2010 DSA(Direct School Admission)
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Relaxer:
Gather from past posts :Just a side issue here. My friend's DS currently in ACS(I) Sec 3 and was accepted under DSA. Due to his results, he is in a class which need to sit for O-Level next year. Not sure what is the practice of other IP school.
IP does not guarantee through-train to A-Level.
HCI has a 'O' level class for those who don't make it at least a B3 overall by end of yr 2. RI requires at least C6 to get promoted but think they don't have 'O' level class. Not sure what they do with students who did not make the cut of C6. HCI also demands student to attain at least a B3 for HCL at sec 4 in order to get exemption for JC yr for Chinese whilst in other JC a pass in HCL at sec 4 is sufficient to waive Chinese. -
ACS(I) has 2 streams - express & IB. Flexibility to move the students from IB to express due to unsatisfactory results is simpler. Also at year 4, students from express can transfer to IB again based on their results. So the system works better.
Other IP schools have just 1 stream. The resources - teachers involved, materials, time, etc - needed to prepare the non-performing IP students for ‘O’ levels will be heavy. The students will not benefit as the school won’t prepare them as well for ‘O’ levels compared to other non-IP schools, and the schools also have to set aside resources from the IP stream to help this small number of students. It is tough for these students to excel in ‘O’ levels given the environment and the stigma.
As parents, we should bear all this in mind when choosing schools.
BTW, has any mainstreamer heard from RGS or NYGS or DHS on their application via academic or sports? -
gleemom:
don't think there is a pass or fail for GAT. it is how well the kids did in absolute termsHi all
For the top schools like RI/RGS/HCI/NYGH, I feel that the DSA places for mainstream (academic) are limited as GEP take up the bulk of the places, and they expect all the high PSLE scorers to apply, so they will eventually get the 'smart' ones anyway. The DSA places are probably skewed towards taking good sportsmen, musicians, others with special talents who are academically strong, but may not have gotten into the schools as they may miss the COP by a little. Other talents like strength in Maths may be considered too, as these students may have lower PSLE aggregates because of poor performance in subjects like MT.
Also all DSA applicants must pass GAT to be considered. Doing well at trials and auditions alone may not be good enough. After passing the trials/auditions and GAT, the schools probably then 'rank' them (?) based on other considerations like results/leadership etc or some other X factor that the school is looking for.
if all the kids do badly at GAT and don't meet expectation, there is no compulsion for the school to select them at DSA, if for those ranked at the \"top\" at the GAT test
if the kids are still good, prove themselves at the PSLE then, a second chance -
My DD had gone thru GAT on 17Jul2010. Uptoday have not call for interview, is that means no chance?
Yesterday, my friend DD was call up by NY for interview, duration of interview according to her is 15min. -
gleemom:
so far other DSA schools are offering 'A' Level, not IB. Only ACSI is offering IB side by side with 'O' levels for those DEEMED not good enough by the school. Qn : will those with good 'O' levels rejoin the IB or go to 'A' level ?ACS(I) has 2 streams - express & IB. Flexibility to move the students from IB to express due to unsatisfactory results is simpler. Also at year 4, students from express can transfer to IB again based on their results. So the system works better.
Other IP schools have just 1 stream. The resources - teachers involved, materials, time, etc - needed to prepare the non-performing IP students for 'O' levels will be heavy. The students will not benefit as the school won't prepare them as well for 'O' levels compared to other non-IP schools, and the schools also have to set aside resources from the IP stream to help this small number of students. It is tough for these students to excel in 'O' levels given the environment and the stigma.
As parents, we should bear all this in mind when choosing schools.
BTW, has any mainstreamer heard from RGS or NYGS or DHS on their application via academic or sports?
For those DSA schools doing 'A' Level, even those 'forced' to take 'O' level at sec 4 - and if perform well - will still join the rest of the through train cohort doing the same 'A' Level
Hence the ACS structure is different from the rest -
24by7mum:
You are absolutely right it is unfair if the non GEP students do not get a chance to present themselves at an interview even though they may be better than the GEP students. The MOE should get rid of this GEP streaming! I know of kids who do so well in lower primary but just don't make the cut later on. Whilst there are kids who bloom later and hit the mark inspite of all this injustice![/quote]The Independent School set their own admission rules. Nothing fair or unfair nor discriminatory wrt interview /no interview for mainstreamers. If RI chooses to, they can admit 100% of their intake at DSA, leaving nothing for S1 posting.tiger262:
[quote=\"Relaxer\"]...... What was discussed makes sense. GAT provides a level playing field......
Hi Relaxer,
I agree with you that GAT provides a level playing field. But it is not so in the case of RI. Let me explain.
After getting shortlisted in the GAT in RI, the GEP students get a chance to present their case to RI in the Interview. But the Mainstream applicants who get shoertlisted in the GAT by RI, do NOT get any such chance since RI does not give the Mainstream applicants a chance to get interviewed.
Can we call that a level playing field? Does it not unduly favour the GEP applicants?
Please note that even low-scoring GEP applicants (who are hence asked to undergo GAT along with the Mainstreamers) get a chance to undergo Interview at RI. But even the most brilliant Mainstream applicants who clear both the GAT and the Half-day Selection test are NOT given a chance by RI to undergo Interview.
