Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

[autolycus]

Hi verizon,


1. I suspect it will still be Victoria, statistically. But I think 256 is likely to be safe as the COP for ACS(I) has seldom exceeded that.

2. You may not get into the Integrated Programme (IP) at Year 1, and yet be given a place in ACS(I) anyway for the non-IP. If you do well in Years 1 & 2, you may then be allowed to enter the IP at the beginning of Year 3. If you’re not in the IP in Years 3 & 4, but do well for the O-levels, you may be allowed to enter the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) at the beginning of Year 5.

[fcjjchew]

My son has got A-Chinese, Merit - Higher Chinese and DSA to ACSI.

Hearsay that for this IB program, it is of no benefits to do Higher Chinese in year 1. Any comments ?
Is it true if you do HigherChinese, you cannot dropped to Normal Chinese if you find yourself not suitable to cope with Higher Chinese.
Should my son do Higher Chinese?

Thanks!

[autolycus]

Hi, fcjjchew.


There is a curious benefit to doing Higher Chinese. If he successfully completes O-level Higher Chinese (since all IP students still must take MT exams in Year 3/4), he will have met the pre-university MT requirement. This means he can then choose a foreign language as part of his IB course instead of his MT, if he so desires.

It isn’t true that you can’t drop to Chinese. In fact, if you do badly in Higher Chinese, you WILL be asked to drop it.

[fcjjchew]

autolycus:

Hi, fcjjchew.


There is a curious benefit to doing Higher Chinese. If he successfully completes O-level Higher Chinese (since all IP students still must take MT exams in Year 3/4), he will have met the pre-university MT requirement. This means he can then choose a foreign language as part of his IB course instead of his MT, if he so desires.

It isn't true that you can't drop to Chinese. In fact, if you do badly in Higher Chinese, you WILL be asked to drop it.

Thanks v m for your reply.
So if u passed the Higher Chinese in Year 4. Are u exempted IB Chinese in year 5 n 6 ???

thanks.

[autolycus]

fcjjchew:

Thanks v m for your reply.

So if u passed the Higher Chinese in Year 4. Are u exempted IB Chinese in year 5 n 6 ???

thanks.

You will have met the MOE MT language requirement, so you can choose a non-MT language in Year 5/6 (IBDP) if you want.

You must still take a Group 2 subject (i.e. a modern language which need not be your MT language). You are not exempted from doing a second language, but you can now take any available language at any available level (e.g. Spanish, German, French) — except Chinese, because you are now over-qualified.

Hope this helps!

[ngbrdad]

autolycus:

fcjjchew:

Thanks v m for your reply.

So if u passed the Higher Chinese in Year 4. Are u exempted IB Chinese in year 5 n 6 ???

thanks.

You will have met the MOE MT language requirement, so you can choose a non-MT language in Year 5/6 (IBDP) if you want.

You must still take a Group 2 subject (i.e. a modern language which need not be your MT language). You are not exempted from doing a second language, but you can now take any available language at any available level (e.g. Spanish, German, French) — except Chinese, because you are now over-qualified.

Hope this helps!

Heard that the IB Chinese is easier than A level Chinese and hence can boost up the score.
So isn't it to the student's advantage if he takes Chinese at IB instead of other foreign language ? Unless it's very easy to score high marks for these as well.

[ngbrdad]

From the ACS website it’s stated that 100 students will be promoted from the O level side to the IB side at Sec 3.

However with the MGS girls joining the programme in 2014, will the number still be the same ?
Or some places are given up to the MGS girls ?

[kittybank]

what r the chances of getting IP-IB with 253 and 252 respectively?

[tisha]

ngbrdad:

From the ACS website it's stated that 100 students will be promoted from the O level side to the IB side at Sec 3.

However with the MGS girls joining the programme in 2014, will the number still be the same ?
Or some places are given up to the MGS girls ?

Good question ngbrdad. If MGS girls join at Sec 3, it will hardly be considered as a boys school. Lets wait for autolycus to respond.

[autolycus]

wormy: 252-253 not very secure — it's hard to tell in any given year, but I'd feel safer at 255+.


ngbrdad: IB Chinese is easier than A-Level Chinese simply because IB Chinese is Chinese as a Second Language, while A-Level Chinese is supposed to be Chinese as a Mother Tongue Language. However, you can't take IB Chinese at a lower level if you already have better qualifications (e.g. Higher Chinese at O-Level). Educationally speaking, if you have Higher Chinese already, why bother to relearn the same thing? My former students who picked up a spare language found it rewarding, especially when going overseas.

ngbrdad, tisha: the first batch of MGS IP girls to go to ACS(I) will likely be the 2014 Sec 3 batch, who will enter ACS(I)'s Year 5 (the first year of the 2-year IBDP course) in Jan 2016 without having to do their O-Levels; the second batch will be the 2013 Sec 1 batch, who will enter in Jan 2017.

Do note that ACS was a pre-university institution for both boys and girls up to Dec 1976. In Jan 1977, ACJC opened. In Jan 2006, ACS(I) started to take in girls again at Year 5.