DSA 2012
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SHAmum:
Hi Nebbermind,Nebbermind:
[quote=\"SHAmum\"]For those ksp, thinking of chosing sport for DSA, pls choose the sport that dc really enjoy it and suitability of their physical body build and choosen sport.
Er...I always thought the schools will go only for those who are already excelling in their respective sports.
From what I heard, these sport kids are usually already in award winning school teams and any have personal coaches outside. Also, these coaches help to link up (headhunt) to the sec schools which they may also be coaching.
I m appealing to those parents train their kids start fr very young for DSA purpose depending on the school that they want their kid to get in, what I am seeing is that kids suffer the most ( kids can go far fr start young n many hrs they put in but not far enough to get the place and matter worse they r not enjoy it). When I saw those kids, I feel v sad for them and helpless. Some parents are scolding and kids are crying....[/quote]noted.
unfortunately, there are parents who are only interested in the goal and not the process. Same for academic...when kids cannot get into RI or HCI, it's like total failure....*SIGH* -
HVR:
Read in the ST some parents are not happy with DSA, more specifically, they are not happy with GEP students applying for top schools via DSA. They think GEP students are depriving their children a chance to get into those schools. Any solution? Is this majority's view?
It makes sense for the schools to go for what they feel are the safe choice...and in any case, the school mentioned is one of those few top schools with SBGE and so nothing wrong with picking the Geppers so that they can continue in the programme. -
HVR:
Read in the ST some parents are not happy with DSA, more specifically, they are not happy with GEP students applying for top schools via DSA. They think GEP students are depriving their children a chance to get into those schools. Any solution? Is this majority's view?
For those who want to read it online....
Parents call for closer look at direct admission
http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/features/hottopics/1404346/Parents_call_for_closer_look_at_direct_admission.html
Another recent article on DSA
They got in through to theirs school via DSA
http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/features/hottopics/1404348/They_got_in_through_DSA.html -
Worriedpapa:
Worriedpapa,Nothing is a given... I personally think the dsa process for sports (yes, each school will only want the very best... That is the purpose of the DSA!!) is a good experience for some kids. They are learning from young, that if they want something bad enough, they need to put effort and strive to achieve it. Too many kids these days take things for granted which is not necessarily a good grounding for later life!
My DD learnt from P3, when she cleared the GEP first round but did not make the final cut, that she must persevere to succeed. She was very disappointed because her best friend had to move to another school because she made the GEP. We started discussing what she wanted to do and how to achieve that. Since P4, she puts in 10 to 12 hrs training every week and by P6, she is the top rated P6 girl in her sport. Since P5, she practiced and played in international tournaments... There were disappointments along the way of course.. But it was character building.
When the DSA process started, she still did not take anything for granted. Practiced and trained for the school trials... But it has all paid off. Got DSA offers from her top 3 schools with only PSLE 200 hurdle.
Just wanted to share the long journey that my DD went through since P6. Great in building her own self esteem as well. Now she even beats me in
that sport!
May not be the path for every kid but as with everything in life.... Perseverance, Dedication and some talent added together goes a long way.
your gal is really mature at her age. She has done herself proud, not only that she has gotten the top 3 schools' COs but also that she has managed to stand up after failure. This is very impt in life.
I would also like to :salute: you, for always being there to support her & guide her. What a great Papa you are!!!! :rahrah: -
HVR:
Read in the ST some parents are not happy with DSA, more specifically, they are not happy with GEP students applying for top schools via DSA. They think GEP students are depriving their children a chance to get into those schools. Any solution? Is this majority's view?
It happen every year around DSA and GEP time. -
Worriedpapa:
:goodpost:Nothing is a given... I personally think the dsa process for sports (yes, each school will only want the very best... That is the purpose of the DSA!!) is a good experience for some kids. They are learning from young, that if they want something bad enough, they need to put effort and strive to achieve it. Too many kids these days take things for granted which is not necessarily a good grounding for later life!
My DD learnt from P3, when she cleared the GEP first round but did not make the final cut, that she must persevere to succeed. She was very disappointed because her best friend had to move to another school because she made the GEP. We started discussing what she wanted to do and how to achieve that. Since P4, she puts in 10 to 12 hrs training every week and by P6, she is the top rated P6 girl in her sport. Since P5, she practiced and played in international tournaments... There were disappointments along the way of course.. But it was character building.
When the DSA process started, she still did not take anything for granted. Practiced and trained for the school trials... But it has all paid off. Got DSA offers from her top 3 schools with only PSLE 200 hurdle.
Just wanted to share the long journey that my DD went through since P6. Great in building her own self esteem as well. Now she even beats me in
that sport!
