IP, IB vs A Levels
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harini:
Is it true that RI may be offering IB soon ?
Highly unlikely. From what I've heard, they would like different independent schools to offer different programs so it's likely that RI and HCI will continue with the A Levels in the foreseeable future. -
There is less emphasis on Chinese Language in IB.
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PSLE 2012:
I think RI wanted to since its well known but guess approval by MOE not granted.harini:
Is it true that RI may be offering IB soon ?
Highly unlikely. From what I've heard, they would like different independent schools to offer different programs so it's likely that RI and HCI will continue with the A Levels in the foreseeable future.
http://rafflespa-pri-message.blogspot.sg/2010/06/ask-mrs-lim-may-2010.html -
I have gone through the IB programme. The way ACS (Indep) runs the IB programme is very pressuring towards students, seems to be run very much like ‘A’ levels. Class tests, exams, graded coursework, think of topics for graded coursework, focus camp, etc. I think the thinking of topics for graded coursework is the headache part. I don’t think a preuniversity course is worth the headaches of thinking of your own topics for graded coursework, and not only that, the topics must be relevant and allow one to fulfil the marking criteria. Singapore ‘A’ levels underwent a revamp a couple of years ago which shows changes can be made to the Singapore ‘A’ levels. As the ‘A’ levels is widely recognised locally and overseas, the ‘A’ levels is a fully viable option. Therefore, I would recommend the ‘A’ levels as I feel that the IB experience is not better. More expensive, and not better, so why waste money??
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What are IB-options for students unable to get in good JC because L1R5 highly driven by score in Maths & Science subjets.
Have listed some… add new one offering
ACS-I
SJI
All international schools
Global indian school -
though this is an old post, but it makes me understand where does psle stress come from
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Serafiel:
Anyone knows what CLEP stands for? Thkslol, I got 7A1s and 3A2s and just managed to squeeze in HC lor.
It's really very hard to get in here.
She should have just taken CLEP.
Because 3pters are a lot... -
appreciate detailed analysis & info provided
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phtthp:
appreciate detailed analysis & info provided
Wow....this is an very old posting of vks2010....guess was one of his longest posting.....
Indeed detailed info....informative for parents who are unsure of IP route for their kids.... -
ruohoo97:
though this is an old post, but it makes me understand where does psle stress come from
Of course stressed lah. Assuming the cohort size is 45,000, of which 50% are boys, and with RI intake at 450, u need to be the TOP 2% in SG to get in, or wait for kids in this 2% to give up their seats coz they rather be somewhere else.
Top 2% leh!! How not to be stressed? -
Nebbermind:
But surely RI hasn't shrunk in % terms, meaning that in the past, did it take more than the top 2% of students? I think it's aspirations that have grown, not that the chances of getting into the handful of top schools has decreased.ruohoo97:
though this is an old post, but it makes me understand where does psle stress come from
Of course stressed lah. Assuming the cohort size is 45,000, of which 50% are boys, and with RI intake at 450, u need to be the TOP 2% in SG to get in, or wait for kids in this 2% to give up their seats coz they rather be somewhere else.
Top 2% leh!! How not to be stressed? -
But IP is risky in that if you screw up your As you don’t have an O level cert to fall back on.
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Then just repeat your A levels.
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Nowaday, even a degree don’t guarantee you anything. Don’t have to mention about A level cert. Is even more true with O level cert.
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jtoh:
Then just repeat your A levels.
I dont think so easy to repeat esp if you are a boy and your results are neither here or there.....NS is pending..... -
slmkhoo:
But surely RI hasn't shrunk in % terms, meaning that in the past, did it take more than the top 2% of students? I think it's aspirations that have grown, not that the chances of getting into the handful of top schools has decreased.[/quote]Cohort size used to be around 360 some 20-30 years ago. % wise I understand to be around 1%.Nebbermind:
[quote=\"ruohoo97\"]though this is an old post, but it makes me understand where does psle stress come from
Of course stressed lah. Assuming the cohort size is 45,000, of which 50% are boys, and with RI intake at 450, u need to be the TOP 2% in SG to get in, or wait for kids in this 2% to give up their seats coz they rather be somewhere else.
Top 2% leh!! How not to be stressed?
But then RJC were not all filled with RI/RGS students; at least 30% of the cohort did not go to RJC even with a 2 points affiliation. Some crossed over to HCJC/NJC and a lot did not make it. And HCJC were an even more mixed lot.
Now 40-50% of the places in RI and RGS were \"booked\" from a test conducted in P3 which screens for the top 1% at the age of 9 years old. The entire cohort in RI/RGS/HCI/NYGH remains intact from Year1 to Year6 with a minuscule number of places available for O level entrants. -
AWSP:
Your numbers above may not be correct.
