Hwa Chong Institution (High School)
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I’m a student in HCI so I know that at this point of time, Sec 2s have no more IPSP and Q class is now called "Structured IP". In Sec 2 it is fine if you end up in the Structured IP class with the school’s rationale being that they want to help students whose foundations are weak. According to this year’s criteria to get out of Sec 3 Q Class and go into Sec 4 IP you need 2.5.
I’m not sure about the criteria for Sec 2 to go to CSE but I think it is 2.0 now instead of 1.5 previously. Apparently last time when CSE was started HCI did not have IPSP but they introduced it to allow students to 1) stay within their consortiums yet have special programs 2) have a chance to experience a special program even though MSG is not below 2.0. The IPSP/CSE papers are not actually more challenging than the IP papers; for example, I’m in Humanities Program and the Chemistry/Physics/Math papers are the same as the IP paper, but my Humanities will be harder. So special programs are good if you have a specific passion in a particular subject. CSE is special in the sense that you get an affective mentor whom you can confide in and he/she will help you through whatever difficulties that you have. It is a very independent aspect because there is no form teacher but rather a "class mentor" who oversees the general development of the class, but the individual is mostly taken care of by the mentor, whereas in IPSP there is no such thing.
I’m in a pretty bad state myself because I’m Sec 3 this year and will have to go to 4Q next year if I don’t do well for my re-exams. There are re-exams if you are borderline above the criteria. The workload in HCI is actually quite manageable but it is the standard Singapore education system - requires a lot of mugging for tests and such. Homework is almost never due on the next day; deadlines are usually around 1 week or so. I sleep at about 10 to 11pm everyday. There is the topic of ACE and the Independent Studies component but there is always enough time to complete both. Find the opportunities to jump on - if you engage in some academic activity you like, go do a writeup or whatever and you get ACE points. Teachers in HCI are very patient and dedicated; the ones I’ve had throughout are always approachable and you can confide in them when you have problems.
Generally I believe that the important thing is to find your passion in a particular subject. Then you will have the joy in studying. Don’t feel discouraged if you do badly for the EOYs or any exam at all. I think what works is that you must reflect on where you went wrong. A lot of people are unable to accept failure. You must understand that in Singapore’s stressful and competitive education system there are bound to be those who end up as the losers. Don’t despair because you failed; just because you failed doesn’t make you a failure in life. Don’t scold your child because of failure but encourage him instead. Don’t be afraid of failure but embrace failure as a learning opportunity. As a child myself I feel demoralised when I get scolded by my parents or see them disappointed. Make it a point to encourage children to do better.
Sec 2 exams are slightly easier this year as compared to last year I think. So really , don’t have to worry too much. If MSG really exceeds the criteria maybe you can consider appealing for re-exams.
That’s about it feel free to ask any questions about anything I can try to answer them. -
ianwongkj:
Thank you ianwongkj for sharing your insights! My DS will be joining HCI family next year. Will definitely share your post to him. All the best to u!I'm a student in HCI so I know that at this point of time, Sec 2s have no more IPSP and Q class is now called \"Structured IP\". In Sec 2 it is fine if you end up in the Structured IP class with the school's rationale being that they want to help students whose foundations are weak. According to this year's criteria to get out of Sec 3 Q Class and go into Sec 4 IP you need 2.5.
I'm not sure about the criteria for Sec 2 to go to CSE but I think it is 2.0 now instead of 1.5 previously. Apparently last time when CSE was started HCI did not have IPSP but they introduced it to allow students to 1) stay within their consortiums yet have special programs 2) have a chance to experience a special program even though MSG is not below 2.0. The IPSP/CSE papers are not actually more challenging than the IP papers; for example, I'm in Humanities Program and the Chemistry/Physics/Math papers are the same as the IP paper, but my Humanities will be harder. So special programs are good if you have a specific passion in a particular subject. CSE is special in the sense that you get an affective mentor whom you can confide in and he/she will help you through whatever difficulties that you have. It is a very independent aspect because there is no form teacher but rather a \"class mentor\" who oversees the general development of the class, but the individual is mostly taken care of by the mentor, whereas in IPSP there is no such thing.
