DSA 2024
-
Hi, anyone can share your child’s experience (process) for english DSA at RI/ Hwa Chong/ ACSI in 2023?
Thank you! -
lucid\" post_id=\"2133052\" time=\"1713923259\" user_id=\"14312:
Yes- very apt ! The loud cheering at full
Force ! It extends to army too - the recruits who shout the loudest deafening the rest of the section more likely to be the leadership from R. Naturally, they are gunning for OCS and all the scholarships 💪🏻
Not so young school anymore but definite not as illustrious heritage as the old stalwarts. ( like early MIT vs Harvard) It is often the early adopters that reap the best benefits - since they took the biggest risk. I like what another parent said-
join the maddening crowd on tried and tested formulae or embark and innovate up a path less travelled? Who will stand out more - the cookie cutter perfect or the exceptional snowflake ?
A few cohorts ago, there was a SOTA visual art student so good in Science that he/she ended with offers from MIT and Ivy. There was something different offered up to the table unlike the usual cookie cutters and I think the student went on to pursue Infocomm and Philosophy in US, now with a hedge fund.
While it was a unique case, it stood out that it was definitely easier to see the Unique Selling Point. I guess it works too if you are able to differentiate yourself from the crowd as you go about in life.
We write to clarify a few points.
The terminal point of SOTA is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
The IB is a common exam like the GCE A Level.
THEREFORE,
The \"SOTA visual art student\" who \"ended with offers from MIT and Ivy\" did so via the IB Diploma. Is getting such offers via the IB Diploma any different from \"the usual cookie cutters\"? And, what is so unusual about this student who \"went on to pursue Infocomm and Philosophy in US, now with a hedge fund\"? Is what he/she has done any different from \"the usual cookie cutters\"?
GRANTED,
If ever it exists, this contrived argument called the \"Unique Selling Point\" about this student, is that he/she wrote the IB at SOTA and not at, e.g., ACS (I).
NOW,
An institution that sets exams and marks them at its own marks curves cannot be the same as another that offers the IB or the GCE A Level. The said institution, as far as educational value-add is concerned, is an unknown, a question mark. Objectively, if and only if its students take the IB and 1 in 2 scores 40 points or more, then and only then, this institution is to be reckoned with. Otherwise, not. Objectively, if and only if its students take the GCE A Level and 1 in 4 or 1 in 3 scores 90 points, then and only then, this institution is to be reckoned with. Otherwise, not.
We ask an objective question that can be answered objectively, sans emotion.
Who will stand out more in the eyes of any man/woman in the street, the student who takes the IB (and scores 45 points) or the student who takes the GCE A Level (and scores 90 points) or the student who takes a non common exam (who scores high distinction) which is set and marked at non common marks curves?
We conclude.
Cookie cutter or non cookie cutter, as long as we are happy about it, it suffices. If we want to talk about \"who will stand out more\", then, we need to be objective. -
Exactly that. Well said
-
lucid\" post_id=\"2133049\" time=\"1713921373\" user_id=\"14312:
Nice sharing that even NUSH students could pursue interests and excel in humanities despite the school's original niche expertise on maths and science. I got the same takeaway when I watched their e-open house [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFzs_zq0zuQ&list=PLvXZmd--7Vo4QP1lXQC733dncvAzwAt2r][/youtube].
...
After arriving in the school, he found that humanes was as interesting and developed interest in literary works ( influenced from STEM classmates who read copiously). There is a resident poet teacher in the school too - go check the threads on the school. It is not all STEM as the children can pursue the humanes or music (Yong Siew Toh conservatory) to the highest levels at Uni level if they choose. Econs honours can be read at NUS for the 1XX-2xx series modules; they take the same tutorials and exams as the undergrads are marked agst their curve. Most do well as otherwise, they will not get back the extra fees charged by the uni. Motto of school is to Experiment, Explore and Excel. It applies to their entire culture and way of approaching life.
Out of Math, a number will embark on the Science/Informatics Olympiads with the free electives and reach National Golds and even national training team for International. Up until 1-2 yrs ago, R did not even offer CS as a core subject at As so it was doubly punishing to be pursuing CS and still having to clear your As with PCME combo.
MO at high level is not for everyone. By Y3-4, it would be clear who is cut out for it as very often, the students were taught WRONG as lower primary levels. The questions are meant for the alternate thinker who can find the most elegant solutions.
...
By the way could you elaborate on why or how you think some of the students were taught wrong at lower primary levels? -
Have compiled list of DSA domains added/dropped in 2024:
https://sg-parent.github.io/kiasuparent/
They are compiled from official source. Do validate their accuracy if you are using them to make decision.