This discriminatory treatment towards Mainstream applicants is baffling, especially since it comes from an institution of impeccable reputation like the RI. Its sister institution RGS does not do this discrimination, but RI appears to do this discrimination.
That is why I feel that RI DSA process is not a level playing field.
May be I am wrong. I request other members to offer their inputs on this.
Thank you all.
I would interpret it that the interview for GEP candidates is in lieu of GAT & domain selection test.
Don't forget, all GEP students in Singapore, regardless of which primary school, sit for the same exam papers. So their standard is uniform, hence no need for additional subjective selection tests by the DSA schools. If they are good according to the GEP marking scheme (uniform for all GEP kids) then they are good and let's hear them at the interview to gauge their attitude. There have been very bright GEP kids with rotten attitude - of course they did not get in via DSA.
As for the mainstreamers, if you are good based on the selection test, then you are in, just as if you get in via S1 posting - but you are now given an advanced opportunity without reference to your PSLE score. Purely based on your academic excellency if you have it or lack of it - via domain selection test
I see no reason for the outcry that RI does not have interview for the mainstream DSA applicants. You want in, you play by their rules. If the kid is lacking in academic ability but a good salesman, it will come to nothing still. -
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Relaxer:
But it is a known fact the ACS(I) runs a 2-track programme: a 4 yrs course and a 6-yr course. Definitely if in ACS(I), the child may not necessarily be in the 6-yr programme!Just a side issue here. My friend's DS currently in ACS(I) Sec 3 and was accepted under DSA. Due to his results, he is in a class which need to sit for O-Level next year. Not sure what is the practice of other IP school.
IP does not guarantee through-train to A-Level. -
gleemom:
I only think that it is so strange that RI bothers to go through the whole process of trials/auditions for music/art which take a whole half day when they always only offer 1 or 2 students a place under that domain. Not worth trying under those domains, really. Oh, and RI does not take in under CCA for music or art, only under MEP/AEP.
Also all DSA applicants must pass GAT to be considered. Doing well at trials and auditions alone may not be good enough.. -
verykiasu2010:
The Independent School set their own admission rules. Nothing fair or unfair nor discriminatory wrt interview /no interview for mainstreamers. If RI chooses to, they can admit 100% of their intake at DSA, leaving nothing for S1 posting.
You are absolutely right it is unfair if the non GEP students do not get a chance to present themselves at an interview even though they may be better than the GEP students. The MOE should get rid of this GEP streaming! I know of kids who do so well in lower primary but just don't make the cut later on. Whilst there are kids who bloom later and hit the mark inspite of all this injustice!24by7mum:
[quote=\"tiger262\"]
Hi Relaxer,
I agree with you that GAT provides a level playing field. But it is not so in the case of RI. Let me explain.
After getting shortlisted in the GAT in RI, the GEP students get a chance to present their case to RI in the Interview. But the Mainstream applicants who get shoertlisted in the GAT by RI, do NOT get any such chance since RI does not give the Mainstream applicants a chance to get interviewed.
Can we call that a level playing field? Does it not unduly favour the GEP applicants?
Please note that even low-scoring GEP applicants (who are hence asked to undergo GAT along with the Mainstreamers) get a chance to undergo Interview at RI. But even the most brilliant Mainstream applicants who clear both the GAT and the Half-day Selection test are NOT given a chance by RI to undergo Interview.
This discriminatory treatment towards Mainstream applicants is baffling, especially since it comes from an institution of impeccable reputation like the RI. Its sister institution RGS does not do this discrimination, but RI appears to do this discrimination.
That is why I feel that RI DSA process is not a level playing field.
May be I am wrong. I request other members to offer their inputs on this.
Thank you all.
I would interpret it that the interview for GEP candidates is in lieu of GAT & domain selection test.
Don't forget, all GEP students in Singapore, regardless of which primary school, sit for the same exam papers. So their standard is uniform, hence no need for additional subjective selection tests by the DSA schools. If they are good according to the GEP marking scheme (uniform for all GEP kids) then they are good and let's hear them at the interview to gauge their attitude. There have been very bright GEP kids with rotten attitude - of course they did not get in via DSA.
As for the mainstreamers, if you are good based on the selection test, then you are in, just as if you get in via S1 posting - but you are now given an advanced opportunity without reference to your PSLE score. Purely based on your academic excellency if you have it or lack of it - via domain selection test
I see no reason for the outcry that RI does not have interview for the mainstream DSA applicants. You want in, you play by their rules. If the kid is lacking in academic ability but a good salesman, it will come to nothing still.[/quote]I agree with verykiasu2010. DSA schools have a clear idea of the abilities of GEP students based on their GEP exam records from P4-6. If the child has not been performing academically, he will not be given an offer for DSA. He may not even be given an interview if he doesn't perform at GAT.
We have to remember that DSA is for students with exceptional talent in academics, sports or aesthetics. Students who are very bright but not exceptional can still get into the top schools using their PSLE results. Indeed, I have heard of top schools telling students who are very strong academically in all subjects to just apply via PSLE.
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