I'm in a pretty bad state myself because I'm Sec 3 this year and will have to go to 4Q next year if I don't do well for my re-exams. There are re-exams if you are borderline above the criteria. The workload in HCI is actually quite manageable but it is the standard Singapore education system - requires a lot of mugging for tests and such. Homework is almost never due on the next day; deadlines are usually around 1 week or so. I sleep at about 10 to 11pm everyday. There is the topic of ACE and the Independent Studies component but there is always enough time to complete both. Find the opportunities to jump on - if you engage in some academic activity you like, go do a writeup or whatever and you get ACE points. Teachers in HCI are very patient and dedicated; the ones I've had throughout are always approachable and you can confide in them when you have problems.
Generally I believe that the important thing is to find your passion in a particular subject. Then you will have the joy in studying. Don't feel discouraged if you do badly for the EOYs or any exam at all. I think what works is that you must reflect on where you went wrong. A lot of people are unable to accept failure. You must understand that in Singapore's stressful and competitive education system there are bound to be those who end up as the losers. Don't despair because you failed; just because you failed doesn't make you a failure in life. Don't scold your child because of failure but encourage him instead. Don't be afraid of failure but embrace failure as a learning opportunity. As a child myself I feel demoralised when I get scolded by my parents or see them disappointed. Make it a point to encourage children to do better.
Sec 2 exams are slightly easier this year as compared to last year I think. So really , don't have to worry too much. If MSG really exceeds the criteria maybe you can consider appealing for re-exams.
That's about it feel free to ask any questions about anything I can try to answer them. -
yukilei:
Glad to be of help and thanks for the wishes. Hope he will enjoy himself in HCI!
Thank you ianwongkj for sharing your insights! My DS will be joining HCI family next year. Will definitely share your post to him. All the best to u!ianwongkj:
I'm a student in HCI so I know that at this point of time, Sec 2s have no more IPSP and Q class is now called \"Structured IP\". In Sec 2 it is fine if you end up in the Structured IP class with the school's rationale being that they want to help students whose foundations are weak. According to this year's criteria to get out of Sec 3 Q Class and go into Sec 4 IP you need 2.5.
I'm not sure about the criteria for Sec 2 to go to CSE but I think it is 2.0 now instead of 1.5 previously. Apparently last time when CSE was started HCI did not have IPSP but they introduced it to allow students to 1) stay within their consortiums yet have special programs 2) have a chance to experience a special program even though MSG is not below 2.0. The IPSP/CSE papers are not actually more challenging than the IP papers; for example, I'm in Humanities Program and the Chemistry/Physics/Math papers are the same as the IP paper, but my Humanities will be harder. So special programs are good if you have a specific passion in a particular subject. CSE is special in the sense that you get an affective mentor whom you can confide in and he/she will help you through whatever difficulties that you have. It is a very independent aspect because there is no form teacher but rather a \"class mentor\" who oversees the general development of the class, but the individual is mostly taken care of by the mentor, whereas in IPSP there is no such thing.
I'm in a pretty bad state myself because I'm Sec 3 this year and will have to go to 4Q next year if I don't do well for my re-exams. There are re-exams if you are borderline above the criteria. The workload in HCI is actually quite manageable but it is the standard Singapore education system - requires a lot of mugging for tests and such. Homework is almost never due on the next day; deadlines are usually around 1 week or so. I sleep at about 10 to 11pm everyday. There is the topic of ACE and the Independent Studies component but there is always enough time to complete both. Find the opportunities to jump on - if you engage in some academic activity you like, go do a writeup or whatever and you get ACE points. Teachers in HCI are very patient and dedicated; the ones I've had throughout are always approachable and you can confide in them when you have problems.