I have also updated an online workbook for ease of shortlisting DSA by common selection criteria. view this workbook from computer. it may not display in full when viewed from mobile device:
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/sg.parent/viz/SingaporeSecondarySchoolSearchDSA/Search -
CoffeeCat\" post_id=\"2133174\" time=\"1714190222\" user_id=\"18640:
Thank you for appreciating. I just wanted to share not to be confined in a thinking and buy into urban myths of the lesser known. Some never look at Tesla, Lexus, RangeRover , choosing only to look at only BMW and Merc.
Nice sharing that even NUSH students could pursue interests and excel in humanities despite the school's original niche expertise on maths and science. I got the same takeaway when I watched their e-open house [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFzs_zq0zuQ&list=PLvXZmd--7Vo4QP1lXQC733dncvAzwAt2r][/youtube].
By the way could you elaborate on why or how you think some of the students were taught wrong at lower primary levels?
Whatever school, I find the most interesting portfolios are from those who think out of the box and not the ultra pure science , ultra pure arts etc. And this is going the way of aptitude based admissions across the universities -
Case in point https://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/admissions/aptitude-based-admissions#:~:text=The%20University%20is%20adopting%20a,used%20to%20admit%20the%20applicant.
Thus DSA, parents should choose the pathway that will allow their child to score the highest possible score based on their specific curriculum - triple science if kid is Stem or say IB all rounder or the academic rigour of a few choice subjects in As. Other that that, do not be mistaken that the SOTA or NUSH kid will go only into arts or STEM - very often the ones that stand out built a Center of excellence but hv also one of the other to differentiate them instead of just being all rounder perfect in everything.
With regards to MO, most kids were hothoused in tuition centres and or external vendors brought in by their schools. Not all of these teachers hv competed at MO at the highest levels - so kids are then taught a structure to approach and solve the similar looking questions. We have also come across kids who have memorised solutions in order to hv the speed at junior levels. This is probably natural instinct given they have done many practice papers and have good memory.
Most of the time, I believe they have to “unlearn” all these bad habits by upper secondary as the questions at later years are designed to spur critical thinking , intended not have been seen before and how they can solve it most elegantly. -
My Child is keen on Robotics. Anyone know of a a good external vendor for training with the idea of DSA next year?
-
Hi ,
Any idea when we apply for Dance DSA , do we need to attach video clip? :thankyou: -
Chin99\" post_id=\"2133216\" time=\"1714373152\" user_id=\"120803:
IMO Nullspace Robotics https://sg.nullspace.co/ and School of Robotics (SOR) https://www.sor.com.sg/ are two of the bigger and more popular robotics vendor with good past record in robotics competitions (e.g. FLL, NRC, WRO), if robotics (i.e. building small robots with LEGO parts and programming them to move) is what you and/or your child is looking at.
My Child is keen on Robotics. Anyone know of a a good external vendor for training with the idea of DSA next year?
They both have a structured robotics curriculum for newbies to get to the can compete in robotics competitions level.
SOR's course is the traditional 1 lesson/week kind while Nullspace Robotics' course (called Robotics Certificate Programme) is that it is flexible and at your own pace, so your child could rush through by booking say 3 lessons/week. This flexibility comes \"at the expense\" of class size, so each of their bookable class session is limited to 4 students, so 1 robotic instructor would guide a maximum of 4 students who could be progressing at their own pace.
Nullspace Robotics and SOR (AMK branch) uses the newer Spike Prime, while SOR (main branch-Bukit Timah) is still using the older EV3 last year. LEGO is deprecating EV3 with Spike Prime as the replacement kinda, and secondary schools are in their own individual pace of transitioning.
After the child complete the course, they are now competition-ready, but in order to take part in the traditional robotics competitions (i.e. FLL, NRC, WRO), they would have to take part as a team with a coach, so if they are not part of a school team/club, they can sign up the competition package with a centre (again NUllspace or SOR or some others), where the centre would form teams and the coach would be guiding them during weekly sessions.
One key difference here is that SOR allows students to sign up a competition course and structured robotics course concurrently. Nullspace robotics requires the child to have some background already (e.g. by completing their advanced course) before they can participate in their Robotics competition course, which is by-invite only, with limited slots but popular demand.
Also the reality of robotics competitions is that students have to form teams of 2-3, with different roles to play, like one is the main coder while the other is backup and focus more on building. And so usually the schools with robotics DSA would also have their own selection tests to evaluate the students' robotics coding as well.
If you want to take on robotics competitions as a portfolio for DSA, the timeline would be quite tight, because NRC/WRO is held around term 3 holidays (aug-sept) and FLL is held around March, while registration, forming of teams and training usually start around 3 months before. So if your child is P5 this year, realistically could only aim for P5 NRC/WRO and P6 FLL. -
May I seek guidance if we can dsa chinese orchestra via guzheng cca?