Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

[GoodDad]

leeven:

Dear Parents.


My DS is P6 (GEP) this year . Average student. Applying for ACS(I) IP pgm. I have some questions. if you can help advise as you have gone thru all these and have more info.

* How difficult is HAST test.
* How is the selection criteria .
* Any samples of HAST other than what school has given.
* Advise for my DS on personal statement writing.
* is Selection purely based on HAST test or do they see the child's certs like Olympiad (have few) /Debating participations (no win)/Story writing competition award (which my DS have).

Tried ACS Primary for P4 GEP couldnt now again going to submit for Sec 1. to get.

How is your DS SA1 result and Pri 5 final result? Above 78%?

There is no interview, selection camp or written test for ACSI DSA. Therefore HAST test, GEP P6 SA1 result, achievement (SMOPS), CCA, leadership, CIP are important selection criteria

Feedback from last year students, HAST Test is not an easy paper but not like a normal subject that someone can study.

[autolycus]

leeven:

Dear Parents.


My DS is P6 (GEP) this year . Average student. Applying for ACS(I) IP pgm. I have some questions. if you can help advise as you have gone thru all these and have more info.

* How difficult is HAST test.
* How is the selection criteria .
* Any samples of HAST other than what school has given.
* Advise for my DS on personal statement writing.
* is Selection purely based on HAST test or do they see the child's certs like Olympiad (have few) /Debating participations (no win)/Story writing competition award (which my DS have).

Tried ACS Primary for P4 GEP couldnt now again going to submit for Sec 1. to get.

Dear leeven,

Is your DS an average student, an average GEP student, or an average student who has found himself in the GEP by accident or brute force?

This is important, because getting into an IP or even GEP/SBGEP is not some kind of merit badge. It's a surprisingly tough choice unless you have what it takes in the first place.

That said, the HAST is an easy test for the typical GEP student. It is the baseline test for entering ACS(I) IP because the programme receives per capita funding for each student in it considered to be of GEP standard.

All things being equal, the selection process can involve high-order achievements in other areas (e.g. Olympiads). Mere participation isn't going to be enough, simply because of market forces. ACS(I) has to be fair and will award places to outstanding students with very special achievements.

Based on that, you can see what the personal statement is going to be about. It has to show evidence of outstanding character, passion, creativity and attitude. It works together with the student's CV to give an idea of what the child might become in the years to come. It can't be robot-crafted (yes, I know you can find people to help you draft and construct one) because the panel can smell those (since they get so many).

If your DS doesn't get into ACS(I)'s IP (or even any IP), it isn't the end of the world. It might be the beginning of a better world for him. And it doesn't reflect badly on you; few parents have the courage to resist peer pressure and avoid the paperchase.

[Frangipani]

Dear Autolycus,

Reading your post is like listening to a Wise One. I’ve been following this thread since my DS got into yr1 IP this year. He was from the GEP in P6 and scored exactly the cut-off point for IP this year. He got into GE purely by his own merit, no tuition, enrichment classes. However, he seems to find it tough now, scoring only mainly 60+ in most subjects for the recent SA. Perhaps he does not know how to study. I kept telling him it is not enough to just understand your lessons and that he’s got to study. I don’t seem to see specific guidance from the teachers in this aspect. Is it because one is expected to be fairly independant in the IP? What advice do you have for my DS?

[ruohoo97]

Frangipani:

Dear Autolycus,

Reading your post is like listening to a Wise One. ...?

Totally agree! I have been following this thread for my P4DS, learning from Autolycus, while waiting his turn to go to ACSI.

[autolycus]

Hi Frangipani! Thanks for the kind words (and to ruohoo97 too)!


I think the most valuable questions he needs to ask are, \"How do you know... ?\" and \"Why is this important?\" The ex-Head of Civil Service, Mr Lim Siong Guan (who was also from ACS), once taught me a valuable lesson. He said, \"You ask someone, 'Why... ?' and wait for his answer. If you feel that's not enough, ask him 'Why... ?' again, this time about his answer. Repeat this until you've asked 'Why... ?' five times. Then you should be near the real answer.\"

(The same man also taught me that experience is the last of five main criteria for assessing worthiness. After all, you can have ten years of sitting in a chair doing nothing and call it experience.)

The most important things that your DS must learn are therefore: 1) try to dig down to the original source of anything, and figure out how to make it important; 2) if a teacher can't explain it to you, then either you are incompetent or the teacher is; 3) apply everything you learn, and if it can't be applied, ask why not; 4) have character — be serious about studying, be truthful in everything, and enjoy yourself without hurting anyone; 5) even if this is your father's school, you must respect the subject since you have to learn it, the teacher for teaching it, and your fellow students for suffering with you.

Now, specific advice about lessons. File everything. If there isn't a file for it, open a new file. Have a filing system, and make sure it is a usable one. At the end of each term, refile by throwing out useless stuff and summarising what remains in a different handwritten or typed document. At the end of each year, you should have about 10% or less of what you accumulated during the year. This is a basic tool for learning.

