have more than half of their cohort scoring AAA/A.
If ACS Intentional COP is 18, and a student scores say 17 for O-levels then he is left with Jurong Pioneer JC or Yishun Innova JC. Then in this case, I would think going ACS international to do IB offers a better chance to make it to local Uni.
My friend’s kid with an IB score of 33 got into NTU but gave up the place to go UK to study medicine. The UK university is one of the MOH-recognized med sch, which means she can come back to practise as a doctor. I assume at IB 33pts one has limited choices that’s perhaps why friend’s kid didn’t want to take up what was offered. Nonetheless, it is not possible that the COP of local Uni is at IB 38pts. -
doodbug\" post_id=\"2095373\" time=\"1674006931\" user_id=\"13281:
Aiya, I guess only those with stellar O level results get to choose what they think suit them better, ie, IB, A or Poly. For those who can’t meet COP of JCs or MI, it’s immaterial even if they prefer A-level, as the option is not open to them.
It's not about parents choosing per se - if there is no inclination, no conviction, no interest from the child for the path, things may not turn out as planned.
IB and Poly are extremely different. If the child absolutely dislikes writing short and extended essays, or dislikes philosophy and finds it too waffle-ly, then the IB is a complete misfit. Same goes if the child is not willing to take 6 (actually count TOK and EE,
compulsory subjects from diverse subject groups.
On the other hand, if the child absolutely dislikes group projects, or a GPA style system, poly is a misfit.
There is nothing wrong if a child doesn't know what he or she wants to do, and opts for the option that opens the most options - this is the reason why the PCME cohort at the A levels is so large! It is probably one of the most flexible combinations that opens almost all options.
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