School of Science and Technology

[Publica]

vidhyalog:

Publica:

[quote=\"vidhyalog\"]Just as a comment - it would seem that the quality of students applying for SST has gone up. I do not mean to be disparaging about other students - but it would seem many GEP as well as other students who would much rather prefer IP schools definitely have applied to SST - possibly as a back up. This would have necessarily made the HAST testing score cut off higher. In our discussion with current SST parents it seemed that children with above average (read 75-80%) had a shot at SST in previous years. However, through discussions with other parents this year many kids who were in that range and who were very keen on SST - did not even make it to the selection camp.


Seems like just like Pooh Bear - many parents would probably and understandably discard SST as an option once they get a CO/WL for a 6 yr program. It does make people like me feel a bit bereft - because my son wanted SST due to his intense interest in technology and utter conviction of a career in a technologically allied field. But when it came to taking exams - well he was not going to beat the high achievers and the GEPers, though I would still consider him bright - it is more in the thought process he exhibits it, with exams it is hit and miss, depending on his mood on that day, it could be a wide range - hence likely his HAST did not meet the cut off point and he was not selected for the DSA Camp. Although if you looked at the profile of students they say they want - he would tick all the boxes. I guess all schools want kids who tick those boxes and of course those who would get 10 A1s and more :-). But I just feel if the same people who are gunning for RI are shortlisted for SST - the choice of school is going to be obvious. SST is only going to get those who did not get into those schools and even then run a risk that if results are good - they will appeal to switch out. In the process - they may lose out a category of the next tier (235-245 range) of academically bright kids, who genuinely want SST - like my son.

I guess for myself and few other parents who were all keen on SST for our children due to their interest and did not mind (or even preferred) the O level route - message would be to try and appeal should our children score well for PSLE - and I would put that as at or around SST mean T-score of 240+. Clearly there will be plenty who would have dropped SST and therefore all places could not have been filled. Again for kids who have 250+ they will be loopking to get into IP programmes and would not choose SST. So perhaps if SST is your child's dream - give this a shot post PSLE.

Just some thoughts I had.

:goodpost: I sincerely wish you and your son all the best in the upcoming PSLE!

Thanks Publica. Similary good Luck for the NJC results. Did your son not get RI offer? I thought your were one of the moms who said he did. Funny how we seem to root for some of the parents - for me it was you and ngbrdad - was hoping both your son's make it through. [/quote]Hi vidhyalog,
I can share your sentiments. Although DS has been performing very well for English, Maths and Science, his MT is inconsistent, bordering A and B. No, he was not successful in his application to RI and HCI. We are hoping for good news from NJC and SST.

[phankao]

Publica:

Although DS has been performing very well for English, Maths and Science, his MT is inconsistent, bordering A and B. No, he was not successful in his application to RI and HCI. We are hoping for good news from NJC and SST.

My ds1 was like that, altho he was performing well only for Math & Science, English so-so. Chinese terrible. He ended up with COs from NJC & SST. He was quite pleasantly surprised that he was offered a place with NJC. He was saying that if he really didn't get any other school, he'd LOVE to go to SST, bc he didn't want to have a boring school life like in those other usual mainstream schools.

[phankao]

vidhyalog:

Just as a comment - it would seem that the quality of students applying for SST has gone up. I do not mean to be disparaging about other students - but it would seem many GEP as well as other students who would much rather prefer IP schools definitely have applied to SST - possibly as a back up.

<snip>
It does make people like me feel a bit bereft - because my son wanted SST due to his intense interest in technology and utter conviction of a career in a technologically allied field.
<snip>....
In the process - they may lose out a category of the next tier (235-245 range) of academically bright kids, who genuinely want SST - like my son. .

This is not a new occurence. It has been this way all the while! Ever since the time SST first started accepting applications in 2009!

The difference though is that in 2009, they still accepted students after PSLE results were released. Seems like it's not an option according to their website now? That means to say that they probably do have a very large pool of WL offers as well to provide for the instances of ALL the CO offers not being taken up. If the child doesn't make it to the WL group, maybe really cannot meet what SST is looking for? Surely the child would find another school suitable too, or might have found it difficult to cope in SST in the end?

[verykiasu2010]

vidhyalog:

......... - because my son wanted SST due to his intense interest in technology and utter conviction of a career in a technologically allied field. But when it came to taking exams - well he was not going to beat the high achievers and the GEPers, though I would still consider him bright - it is more in the thought process he exhibits it, with exams it is hit and miss, depending on his mood on that day, Just some thoughts I had.

please allow me to side track a bit and not talk about SST or not

children growing up must also learn to control his mood and emotion; to learn it later in life would be quite traumatic for the child

we cannot disobey the army superior no matter how 'sian' we are; we have to work as per normal even when we intensely dislike the bosses....we need to focus and put in best effort for the exam even for the subjects we don't like

even retired old man like me still need to stick to a routine and be disciplined :rotflmao:

[Alchemist]

deleted

[verykiasu2010]

vidhyalog


thanks for detailed explanation

wishing you and your DS all the best ! surely he will be an overcomer

[Pooh Bear]

All schools have their merits. I believe many students went for >2 DSA selections and if they have received >2 COs, only one is ultimately chosen. This is a fact of DSA selections. That’s why DSA schools has WLs, and I believe size of WLs reflect the historical number of COs being rejected, in favour of other schools.