Generally I believe that the important thing is to find your passion in a particular subject. Then you will have the joy in studying. Don't feel discouraged if you do badly for the EOYs or any exam at all. I think what works is that you must reflect on where you went wrong. A lot of people are unable to accept failure. You must understand that in Singapore's stressful and competitive education system there are bound to be those who end up as the losers. Don't despair because you failed; just because you failed doesn't make you a failure in life. Don't scold your child because of failure but encourage him instead. Don't be afraid of failure but embrace failure as a learning opportunity. As a child myself I feel demoralised when I get scolded by my parents or see them disappointed. Make it a point to encourage children to do better.
Sec 2 exams are slightly easier this year as compared to last year I think. So really , don't have to worry too much. If MSG really exceeds the criteria maybe you can consider appealing for re-exams.
That's about it feel free to ask any questions about anything I can try to answer them.
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Ian,
I have pm you. Thanks. -
It has been 1 year since the start of the year and I wonder how are all Y1 students doing?How is the experience so far? My DS is in some kind of ‘shock’ in the beginning as he is used to be among the top of his cohort in his Pri sch but when he is in HCI, he become an average student. He kind of felt depressed and give up, drift along aimlessly. The way the subjects are taught and delivered also need some adjustment and getting use to. No more spoon feeding and text book but alot of online notes and reading. We are no longer able to follow what is taught in school and assist him in his works.We basically leave it to him to study. We are shocked when he failed some of his tests which had never happen before. We are in crisis mode and sit down with him to go through all his subjects and works. When he found out that his good friend got exemption from some subjects, and he got to revise the whole year work for exam, I am not sure whether that cause him to finally wake up or found his fighting spirit, he worked really hard for his final exam. His final MSG of less than 2 surprise us and are even much better than those that have exemption.We hope this will give him confident that he can achieve good results if he put effort in his study and lifted his competitive spirit to do better in Y2.
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joe0599:
It has been 1 year since the start of the year and I wonder how are all Y1 students doing?How is the experience so far? My DS is in some kind of 'shock' in the beginning as he is used to be among the top of his cohort in his Pri sch but when he is in HCI, he become an average student. He kind of felt depressed and give up, drift along aimlessly. The way the subjects are taught and delivered also need some adjustment and getting use to. No more spoon feeding and text book but alot of online notes and reading. We are no longer able to follow what is taught in school and assist him in his works.We basically leave it to him to study. We are shocked when he failed some of his tests which had never happen before. We are in crisis mode and sit down with him to go through all his subjects and works. When he found out that his good friend got exemption from some subjects, and he got to revise the whole year work for exam, I am not sure whether that cause him to finally wake up or found his fighting spirit, he worked really hard for his final exam. His final MSG of less than 2 surprise us and are even much better than those that have exemption.We hope this will give him confident that he can achieve good results if he put effort in his study and lifted his competitive spirit to do better in Y2.
Your DS has not only done well academically at EOY. I am sure he is more mature and resilent over this 1 year. All the best to him for Sec 2, hope he continues to enjoy and benefit from his journey in HCI. -
ControllerOfTime:
Are we able to buy the PE Attire outside from school?
As far as I know I don't think anyone gets it from outside. Probably not available outside of school. -
Hi, does anyone know where I can get 2nd hand textbooks for my DS who is in Y3 next year? Please PM me if u know. The books I am looking for are:
1) Additional Maths 360
2) Additional Maths 360 (E-book)
3) Additional maths (bundled)
4) All about Physics O level (textbook/e-book)
5) All about chemistry o level (textbook/e-book)
6) Stand Alone
7) Of Mice and Men
Social Studies Textbook 3
Thank you. Really appreciate it. -
Anyone here know when next year sec 3 boarding programme will be open for application?
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Otah:
Anyone here know when next year sec 3 boarding programme will be open for application?
Students can opt to stay either year 3 term 2 or term 3 or year 4 term 1. The application will usually be open few weeks before the intended stay.
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