Choose Secondary school for 2010

[tutormum]

Hi CrazyDad,

My son passed the selection test at NUSH but still can't get in after the selection camp. :oops: :oops: They have allocated only 80 places for the DSA exercise - I think it's 20% of total intake. However, he was encouraged to apply with his PSLE results and in a way, they would give him priority due to the fact that he has had expressed interest. :love: I have a hard time convincing him to consider RI due to the travelling distance and he hates me for it though he has relent.
Anyway, my second son is very poor in Chinese, scoring a C for PSLE after much agony and tears. When he went to secondary school, the school refuses to let him take CLB until the final year when they realised that there's no way he could even pass. They insisted that he should try and all was not lost - yet cos he's consider a borderline failure. :frustrated: Maybe he should have purposely failed badly. :x
I made my PSLE boy dropped HCL this year to concentrate on his MT and it really pays off cos not only does he has to struggle with 2 papers which he is definitely weak in by today's standard but he has more time for other subjects. He even admit that he has the least stress compared to his classmates. :celebrate:

[tutormum]

Sorry, read my post again and realised should have said: Not only he does not have to struggle. :oops: :oops:

[daisyt]

fxchow:

Hi daisyt, fairy & crazy dad,

Thanks for your sharing.

In fact, I also wish my girl can go into RVHS as she only needs to take about 10 minutes to travel there and of course the new building.

Now, the problem is she does not like RVHS (don't know why) and prefers to go Nan Hua if she can not go into her dream school - NUSH.

hi fxchow, did you find out from her, why she does not like RVHS ?
Yes, the new campus is super cool ! Officially they are moving there on 1st Dec.

[daisyt]

CrazyDad:

Come to think of it, I also feel something is not right regarding RV. It is an IP school, similar to NJC and Dunman. But NJC and Dunman required 259 and 260 to get in. Why RV only need 254? :?

My guess is because RV is still very new in IP. They have not produced the first batch of \"A\" level yet. Maybe they would increase the COPs once their IP programme has proven some good result. Thats just my wild guess ...

[sunshinemum2]

CrazyDad:

sunshinemum2:

Hi,


Any recommended school in the west for an agg 240 boy?

ACS is ok?

But if you can get 14 more marks then go to River Valley High School, this is an IP school, but only need 254 to go in.

A few more points could probably earn him a place in Nan Hua, but in worst scenario, any comparison of the neighbourhood schools in the west? Commonwealth, Swiss Cottage, Fuhua Sec, which is better?

[daisyt]

girlmum:

My girl is weak in CL too. Secondary CL is so much different from primary school. They hardly use their CL textbk and their comprehension can be quite \"chim\". I have a friend whose son scored an A for PSLE and is currently in Anglican, the boy is facing difficulties passing that subject. Bear in mind, they will doing more subjects. So, better think wisely!

Yes, I see my girl's HCL is not easy. Strong base and high interest would definately help a lot. A lot of newspaper article, chinese readers digest, 散文， 中国名著, project work, presentations of their book review.

[Fairy]

tutormum:

Hi CrazyDad,

I have a hard time convincing him to consider RI due to the travelling distance and he hates me for it though he has relent.
Anyway, my second son is very poor in Chinese, scoring a C for PSLE after much agony and tears. When he went to secondary school, the school refuses to let him take CLB until the final year when they realised that there's no way he could even pass. They insisted that he should try and all was not lost - yet cos he's consider a borderline failure. :frustrated: Maybe he should have purposely failed badly. :x
I made my PSLE boy dropped HCL this year to concentrate on his MT and it really pays off cos not only does he has to struggle with 2 papers which he is definitely weak in by today's standard but he has more time for other subjects. He even admit that he has the least stress compared to his classmates. :celebrate:

Hi tutormum,

Just to share.....