May not be the path for every kid but as with everything in life.... Perseverance, Dedication and some talent added together goes a long way. -
slmkhoo:
I think there are many people with children in mainstream hold similar view. My take on this just to share:HVR:
Read in the ST some parents are not happy with DSA, more specifically, they are not happy with GEP students applying for top schools via DSA. They think GEP students are depriving their children a chance to get into those schools. Any solution? Is this majority's view?
My daughter applied through DSA last year but was unsuccessful. I didn't get worked up about unfairness etc as you take the policies as you find them. However, if there is a change that should be made, I would advocate a level playing field for all kids when they face the DSA selection. When some schools have different criteria for GEP and non-GEP students , then it is not a level playing field. I am not referring to those who apply because of high ability in specific areas such as sports, dance, maths etc. However, for at least a couple of the popular schools, the 'general academic' entry is open only to GEP students; there is no similar category for non-GEP students. This works against kids who developed late, or chose to forgo the GEP selection or place, or in my daughter's case, only returned to Singapore just before the PSLE and never took the GEP selection test in the first place.
I believe only very few schools have different DSA (academic) admission process for GEP and mainstream. These could be the schools which have a substantial number of GEP students applying/entering every year.
Their reasons for having different processes? - I don't think it is to give GEP an \"unfair\" advantage, at least I don't think that's the intention. As GEP students had taken standard exams, it is possible for the Sec school to use their school results as a gauge of their academic standard. They can't really apply the same to mainstream schools today because of the varying standard of exams. I am sure you have heard about those killer papers set by some schoosl. It would be really unfair to students from those schools.
The 2nd possible reason could be that the Sec school believes that those GEP students who have met the bar (above 80%?) are most likely going to do very well and get selected anyway even if they are put through the same selection process as the other students. By not requiring them to go through the motion, they can save the time and effort for these students as well as save the school resources.
These are just my reasoning. I didn't hear it from the school or anywhere else. By the way, my DC were not from GEP. DS1 applied for 2 schools through DSA and was rejected by both. This part of the information is irrelevant to our discussion here, but just in case I am accused of trying to keep the \"un-equal\" playing field for my own benefit.
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slmkhoo:
Another reason, I believe, is simply because there are too many applicants and it makes things easier to have a fairly large group that is admitted without too much admin load. However, I do feel that they should have a similar 'general academic' category for non-GEP students. What happens now is that applicants have to be either GEP (all-rounders or with specific abilities)or non-GEP kids who have to have a strong single subject/sport/skill. There is no category for non-GEP all-rounders (in those schools). I know that other schools do not practise this, and I applaud it.
Yes, I am with you on this! -
wonderm:
This year i believe most schools have academic dsa with exception of RIslmkhoo:
Another reason, I believe, is simply because there are too many applicants and it makes things easier to have a fairly large group that is admitted without too much admin load. However, I do feel that they should have a similar 'general academic' category for non-GEP students. What happens now is that applicants have to be either GEP (all-rounders or with specific abilities)or non-GEP kids who have to have a strong single subject/sport/skill. There is no category for non-GEP all-rounders (in those schools). I know that other schools do not practise this, and I applaud it.
Yes, I am with you on this! -
slmkhoo:
slmkhoo, my dd was one of them who failed to make it to interview stage during her RGS dsa. On hindsight, I felt that she should have applied for maths dsa instead of english. Perhaps, the general academic category would have helped but students in this category will anyway qualify through PSLE. Infact my girl qualified to her dream school as well through the PSLE route. The schools are looking for those students who will represent their school and win laurels at the olympiads and other international competitions.HVR:
Read in the ST some parents are not happy with DSA, more specifically, they are not happy with GEP students applying for top schools via DSA. They think GEP students are depriving their children a chance to get into those schools. Any solution? Is this majority's view?
My daughter applied through DSA last year but was unsuccessful. I didn't get worked up about unfairness etc as you take the policies as you find them. However, if there is a change that should be made, I would advocate a level playing field for all kids when they face the DSA selection. When some schools have different criteria for GEP and non-GEP students , then it is not a level playing field. I am not referring to those who apply because of high ability in specific areas such as sports, dance, maths etc. However, for at least a couple of the popular schools, the 'general academic' entry is open only to GEP students; there is no similar category for non-GEP students. This works against kids who developed late, or chose to forgo the GEP selection or place, or in my daughter's case, only returned to Singapore just before the PSLE and never took the GEP selection test in the first place.
I feel that academic DSA should be removed since they will be admitted by PSLE. DSA should only be for arts and sports in mainstream schools.
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