For myself, I only select the DSA schools that I will seriously consider for my son to enter, which is SST and NUSH, since my son has expressed preference for science focused schools. He is not top of science exams in school but he reads science broadly and enjoys hands-on experiments. I am inclined to chose NUSH due to to few reasons:
1) he enjoys core science subjects like chemistry and physics.
2) he managed to get selected through the tough NUSH selection camp (must mean he has the right ‘package’ for core sciences)
3) NUSH is 6 years. My son is not the best in exam-performance, so I think less 1 national exam (O’Level) may reduce his (and my) anxiety and stress

I have seriously considered SST from the start. I have no intention that SST is the 'backup" to NUSH. I went to SST Open House and quite impressed by the principal, the innovative programmes it offered, the enthusiatic students I spoke to in depth, and the new campus it will have next year. I wanted my son to have an option for himself, to evaluate for himself which science themed school he prefers (although NUSH is my son’s dream school from start of this year). I will have to respect his decision, while I guide him along to make that decision.

While he has received NUSH CO, we have yet to know SST. I want to remain open-minded (although son has already made up his mind).

[Alchemist]

Pooh Bear:

All schools have their merits. I believe many students went for >2 DSA selections and if they have received >2 COs, only one is ultimately chosen. This is a fact of DSA selections. That's why DSA schools has WLs, and I believe size of WLs reflect the historical number of COs being rejected, in favour of other schools.

For myself, I only select the DSA schools that I will seriously consider for my son to enter, which is SST and NUSH, since my son has expressed preference for science focused schools. He is not top of science exams in school but he reads science broadly and enjoys hands-on experiments. I am inclined to chose NUSH due to to few reasons:
1) he enjoys core science subjects like chemistry and physics.
2) he managed to get selected through the tough NUSH selection camp (must mean he has the right 'package' for core sciences)
3) NUSH is 6 years. My son is not the best in exam-performance, so I think less 1 national exam (O'Level) may reduce his (and my) anxiety and stress

I have seriously considered SST from the start. I have no intention that SST is the 'backup\" to NUSH. I went to SST Open House and quite impressed by the principal, the innovative programmes it offered, the enthusiatic students I spoke to in depth, and the new campus it will have next year. I wanted my son to have an option for himself, to evaluate for himself which science themed school he prefers (although NUSH is my son's dream school from start of this year). I will have to respect his decision, while I guide him along to make that decision.

While he has received NUSH CO, we have yet to know SST. I want to remain open-minded (although son has already made up his mind).

Hi Pooh Bear

Would like to apologise if my remarks on back up sounded callous. Did not mean to cast aspersions on your intention - and even for parents who do consider SST as 'back-up' I do not fault them. Parents would want to do the best for their children.

The point I wanted to make is for parents who are still keen on this school - is to still try and appeal after PSLE. Because it would seem from a rough sampling that the caliber of students even shortlisted for camp might have multiple COs and/or multiple waitlists - in which case they might prefer a 6 yr alternative. This was meant for a few parents like me who had only applied to SST and who are well aware that our children would not stand a very good chance at the IP school DSAs where demands for academic excellence is high. But whose children nevertheless do have the academic levels indicated by the parents of current SST students and intense interst in the technological aspect of science.

Anyway - I should stop this line of argument. There is a sour grapes overtone to it - and even though I think I am a rational being, I might actually be exhibiting sour grapes type emotions, which is not good. I would not fault people if they thought - get over it woman!, your son did not make the cut, deal with it. It would not be wrong. Anyway as many people have suggested children's talents are multifarous. We have faith in son's ability and his intense passion for technology will definitely shine through in life. I was just being a overachieving mother - wanting to give my son something he dreamed about fervently , but life is such - you can't always have all your heart desires.


Pooh bear, do accept my sincere Congratulations on your son's CO from NUSH, which I do not think is a mean achievement. And all the best for the decision making process once the SST CO arrives.

[shurley197323]

Hi,all. Can I kindly check with those that had been throught SST-DSA before.

Is their round 1 written exam, Math/science olympiad style or normal school exam style? I am prepraing for my DD for next year Thanks.

[phankao]

shurley197323:

Hi,all. Can I kindly check with those that had been throught SST-DSA before.

Is their round 1 written exam, Math/science olympiad style or normal school exam style? I am prepraing for my DD for next year Thanks.

It is just a written MCQ test. 3 sections. Each section 45mins. The 3 sections are namely: English, Math, and then Abstract Reasoning. My ds says no problem having time to finish all the questions with time to check.