Next, make sure you file all the subject syllabuses. If they haven't given a detailed subject syllabus, ask for one. If you don't get one, chase the teachers or even the principal until you get one. It isn't fair to be tested without knowing what you're tested on. Treat it like the law: if the test asks questions that cannot be reconciled with the syllabus, make noise.

Last, work through ALL the problems and questions. There is one exception. If a student can discover a method that works for ALL the problems of a given kind and can demonstrate why it must work, then he doesn't need to do them all. This is often true for math and the sciences, but is far less often true for other subjects.

I've seen the work teachers do to set up the stuff mentioned in these three points. They do it so that students can carry out these procedures and learn. However, they don't force, coerce, or (sometimes) even tell the students to do these things. They're expected to learn, somehow. By Year 4, most of them still haven't — even if you tell them. Those that have learnt are enjoying themselves since they don't have to study much anymore.

Cheers!

[Frangipani]

Thanks Autolycus for your generous advice. Yes, my DS lacks organisational skills, he keeps everthing in his head and i think that is not workable now with so many subjects. I have showed him your reply and asked him not to wait til yr 4 to learn the skills.

[jtoh]

autolycus:

Hi Frangipani! Thanks for the kind words (and to ruohoo97 too)!


I think the most valuable questions he needs to ask are, \"How do you know... ?\" and \"Why is this important?\" The ex-Head of Civil Service, Mr Lim Siong Guan (who was also from ACS), once taught me a valuable lesson. He said, \"You ask someone, 'Why... ?' and wait for his answer. If you feel that's not enough, ask him 'Why... ?' again, this time about his answer. Repeat this until you've asked 'Why... ?' five times. Then you should be near the real answer.\"

(The same man also taught me that experience is the last of five main criteria for assessing worthiness. After all, you can have ten years of sitting in a chair doing nothing and call it experience.)

The most important things that your DS must learn are therefore: 1) try to dig down to the original source of anything, and figure out how to make it important; 2) if a teacher can't explain it to you, then either you are incompetent or the teacher is; 3) apply everything you learn, and if it can't be applied, ask why not; 4) have character — be serious about studying, be truthful in everything, and enjoy yourself without hurting anyone; 5) even if this is your father's school, you must respect the subject since you have to learn it, the teacher for teaching it, and your fellow students for suffering with you.

Now, specific advice about lessons. File everything. If there isn't a file for it, open a new file. Have a filing system, and make sure it is a usable one. At the end of each term, refile by throwing out useless stuff and summarising what remains in a different handwritten or typed document. At the end of each year, you should have about 10% or less of what you accumulated during the year. This is a basic tool for learning.

Next, make sure you file all the subject syllabuses. If they haven't given a detailed subject syllabus, ask for one. If you don't get one, chase the teachers or even the principal until you get one. It isn't fair to be tested without knowing what you're tested on. Treat it like the law: if the test asks questions that cannot be reconciled with the syllabus, make noise.

Last, work through ALL the problems and questions. There is one exception. If a student can discover a method that works for ALL the problems of a given kind and can demonstrate why it must work, then he doesn't need to do them all. This is often true for math and the sciences, but is far less often true for other subjects.

I've seen the work teachers do to set up the stuff mentioned in these three points. They do it so that students can carry out these procedures and learn. However, they don't force, coerce, or (sometimes) even tell the students to do these things. They're expected to learn, somehow. By Year 4, most of them still haven't — even if you tell them. Those that have learnt are enjoying themselves since they don't have to study much anymore.

Cheers!

Great advice, autolycus. Thanks.

[leeven]

autolycus:

leeven:

Dear Parents.


My DS is P6 (GEP) this year . Average student. Applying for ACS(I) IP pgm. I have some questions. if you can help advise as you have gone thru all these and have more info.

thnx autolycus, Good Dad. sorry for late reply

My DS above above 78% but less than 80% . He has SMOPS/NMOS/RI etc gold certs and he is strong in english,good in speaking.
he is himself story writer he will write his own personal statement (hope they dont think it as robot-crafted ). He is looking for IB pgm.

Another base question how length the Personal statement should be . MY DS is very good in writing from 1000 to 7000 words but I dont want him to be penalized :nailbite: .

[worried_parent2012]

Hi All,


Does anyone know when is the prefectorial camp for year 1 held? I was told it will be held during the September school holiday. Find it a bit queer as it seems the June holiday would be a better choice.

[breezy]

worried_parent2012:

Hi All,


Does anyone know when is the prefectorial camp for year 1 held? I was told it will be held during the September school holiday. Find it a bit queer as it seems the June holiday would be a better choice.

hi,
if u r referring to Prefect Selection camp for Yr 1s, it is indeed during september holidays.

cheers!