From PSLE to University
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2ppaamm:
2ppaamm, thank you for answering my questions
A lot of bodies out there that monitors. The Americas have at least 4 of them. Surf the net, look for accredited high school programs. You will come across many, many.
The ones Singaporeans are used to include: EPGY (this is Stanford University's program) - I have some experience with them - they very proud leh. But that's a very recognized program.
Another very well known program is John Hopkins. They conduct tests to identify early high school students frequently. Check out all the high school programs conducted by the universities (also many - I can think of Maryland and Indiana), they are all accredited and recognized.
There are also those run commercially. http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-degrees/online-high-school-courses.htm Don't write them off simply because they are commercially run.
One more thing, there are some you can attend a graduation, some without a gown graduation. See what your kids like. Also check the age criteria to start. Some states do not allow children below 14 to start a high school program. Write to these schools and check all these out. Choose one relevant to your child.
There may be tests they need to take. It is almost safe to say that if your child score A or A* for Math at PSLE, they will breeze through the tests. But note the gifted programs, these are hard to ace.
Most of these programs are also expensive, definitely more than your school sup fees. So calculate carefully here, and plan accordingly. They are still cheaper than international schools, and all your years of books and tuition add up!
Hope this helps!
Yes, I've heard of EPGY before. We really appreciate your sharing.
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2ppaamm:
Nope. Self-studying my way through (not very effective because I lack the discipline lol)
No, just do the diploma during hols, since they are modular. Did you do any course to prepare for the SAT? There are some you can take on the net. Why are you taking the SAT if you are taking A or IB? Going to a American U? They also recognize both of these. Or are you super kiasu? :lol: Don't be lah.
Haha thinking about it! American Unis don't recognize A levels as an alternative to SATs, unforunately. It's mandatory to take SAT I + SAT IIs or ACT are nearly all universities. Annoying but what to do. I wouldn't take the test if I didn't have to! (Waste money + time)
Oh well, I'm far too old for the diploma programme. Better stick it out for one more year and hope to do well for A levels!
Thanks for the sharing! :udawoman: -
fairydust3:
Ya lor. In my job, I work with undergraduates from different countries. It is not the ones who score As through the Singapore system pipeline that survive well in the U. My son, when he was 14 then, gave me a good 15 minutes lecture while I was driving him one day. He told me the difference between learning and studying. He said he loves to learn but he hates studying. Sadly, our system believes everyone should study and study. How many enjoy the studying, but everyone loves to learn - that's what he told me?
I completely agree. And our students may do well academically, but they are, to put it bluntly, absolutely clueless when it comes to general knowledge, world issues and application of what we are taught.JonC:
Wow.
Great to read such an interesting article.
Anyway, I personally do not like Singapore's education system, we are producing rebots, not students.
We study; we do not learn - and I find that rather sad..
Yep, we also do not need robots. When the boss says \"jump\" their response is \"how high?\". Typical and need to change. Let's give our children more. Let's give them the love for learning and a head on their shoulders instead of just following instructions and have that 'find-out-what-teacher-want-and-give-so-to-score'. Let them do what they love, and not what we parents or the school or the government want.
To change the next generation, we need to start with our kids. We don't need children who ace the TMSS* that the MOE boasts about. Up till 14, we are great. But we don't need just great primary and secondary schools, we need great universities that will produce great minds and Nobel prize winners. Testimony: when will we stop sending our best brains overseas to be trained?
We don't need age group medalists at international sports events, we need Olympic champions. We need people with passion who will steer our world, not just followers. Right now, our best sports people retire at 'a ripe old age of 19'!!! Others start at 22! We don't need to burn them out at a young age so that they lose all of their passion and zest for something they used to love, in exchange for a kiasu system, that sees us stumbling on each other.
*International comparison of kids ability across different countries, up to 14, Singaporean kids will ace the Maths and Science. After that? Silence...
Ha ha, here I go again with my rumbling... -
micko07:
If you are doing the SAT to get into the American Us, then you don't really need to do the HSD, as long as you have proof of a 12-year study program. For this, even your mum's endorsement can do, if you were homeschooled. Just study hard for the SAT. There are a lot of good preparation sites for SAT, follow them closely. If you prepare well, you will definitely ace that. Can almost guarantee that. Try again if you don't do well. SAT is one test you can repeatedly take. The next test is in Feb. There are lots of tricks you can learn in 100 days, just like any other exams... ha ha... beats having to study for 2 years for A levels, hor? :lol:
Nope. Self-studying my way through (not very effective because I lack the discipline lol)
Haha thinking about it! American Unis don't recognize A levels as an alternative to SATs, unforunately. It's mandatory to take SAT I + SAT IIs or ACT are nearly all universities. Annoying but what to do. I wouldn't take the test if I didn't have to! (Waste money + time)
Oh well, I'm far too old for the diploma programme. Better stick it out for one more year and hope to do well for A levels!
