2024 PSLE Discussions and Strategies

[Mewowo]

My kid was from a neighbourhood school, non GEP. My kid had dsa science offers from the schools you mentioned. My son’s classmate has an offer from NUSH as well. So please rest assured that not all DSA Science offers goes to GEP kids. Btw, your son’s results are very impressive. Lol, science clubs and olympiad trainings in RI and HCI are not only open to dsa science kids so dun worry that your kid cannot develop their passion if he enters via psle.

SMSG\" post_id=\"2126544\" time=\"1704627693\" user_id=\"196163:

Hi fellow parents,

I wish to ask about DSA-Science for RI and HCI.

There aren't many science competitions around so my child only managed to take part in several several science competitions.
SPSO (by NUSH) - Gold
RSO (by RI) - Participation
Vanda (by SIMCC) - Silver

He also completed the E2K Science Programme (by primary school).

Last year in P5, he got a total AL of 4D (Science: 99%, Math: 98%). In P4, he got a total AL of 4D (Science: 98%, Math: 100%)

My child also participated in Math and other competitions.
NMOS (by NUSH): Bronze
RIPMWC (by RI): Distinction
SASMO (by SIMCC): Gold
Singa Global (by SIMCC): Gold
Queen's Commonwealth Writing: Silver

My child is in P6 now. May I ask what he can do to improve his chances of being shortlisted by RI and HCI for DSA-Science?

Your advice and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[SMSG]

Mewowo\" post_id=\"2126635\" time=\"1704777022\" user_id=\"54276:

My kid was from a neighbourhood school, non GEP. My kid had dsa science offers from the schools you mentioned. My son’s classmate has an offer from NUSH as well. So please rest assured that not all DSA Science offers goes to GEP kids. Btw, your son’s results are very impressive. Lol, science clubs and olympiad trainings in RI and HCI are not only open to dsa science kids so dun worry that your kid cannot develop their passion if he enters via psle.

Thank you so much for sharing!

I am glad to know that students from mainstream (not GEP) will still have opportunities in getting DSA Science offers.

Importantly, it is great to know that the Science clubs and olympiad trainings in RI and HCI are open to students who didn't enter via DSA.

Thank you!

[SMSG]

skii\" post_id=\"2126630\" time=\"1704775126\" user_id=\"82603:

I think only -

All the awards only gets the kid an interview chance. ( which your kid already has sufficient)


Get the offer or not depends on the interview performance already.

I have to agree with you on this.

Personally, I also believe that the dsa interview is the key to determine whether the student gets an offer, after being shortlisted for the interview.

I suppose the interviewers have probably seen many students and they should be able to identify the suitable candidates.

[GTGT]

skii\" post_id=\"2126630\" time=\"1704775126\" user_id=\"82603:

I think only -

All the awards only gets the kid an interview chance. ( which your kid already has sufficient)


Get the offer or not depends on the interview performance already.

Not sure for HCI but for RI, it is not only interview.

The written paper test conducted by RI is also very important. Test is for 1st round, Interview is 2nd round

At least that is the situation during my son's time. He is in Year 5 now.

Not all GEP students will be admitted into RI- DSA. During his year, about 6 from his class tried Science DSA. Only 1 was offered. 2 were on waiting list. The rest were rejected. One of the rejected was a IMSO silver medalist and a SPSO gold medalist.

[mystique_j]

My son was from a non-GEP neighborhood school and was offered DSA science to one of the schools you mentioned. 2 from the same neighborhood school got in NUSH. So it’s possible for non-GEP too.


He should be able to be shortlisted for the first round, I feel. Then it all depends on how he performs for the test and/or interview. For NUSH, everyone gets to go for the round 1 test. All the best!

[SMSG]

GTGT\" post_id=\"2126650\" time=\"1704783017\" user_id=\"4212:

Not sure for HCI but for RI, it is not only interview.

The written paper test conducted by RI is also very important. Test is for 1st round, Interview is 2nd round

At least that is the situation during my son's time. He is in Year 5 now.

Not all GEP students will be admitted into RI- DSA. During his year, about 6 from his class tried Science DSA. Only 1 was offered. 2 were on waiting list. The rest were rejected. One of the rejected was a IMSO silver medalist and a SPSO gold medalist.

Thank you very much for sharing. Appreciate it!

