Hwa Chong Institution (High School)

[lizawa]

Paddy Field:

Had asked the following in the RI thread, and will do the same for HCI thread. Hope helpful KSPs will help ...


1) Does HCI have school bus transportation from the East to campus? My DS had CO from RI, HCI n ACSI n we r trying to decide which is most convenient for him. Don't see the need to spend so much time traveling.

2) How do students taking 3rd language make their way to moelc? Does the school provide transport? How far is it from school?

3) What is the typical school hours in HCI? Do they come home only during dinner time everyday? If so, how to cope w homework, if any?

Any info will be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi Paddy Field,

congratulations to your son for securing the CO from all three schools. Answers to your questions

1. yes, there is one way transport from the east to the school. Usually a small van that will pick up students in the same area and go straight to school.

2. The school has transport to moelc, provided that your son does not change the assigned day. if I am not wrong, all sec 1 attends third Lang on Thurs, so there will be a bus to send them to moelc. You pay a nominal fee for one way transport. French and japanese at newton moelc, unless you ask for a transfer to Bishan moelc. German only at Bishan moelc. Third Lang ends around 6.45pm. Both moelc are near to MRT. I suppose if you stay in the east, Bishan may be more convenient if your son needs to go home by himself. Circle line brings him to paya lebar directly.

3. Normal lesson ends 1.30 - 2.30. Depends on his CCA, he may need to stay back 2, 3, or 4 times a week. That would mean reaching home around dinner time. Some boys try to finish as much work in school, before CCA
starts. You wil need to plan and manage their time properly, so as not to
neglect your school work.

The Bishan moelc is one bus stop from RI though. Most of them will just walk to moelc. Because their campus is nearer, so their students are scheduled to attend the earlier classes, like 3pm or 2.30pm. HCI students normally attend the 3.30pm class.

Hope this info is useful.

[Paddy Field]

Lizawa,


Thank you so much for the information. I hope with all these info about the 3 schools, my DS can make a wise decision. All 3 are good schools - and we are thankful whichever one he chooses.

[wonderm]

Paddy Field,


:congrats: to your DS for having 3 COs! It is good that you do some comparison before making this important decision together with your ds.

I can understand your concern about school hours. However, my advice is not to worry too much about that in your decision making. These are top tier schools which take in high ability students and all three schools provide lots of opportunities to develop and stretch the students in academic, CCA, leadership. Hence, how busy one is will depend less on which of the three he chooses to go, and depend more on how active he is in Secondary school.

My boys are in HCI and the elder one is in Sec 3 now. He has friends in RI and ACSI and had many opportunities to interact with students from other top schools during inter-school activities. I asked him about his impression on students from RI and ACSI, he finds most of them friendly and helpful besides being very smart and motivated. Most importantly, just like himself, these people also love their schools and are having a great time.

I am sure your ds will enjoy his Secondary school life no matter which of the three he eventually chooses to go.

[Paddy Field]

Dear wonderm,


Thank you for the advice. The most important factor for me is how my DS enjoys himself and loves the school.

[Otah]

Anyone know whether there are any local sec 1 & 2 students stay in boarding school? Any special requirement needed ?

[mum42]

Thought boarding school only start in sec 3 ?

[lizawa]

Otah:

Anyone know whether there are any local sec 1 & 2 students stay in boarding school? Any special requirement needed ?

I suppose it's possible. You just need to pay the full fees. For the actual boarding program that starts from sec 3, the students pay a subsidized fees for 1 term.

Call up the boarding school to check.

[Otah]

lizawa:

Otah:

Anyone know whether there are any local sec 1 & 2 students stay in boarding school? Any special requirement needed ?

I suppose it's possible. You just need to pay the full fees. For the actual boarding program that starts from sec 3, the students pay a subsidized fees for 1 term.

Call up the boarding school to check.

Thanks Lizawa for the advice.
This idea came about when he requested that he wants to be like some of his friends to stay in boarding school. I am not sure if he is too young for that but I told him to work for good result and by end of sec two he will be eligible at a subsidised rate of $90/mth boarding for full year like in the past of local good result students. Not sure if this scheme is still available with the current sec 3 1-term boarding programme on going and I heard some of the local boarding pupils were asked to go home to clear space for the sec 3 boarding programme.

[ApronMama]

Sec 1 exemption list for LSS eoy exam is out at EMB.

[ApronMama]

ds has been exempted from Math and Sci so far. Any sec 1 been informed of exemption from other subjects ?