Thanks for the sharing! :udawoman: -
tacit:
Yes, I've heard of EPGY before. We really appreciate your sharing.
O, I'm talking about the EPGY High School program here, not the ad hoc programs for the gifted youth that they conduct. Remember the difference. The former will get you a Diploma, the latter doesn't. Tread carefully. -
Hi 2ppaamm,
Thank you so much for sharing. Your children are very fortunate to have wise parents like you to guide them.
But it looks a little too late for my son, who has spent the last 3 months relaxing when he should be pursuing his diploma. Honestly, I feel like I've short-changed him, due to my ignorance on alternatives. He's an intelligent and independent child, scoring higher than his ge cohort average and didnt slog either. So, I really wished that you'd shared this with us much earlier.
And with secondary school starting next week, his holidays would also be jam packed with activities. Though its too late to benefit us, I really hope parents out there will sit up and do the research for their kids.
btw, your honest opinion, please. If parents have no connections with principals and what-nots, plus dont have more than 20k to spare for that all impt diploma and whatever tests reqd before reaching the U, is this path still possible? -
chamonix:
Hi Chamonix,Hi 2ppaamm,
Like the rest, a big thanks for sharing!
Just one question, is there any age limit or other minimum requirements for taking the diploma courses? Or is the child allowed to enrol for the courses once he/she passes the entry tests?
Since it's modular based and no time constraint, I am just wondering if it is possible to start the kids younger, say at primary school level?
Pardon my asking cos there is a chance my kids might not stay in the local education system. So, I'm interested in looking out for all possibilities.
Many thanks.
Depending on where you get your program from, some high schools do have an age limit, while others don't, and are merit-based solely. But honestly, I feel that starting a high school program meant for a 15 year old (Sec 3) at too young an age may not be the best for the kids.
For example, the literature syllables need some maturity and enough exposure to GK. I read all the literature books in my son's program, and some of them are pretty 'cheem', they deal with Civil Disobedience for example. This writer's beliefs and how he went to jail because his beliefs clash with the governments (a bit like the Jehovah Witness going to jail because they refuse to hold arms in Singapore). I'm just wondering how a 10-year-old or 11-year-old digest that. :?
Maybe my kids are more immature or I'm more protective? :roll:
Prior to secondary, I still like our Singapore syllables for Maths(minus all the tuition and all the kiasu teachers with their supplementary classes after school, I signed my kids out of all those.) Can't say the same for English and Science, though, but guai guai followed. - No time to research, lah. Having said that, my oldest kid started using EPGY at P5. He was getting poor marks in Maths in school (because he has only 1 step to all the questions, correct answers but no marks because he has no steps), so I used that to teach him algebra, he used algebra and subsequently topped the school in the prelims (99.5/100) and A* in PSLE. Ha ha, so much for the model method they teach - bull shit, they all fall back to algebra in the end! (Similar results for all my kids who went through PSLE.) Modeling can only go so far.
If you are homeschooling your kid, think about using the Maths syllables also, the Americans are using our Maths program. Add a week of Algebra to make it complete. Check this out. http://www.singaporemath.com/ :rahrah: -
mathsparks:
Hi Mathsparks,Hi 2ppaamm,
Thank you so much for sharing. Your children are very fortunate to have wise parents like you to guide them.
But it looks a little too late for my son, who has spent the last 3 months relaxing when he should be pursuing his diploma. Honestly, I feel like I've short-changed him, due to my ignorance on alternatives. He's an intelligent and independent child, scoring higher than his ge cohort average and didnt slog either. So, I really wished that you'd shared this with us much earlier.
And with secondary school starting next week, his holidays would also be jam packed with activities. Though its too late to benefit us, I really hope parents out there will sit up and do the research for their kids.
btw, your honest opinion, please. If parents have no connections with principals and what-nots, plus dont have more than 20k to spare for that all impt diploma and whatever tests reqd before reaching the U, is this path still possible?
IMHO, not possible. Without a parent and without a school, it is impossible to reach university in this society. BUT, if you have either one, (you don't need both), you CAN reach the university, one faster, one slower. I went on the cheap, my kids' diploma cost only US$2K each.