My son 'rejects' Chinese throughout his primary school life. He speaks Mandarin only during Chinese lessons, does not read any story books written in Chinese nor watch any Chinese TV programme. He was still able to score very well in CL in P1 to 3 as the curriculum is not difficult. His marks in the subject dropped drastically when he joined the GEP and was transfered to a SAP school. Like you, his marks for CL & HCL have been my constant worry and I received complaints from his CL teachers (from P4 to 6) on his slip shod atitude towards the subject. My only consolation is that he could write fairly good compos :? (Thanks to TSLC) Due to his 'rejection' towards the language, he also did not put in efforts in learning those terms (chi yu) covered in the syllabus until the eleventh hour. Just before his Prelim, I insisted he do a lot of exercises on the mcq part of the exam format and phew, his marks improved a lot. I was very very surprised :shock: to discover that he was one of the fifty (only) in this SAP school to score a distinction in HCL. He also scored an A* in CL.

He wanted to join his friends in HCI but I persuaded him to go RI. My reason was that since he dislike studying Chinese Language, he will 'suffer' in HCI. It's been coming to the end of the year. So far, he did not complain about his HCL in RI (strangely, I also did not see him studying for the subject). The standard of HCL in the school must be really mangeable, I thought, until I met a mother who told me the standard for H Chinese in RI is very high, higher than HCI's (according to her - not sure if it is true). Today is his HCL exam. I found out only last night how ''chim'' it is when I heard him trying to memorise pages of Confucious sayings (again at he eleventh hour :x ) and their interpretations. That's apart from the usual 'chen yu', poems & etc. Hope he can pass his eoy exam today.

As for your son, you may also be surprised that he ended up doing well for his PSLE CL! Goodluck! :celebrate:

[Jenn]

tutormum:

Hi CrazyDad,

My son passed the selection test at NUSH but still can't get in after the selection camp.: They have allocated only 80 places for the DSA exercise - I think it's 20% of total intake. However, he was encouraged to apply with his PSLE results and in a way, they would give him priority due to the fact that he has had expressed interest.

I am not sure about this year but in the past, NUSH had accepted 80% of their total intake thru DSA. They have a intake of about 170 students so about 140 are admitted thru DSA.

Anyone still keen can apply directly after PSLE for the remaining places. To apply, you need to have PSLE score of 250+ and A* in both maths and science. In the past the PSLE COP had been 260+. Even students who have accepted another school DSA offer can apply if this is their preferred school.

[Dharma]

turquoise:

Hi Dharma,

So you just need to score a credit for HMT at O levels to be exempted from MT at A levels? No need for distinction? What if you pass but do poorly? Do you need to take some basic MT course? I thought I heard something about this but am not sure about the details.
Thanks!

Hi turquoise,

This extract from RI(JC) Website.

Prospective Students / FAQ for Raffles Programme Year 5 Students

1. I am currently offering Higher Mother Tongue at ‘O’ level. Do I need to offer Mother Tongue again at RJC?

If you have attained D7 or better (i.e. A1 to D7) in the ‘O’ level Higher Mother Tongue Examination, you do not need to offer Mother Tongue at H1 level. However, we encourage students to obtain at least a pass (C6 and above) in HMT at ‘O’ level before requesting for an exemption.

[turquoise]

Dharma:

turquoise:

Hi Dharma,

So you just need to score a credit for HMT at O levels to be exempted from MT at A levels? No need for distinction? What if you pass but do poorly? Do you need to take some basic MT course? I thought I heard something about this but am not sure about the details.
Thanks!

Hi turquoise,

This extract from RI(JC) Website.

Prospective Students / FAQ for Raffles Programme Year 5 Students

1. I am currently offering Higher Mother Tongue at ‘O’ level. Do I need to offer Mother Tongue again at RJC?

If you have attained D7 or better (i.e. A1 to D7) in the ‘O’ level Higher Mother Tongue Examination, you do not need to offer Mother Tongue at H1 level. However, we encourage students to obtain at least a pass (C6 and above) in HMT at ‘O’ level before requesting for an exemption.

Thanks, Dharma!