School Of The Arts, Singapore

[dasalo]

Just confirm with SOTA about the COP. 230 the figure is not stated on the letter but it is an average score of the cohort.

[red dot]

Hi,

Read today’s straits times - life pages - all on SOTA Dance Students - Congrats to all SOTA Students.

[dasalo]

dovetail:

As far as I can see, I find SOTA is quite confused about it's mission. On one hand it calls itself an ART school, on the other hand it ties itself down with above average academic requirements whiche pushes out the really passionate and talented ones who are not academically inclined. If SOTA is truly set up by MICA to nurture artistic talents, it needs to be more inclusive just like the sports school.


Is it really necessary to get 230 to do IB. Look at the International schools, do you think all the kid's there can score 230 if they sit for PSLE?

It appears to me SOTA is trying to be a scale down ACSI with a lower COP for their IB. This is their way to ensure beautiful results for the IBDP results. So what is the talent development all about here? What is SOTA achievement wrt to it's artistic development after 6 years?

I've thought of letting my dd go there but I feel that SOTA is really more of an academic ground than a talent development one. For it to develope well as an art school, it needs to seriously open up multi-track academic programme to cater for those who are truly talented, passionate but have diverse academic background.

I have to agree with you to a certain extend in the confusion about it's mission in the early years of its inception and I believe they now have a better understanding of their students' ability and standing and hence the average T-score was mentioned. Those days they admit students with just 200 T-score ( they still do).

I wish SOTA is a fully art school. Unfortunately, we are Singapore, a young country unlike the western countries with rich music/art history, culture and environment which requires academic requirements to measure one's worth in order to lead a \"comfortable life\" (subjective). In SOTA, they cultivate/educate every individual to understand art and at the same time academically adequate to lead a \"well rounded\" life.

In those early days, artiste equates to being poor and had no stable income, who would want to let their children be an artiste? Only the rich send their children overseas to study art/music. What do we know about arts those days? So our mothers are always emphasing on academic grades which its belief still exists. With our country growing more affluent, more people are into the arts and arts have proven to be something enriching, therapeutic, etc...(maybe lucrative)? I can't fully explain, art talent is from within, a talent which can be cultivated with early intervention. Of course, you can still do it when you are old but you won't go very far. So instead of waiting until you finish your studies than do art, SOTA lets you do both at the same time. It lets you have a choice to be an artiste or become a professional in other fields with your academic grades. To be honest, those who are very talented and serious in being an artiste have all gone abroad to further their studies. SOTA encourages it too.

Every schools that do IB has different syllabus. SOTA has to do the basics of the main stream and another art subject inorder for it to be an art school. The basic subjects is to prepare for local/overseas entry and art is just an additional subject which you can drop at yr 5 (or 6 can't remember). The subjects are 1) Math 2) Science (2 pure sciences at yr3) 3)Humanities 4) History 5) Literature 6) Your choice of art form (this is the toughest as it consists of practical and theory and theory has it's sub papers). There are another 3 compulsory component namely 1) Theory of Knowledge (TOK) 2)Extended Essay(EE) 3) Community and Service (CAS) at yr 5. At IBDP yrs you have 8 subjects tested on versus J2 -4 subjects? (correct me if I'm wrong) So, with these subjects one needs to be at a certain level to fullfill the grades.

If they are trying to be a scale down ACSI IB they don't need to call it an art school. They can be just another IB schools, but there are already a handful and what is their COP? How many will land there? What about those who wants to do art and studies? and how much would one wants to pay for the school fees? I don't know much about the International schools as my children don't qualify and we can't pay the fees. I do think they have different syallbus besides the 3 compulsory component. For artistic developments, I see a vast difference in their students' knowledge/exposure in their art form as compared to those taking part time art/music courses at private schools at their level. As for academic achievements, we'll see on their first IBDP next year and I hope they'll produce beautiful results.

IMO with the art subjects, it is already multi track enough for pre-tertiary education. I know of other countries artiste who graduates in conservatory but how well do they fair in their academics I don't know but I know in Yong Siew Toh music conservatory, you'll need at least a good secondary level and very very talented and passionate in your art form.

I don't know much about Sports school although I have a nephew there. What inclusions are your referring at?

The above is my personal view on SOTA programme and both my children are doing fine and most of all they are happy. I hope this answers your concern.

[dasalo]

carmen21:

My sister heard from her friend that the books and uniform cost almost $1000. Can any parents with DD/DS in SOTA can give advise? :salute:

Depending on your art form.

Haha..yes the uniforms are expensive but fret not, they lasts as long as your child does not out grow it. A set of T's and skirt costs about $50? or have they up the price? My DD's still wearing hers after 4 yrs!

The books are expensive esp the calculator, almost $200. The first yr is always costly.

[Doc_jcjc]

Dear parents, anyone out there whose children have successfully entered SOTA with a portfolio for DSA art?


can you share what your child prepared in a portfolio? I chked out their website & I’m quite taken aback by the amount of stuff they have to prepare.