Cohort size used to be around 360 some 20-30 years ago. % wise I understand to be around 1%.
But then RJC are not all filled with RI/RGS students; at least 30% of the cohort did not go to RJC even with a 2 points affiliation. Some cross over to HCJC/NJC and a lot did not make it. And HCJC were an even more mixed lot.
Now 40-50% of the places in RI and RGS were \"booked\" from a test conducted in P3 which screens for the top 1% at the age of 9 years old. The entire cohort in RI/RGS/HCI/NYGH remains intact from Year1 to Year6 with a minuscule number of places available.
Now 40-50% of the places in RI and RGS were \"booked\"
This is assuming all the GEP students end up in these 2 schools. Since there are GEP students in other IP and non-IP schools, the % \"booked\" can't be so high.
The entire cohort in RI/RGS/HCI/NYGH remains intact from Year1 to Year6 with a minuscule number of places available
The intake at Year 5 for RI and HCI is not really \"minuscule\", because they take in more than 20% O Level students at Year 5.
Bottom line, as long as the total intake of these \"top schools\" are not reduced and assuming their popularity stays about the same, the level of competition to get a place in these schools should be about the same, with or without GEP, IP. -
AWSP:
What would you define as miniscule?
Cohort size used to be around 360 some 20-30 years ago. % wise I understand to be around 1%.
But then RJC were not all filled with RI/RGS students; at least 30% of the cohort did not go to RJC even with a 2 points affiliation. Some crossed over to HCJC/NJC and a lot did not make it. And HCJC were an even more mixed lot.
Now 40-50% of the places in RI and RGS were \"booked\" from a test conducted in P3 which screens for the top 1% at the age of 9 years old. The entire cohort in RI/RGS/HCI/NYGH remains intact from Year1 to Year6 with a minuscule number of places available for O level entrants. -
AWSP:
:stompfeet: Kids have less chance to interact with others who are from different social-economic and academic background. By the nature of meritocracy, those who are in top schools have higher chance to rise up to be society leaders,....but by then perhaps they might have exclusived themselves too much to know the social reality.
Cohort size used to be around 360 some 20-30 years ago. % wise I understand to be around 1%.
But then RJC were not all filled with RI/RGS students; at least 30% of the cohort did not go to RJC even with a 2 points affiliation. Some crossed over to HCJC/NJC and a lot did not make it. And HCJC were an even more mixed lot.
Now 40-50% of the places in RI and RGS were \"booked\" from a test conducted in P3 which screens for the top 1% at the age of 9 years old. The entire cohort in RI/RGS/HCI/NYGH remains intact from Year1 to Year6 with a minuscule number of places available for O level entrants. -
Skyed:
But IP is risky in that if you screw up your As you don't have an O level cert to fall back on.
think parents need to know their child best.
every child is different.
think IP curriculum is independent, like study university style.
A lot of exposure and much more research based independent projects to work upon. Like give you a topic - child go and research on their own, given supervision.
on the other hand -
some parents prefer the Traditional O level route. It is safer !
although some kids' PSLE score qualify them to enter IP track, but some parents feel safer to stick to the O level road - because got teachers to teach and guide them, follow the more structured systematic curriculum, step by step. They worry that if everything hinges on that A level cert and should something happen last minute (screw up A level) and child can't enter local uni (for whatever reasons), then child got to go overseas uni. But due to financial reasons, not every parent can afford or fork out a huge sum of $ to send their child go overseas uni. Not every parent willing to sell away the HDB house to downgrade to a smaller one, in order to raise funds for overseas education. Nowadays, the cost of minimal 3 or 4 yrs education overseas uni easily cost minimal half a million. Hence, there're still parents who prefer to stick to the Traditional O level route, because got teachers to guide and teach children step by step. Some parents feel that Sec 1 to Sec 4 - the children are still young. They still need guidance from Sec school teachers to teach & to guide them. They may not be ready for university independent style like IP program yet. Not all kids can study on their own independently. Different kids - different stroke ! Parents really need to know & understand their child best.
example:
for this pioneering batch of SCGS / CHS / SNGS (kids born 2000, yr of dragon) -
everything is so new!
Come what may - like it or not, at end of JC2 (ie. yr 2018), they'll be competing with all A level students from those well established IP JCs like RI, HCI, Victoria JC, etc - in ALL faculties ! Thus, simply can't afford the new JC to have any hiccup or glitch whatsoever in their pioneering first batch maiden A level curriculum.
in contrast, the O level curriculum for SCGS / SNGS / MGS is very, very strong, been proven many years ! There're bound to be parents who prefer & will stick to the traditional O level route.