You kid is still very young leh.... My P6 girl has not even started, she also spent the last 3 months relaxing and overseas. She has been pestering me, and I will start her only later in Jan or March, depending on her school schedule, and what she wants to do. Of all my kids, this one seems the most immature, so I'm watching her first. This one is looking to go to music conservatory, and play the piano forever. :lol: For music conservatory, there's no need to do SAT, so the HSD is all she needs.
What does your kid like/want to be? Have you helped him find that out? Staying in RI (I believe), and GE might be what he wants to do. Then, he should. Because it is a great school. I remember my son coming home from RI and lamenting how he cannot hold a conversation about atoms the whole recess with his school mates. He thought they were nerds. He was more interested in drawing anime. So, my job was to provide lots of paper and pencil and books on anime. When he was ready, he started his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation) course.
If your kid is happy in the system, then don't pull him out. He might resent you for that. That price is too high, for just a few years ahead of his peers.
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thanks for your reply, 2ppaamm. but I meant is it possible if parents don have connections. Then again, is it possible to get the diploma just by studying during the holidays. Perhaps you can set up a consultancy service to guide clueless parents who're interested in alternatives. That'll sure give dr peh a run for his money. :evil:
And since you're here helping us, why dont you be generous, might as well éä½éå°č„æļ¼ and tell us more details like out of so many modules, how many are required to get that diploma before applying to our local u.
Maybe if mine gives up French, he can still make time to pick up that diploma.
I've checked out this link http://epgy.stanford.edu/applyandregister/tuition.html
Am I on the right track?
:thankyou: so much for your reply. :salute: -
Someone asked, and I am responding:
What are the issues you've encountered with a younger child in the uni? do they have any social issues? Hubby and I keep discussing this part.
My son is at least 7 years younger. There's even a classmate who is 14 years older than him.
Issues:
1. His thinking became soooo old. He thinks he is smarter than me sometimes when it comes to certain issues. (Unfortunately, he is...
) Have to be realistic, undergrads are smarter than most of their parents. So, it is not perculiar to my son. Once in a while, I outsmart him (I just did that a moment ago), and he smiled and gave me a kiss - ha ha... My job is to accept that he is a teenager but he knows some things better than me and I have to humble myself in such circumstances.
2. He is not allowed to go drinking with his friends. Underaged what! Also, I gave him a good sex education and how he might be different from his friends. (Be realistic, undergrads are doing \"it\".) He has no interest in that so far, but coming from a boys' school since pri, he seems to accept girls more readily now than his peers. Good or bad?
3. He is the only one who needs an endorsement when the class goes for location lesson outside the university. His professors have to give me/hubby a call. Others are over 21, so no need for that.
4. Not all influence from the U is good. For example, there are those who hate the army, and I don't like that. I have to reverse that by bringing him to Lim Boh Seng memorial and to Sentosa Surrender Chamber to let him know why NS is important.
5. He studies too late. A lot of project work so he has to stay very late in school. The whole cohort stay very late. For a young child, I want him to sleep a bit more, but he needs to finish his work. Wondering if 11 p.m. is too late to sleep for a 15 year old.
6. Sports is definitely neglected. For a State representative, he is sorely missing out on practice. Though he still manages to hold his position, I hope he can do so till he reaches his army at 18. It is a waste to let your sport go.
7. Socially, no problem, they rope him in completely. He is having a lot of fun.
8. Work wise, he is not the top, but I don't need him to be the top student. I'm ok with him just getting a pass. (If you need your child to graduate with top honours, I'll be the wrong person to ask, that's never my requirement.)
9. No scholarship. Two reasons, I never bothered to apply for one. Secondly, most scholarships require the student to finish NS if they are males. He does not qualify. If yours is a daughter, you will qualify.
10. Terrible language. But this happens to other kids as well. Why must everything be punctuated with 'damn' and 'hell' and 'freaking'. But these words are also heard in good secondary schools. I had hoped by mixing with older kids, he will not pick these up.
11. He had to grow up pretty fast. In the U, parents are not involved, so he has to book lecturer's time for consultation, he has to go chase for marks and ask for regrade, ask for comments, ask for syllables, ask for mercy (ha ha), he is basically on his own. Some difficulty in first semester (he is used to mummy doing all these in sec school), but he is pretty apt at this now. I had to also teach him how to 'behave' to get good grades, e.g. always ask good questions, always be punctual, always give face to lecturer. Things many of our youngsters forget.
Hope this helps!
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