I suppose the performance for round 1 test is crucial too.

Can someone assist by sharing how the round test 1 is like? Is it similar to Science olympiads?

I am trying hard not be feel stressed about this. I have been encouraging my child to keep on putting in efforts to prepare for the psle. I have been telling him that if he can't enter the school via dsa, he can still try to get in via psle.

[SMSG]

mystique_j\" post_id=\"2126652\" time=\"1704784087\" user_id=\"39431:

My son was from a non-GEP neighborhood school and was offered DSA science to one of the schools you mentioned. 2 from the same neighborhood school got in NUSH. So it’s possible for non-GEP too.

He should be able to be shortlisted for the first round, I feel. Then it all depends on how he performs for the test and/or interview. For NUSH, everyone gets to go for the round 1 test. All the best!

Thank you for sharing!

It's great to know that non-GEP students can still have opportunities to enter these schools via DSA-Science. 😀

May I ask how the round 1 test is like? Is it similar to science olympiad? Or test exam for lower secondary level science?

Thank you!

[Mewowo]

Hi, they may change format or type of questions every year. Anyway my boy mentioned it was easier than RSO but tougher than SPSO. lol. But then every kid’s opinion is different. Think just prepare as per olympiad preparation and will be fine.

SMSG\" post_id=\"2126674\" time=\"1704793120\" user_id=\"196163:

Thank you for sharing!

It's great to know that non-GEP students can still have opportunities to enter these schools via DSA-Science. 😀

May I ask how the round 1 test is like? Is it similar to science olympiad? Or test exam for lower secondary level science?

Thank you!

[SMSG]

Mewowo\" post_id=\"2126689\" time=\"1704807774\" user_id=\"54276:

Hi, they may change format or type of questions every year. Anyway my boy mentioned it was easier than RSO but tougher than SPSO. lol. But then every kid’s opinion is different. Think just prepare as per olympiad preparation and will be fine.

Thank you very much for sharing your son's experience. Appreciate it. Will take note of this and prepare my child. Thank you! 😀

[Blokus]

MissPPP\" post_id=\"2126271\" time=\"1704254463\" user_id=\"200335:

Hi I was a PSLE 2023 Mum too and here to share advice. Do not be too fixated over the schools your child can attend. I have seen my boy’s classmates getting all stressed up because they only wanted the top tier schools. My boy was fearless and relaxed because we have been telling him to get the results first then we think about the schools. We also paced him slowly and worked on the weaker topics first instead of rushing into exam papers (too much drilling kills the joy of learning and remember psle is only the beginning not the end). He continues to pursue two of his favourite sports up till August and even though we let him try DSA for the experience and he didn’t manage to get any, he was fine with it and continued to work hard and his eventual psle score was half of what he did in P5 SA2. He entered the school he originally tried DSA for and now he is free to choose any cca (he’s generally athletic and loves a variety of sports). I am enjoying watching him develop his independence. He just got his own phone too (with rules and restrictions) after year of co using my phone as there are too many teachable moments. He has no complaints at all although he’s the last in his p6 class to get a phone. Jiayou!! Continue to encourage your kids and motivate them on the small improvements..help them to focus by minimising distractions and give them lots of moral support.

I echo this. I was also a psle 2023 mom. My daughter had no dream school she was fixated on. It freed her to simply doing her best and let her results decide for her which school she should go. There was another girl who had been fixated on going RGS and only RGS. That girl tried to DSA to RGS to say the least but did not make it. Of course her next best option was to enter by her PSLE results. From the onset i perceived that she studied harder than my daughter- heard she studied till 12 midnight. Unfortunately, the girl didn’t make it to RGS with her results. My girl did make it to RGS- even though she had never been fixated to go RGS. I wouldn’t say both girls are academically very far apart. I suppose the pressure got to the other girl. But what I see is that my daughter had been freed from having to meet high expectations and simply did her best and see how. That sense of freedom ironically helped her to do well. You can have a dream school but don’t be too sticky about it. Give yourself a wider range; anything can happen- I’ve seen a 4 pointer dropped to 7/8 pointer in PSLE. Cater for such situations. Don’t just die die aim only one and that one school (especially more so if you are aiming top schools). Otherwise you will have to nurture a broken, disappointed heart (not just your child’s but also yours) and it may be even harder to accept the alternative school hence affecting school life.