My girl interested in art, thinking of SOTA for her.

Any advice appreciated!! Thank u!

[pattie]

Doc_jcjc:

Dear parents, anyone out there whose children have successfully entered SOTA with a portfolio for DSA art?


can you share what your child prepared in a portfolio? I chked out their website & I'm quite taken aback by the amount of stuff they have to prepare.

My girl interested in art, thinking of SOTA for her.

Any advice appreciated!! Thank u!

they are looking for raw talent that shows a natural sense of inquisitiveness and sensitivity. Your child should have these traits to consider going there. As far as I know, many students who go there thinking that they will make pretty pictures end up doing badly as they cannot understand concept development and exploration. If you go to their open houses, you can see that the work they produce are not so much focused on technical ability (though that is a strength that will help in their development) but rather their visual intelligence, ie being able to see that that line/ colour/ shape works well or are beautiful & how they can be used in another work etc. A sketchbook with exploratory drawings is a great plus... but things like pretty & crafty kind of work may not go down too well. They want to see their personality in their work and those craft kits don't do that at all. hope this helps!

[vDad]

Doc_jcjc:

Dear parents, anyone out there whose children have successfully entered SOTA with a portfolio for DSA art?


can you share what your child prepared in a portfolio? I chked out their website & I'm quite taken aback by the amount of stuff they have to prepare.

My girl interested in art, thinking of SOTA for her.

Any advice appreciated!! Thank u!

My daughter is in SOTA for visual art.

The portfolio should be about putting together stuff that your girl has been working on for the past few years. I would assume this is not a problem because I am also assuming that a child who is interested in art has been producing stuff for a few years now. The \"duty\" on the part of parents is to preserve the produced stuff diligently.

I didn't follow the rules for portfolio; they wanted to see actual works. We saw candidates with actual works piled up in suitcases on wheels for the audition. We took a chance and scanned her drawings and photographed her handicrafts. Then we put it all onto a laptop. And she presented her stuff on the laptop. We had rehearsals at home so she is familiar with how the files are organised.

I believe a big part of the audition is about hearing from the candidate. They want to know if the child is really interested and has some talent to show for. Do mock interviews with your child, e.g. why do you like to draw, etc. I knew friends (a couple :snuggles: ) who are artistically inclined. So we invited them to lunch and had our daughter have a chat with them about her interest in art. My wife and I went window shopping while they had their chat. I believe it was a great help.

[pattie]

vDad:

Doc_jcjc:

Dear parents, anyone out there whose children have successfully entered SOTA with a portfolio for DSA art?


can you share what your child prepared in a portfolio? I chked out their website & I'm quite taken aback by the amount of stuff they have to prepare.

My girl interested in art, thinking of SOTA for her.

Any advice appreciated!! Thank u!

My daughter is in SOTA for visual art.

The portfolio should be about putting together stuff that your girl has been working on for the past few years. I would assume this is not a problem because I am also assuming that a child who is interested in art has been producing stuff for a few years now. The \"duty\" on the part of parents is to preserve the produced stuff diligently.

I didn't follow the rules for portfolio; they wanted to see actual works. We saw candidates with actual works piled up in suitcases on wheels for the audition. We took a chance and scanned her drawings and photographed her handicrafts. Then we put it all onto a laptop. And she presented her stuff on the laptop. We had rehearsals at home so she is familiar with how the files are organised.

I believe a big part of the audition is about hearing from the candidate. They want to know if the child is really interested and has some talent to show for. Do mock interviews with your child, e.g. why do you like to draw, etc. I knew friends (a couple :snuggles: ) who are artistically inclined. So we invited them to lunch and had our daughter have a chat with them about her interest in art. My wife and I went window shopping while they had their chat. I believe it was a great help.

I have to disagree about bringing reproductions. Nothing beats seeing the actual work, especially when they contain details like texture. The very nature of visual art pieces requires that they been seen in the flesh, not via a medium. Can't imagine going to an exhibition to just see reproductions of the artworks. Please bring the real thing as much as it is possible.

[Breadandmuffins]

Hi

Is there any guide as to what are the stuff the student need to have to prepare the portfolio? I have not kept my DD’s stuff very diligently, only took some photos sometimes. How many yrs of stuff must I keep? Is it sufficient if we just keep those she did from P3 to P6 for example? I can understand why its not possible to keep some art items she did these years ,take up a lot of space…

[Maths Isnt Fun]

Breadandmuffins:

Hi

Is there any guide as to what are the stuff the student need to have to prepare the portfolio? I have not kept my DD's stuff very diligently, only took some photos sometimes. How many yrs of stuff must I keep? Is it sufficient if we just keep those she did from P3 to P6 for example? I can understand why its not possible to keep some art items she did these years ,take up a lot of space.....

well i did audition and got in for the portfolio, choose those art pieces from 2yrs ago at most and during audi, u have to show the teachers there that u ARE capable! best of luck for your DD's audi!