DSA 2012

[jtoh]

VALyap:

krz:

I had a dream. I dreamt it's 267, 3x A* + A ...... Been buying 4d since then

Mt was the A

Hi, good to dream, with all good intention, just to manage expectation, 3A* + A will not get 267. Till now have not heard of any case even with high 3A* + A =267, that is the T-score using SD.. just in case, if you looking at 4A*, then definitely is possible! Good luck and best wishes :xedfingers:

Yes it's possible to get >267 with 3A* + 1A. I know of someone who did.

[Ma.025875ma]

My son was in GEP. The DSA experience was very quite stressful for us. We didn’t know he needed 80% to have to avoid the GAT test or that HMT was a plus for some schools (which he didn’t have). We did not feel we had any advantage to other students during the dsa. Compared to the GEP or non-GEP students who had glowing academic grades, competition results, excellent cca etc, during the process, we thought we did not do good enough by him to help him get that kind of trackrecord. He made it through the dsa for one school based on his entry test results, was waitlisted on another. A number of his classmates in GEP received rejections. We learnt our lesson the hard way - that the system is entirely based on merit. It doesn’t matter if you are in GEP or not, the schools we applied to selected entirely on merit. When he entered the school in sec1, there were many non-GEP boys with excellent results in the school, many better than him. At most there were only a handful of gep boys and boys who came in under non-academic domains that were slightly under the official cutoff. Just on that basis, it isn’t really the case that the gep students get preferred. In fact, if you were rejected in dsa, but your psle was way above the school cut-off, even as a gep, you can’t get in to some of the schools.


Also, by the time you finish the first half of the year in s1, there is hardly any difference btw a gep or non-gep boy. It was this and the whole dsa exercise, that we learnt the lesson that its all about merit. We decided to make him be more serious about his studies, instead of relying on the fact he had been in gep, that he could get by. This led to v good results in sec1 and2, and achieved what he didn’t in primary school. Two points - it is all about merit. And, psle isn’t THE exam. If you look at the subjects in s1 to JC and then to uni - it is a whole variety, and the journey is a long one, far far beyond psle. There are many opportunities to excel along the way and that one process (or any one process) does not define the child’s entire future.

[Melodies]

Ma'ma:

My son was in GEP. The DSA experience was very quite stressful for us. We didn't know he needed 80% to have to avoid the GAT test or that HMT was a plus for some schools (which he didn't have). We did not feel we had any advantage to other students during the dsa. Compared to the GEP or non-GEP students who had glowing academic grades, competition results, excellent cca etc, during the process, we thought we did not do good enough by him to help him get that kind of trackrecord. He made it through the dsa for one school based on his entry test results, was waitlisted on another. A number of his classmates in GEP received rejections. We learnt our lesson the hard way - that the system is entirely based on merit. It doesn't matter if you are in GEP or not, the schools we applied to selected entirely on merit. When he entered the school in sec1, there were many non-GEP boys with excellent results in the school, many better than him. At most there were only a handful of gep boys and boys who came in under non-academic domains that were slightly under the official cutoff. Just on that basis, it isn't really the case that the gep students get preferred. In fact, if you were rejected in dsa, but your psle was way above the school cut-off, even as a gep, you can't get in to some of the schools.


Also, by the time you finish the first half of the year in s1, there is hardly any difference btw a gep or non-gep boy. It was this and the whole dsa exercise, that we learnt the lesson that its all about merit. We decided to make him be more serious about his studies, instead of relying on the fact he had been in gep, that he could get by. This led to v good results in sec1 and2, and achieved what he didn't in primary school. Two points - it is all about merit. And, psle isn't THE exam. If you look at the subjects in s1 to JC and then to uni - it is a whole variety, and the journey is a long one, far far beyond psle. There are many opportunities to excel along the way and that one process (or any one process) does not define the child's entire future.

The part highlighted in blue is something new to me! I don't think it is correct.
Regardless of GEP or non-GEP, if your psle is way above the school cut-off, the schools have to accept you though you were rejected in dsa. If they don't, you have right to complain to MOE!

[Ma.025875ma]

Melodies, i may not have been clear. It is the case if you have accepted another dsa offer

[Melodies]

Thanks for the clarification. It makes sense now. Yes, after accepting another DSA offer, you can't change now.

Ma'ma:

Melodies, i may not have been clear. It is the case if you have accepted another dsa offer

[Mum101]

octoberbaby:

why GEP students can get thru DSA easily? even interview fail, these students clinch a place.


We need a transparency from the way MOE produce the results of PSLE. New South Wales results are very impressive, they list down which part of domain that are weak, etc.

I am not sure if the statement about GEP students can get thru DSA easily is true.

From my experience (my son is in GEP), it is absolutely NOT true. GEP students need to have aggregate score of 80% for their exams in GEP 4 to GEP P6 SA consistently to be exempted from the GAT or HAST (entry test).

Interviews are compulsory for all GEP pupils.

Those score 80% and above and those pass GAT/HAST MUST go thru' interviews.

I know of many GEP boys who did not score 80% are not offered any confirmed offers, some on waitlist and some rejections for all schools they applied.

I also know of some girls whose aggregate score is 84% and above(not easy for GEP) and consistently recognise as high achievers are not given confirmed offer for the dream school they hope to go to.

Also, no one will know if you fail or pass interview. There is no right or wrong answers in interview. Interviews are usually conducted to assess suitability beyond academic results.

[Nebbermind]

Mum101:

I am not sure if the statement about GEP students can get thru DSA easily is true.

From my experience (my son is in GEP), it is absolutely NOT true. GEP students need to have aggregate score of 80% for their exams in GEP 4 to GEP P6 SA consistently to be exempted from the GAT or HAST (entry test).

Interviews are compulsory for all GEP pupils.

Those score 80% and above and those pass GAT/HAST MUST go thru' interviews.

I know of many GEP boys who did not score 80% are not offered any confirmed offers, some on waitlist and some rejections for all schools they applied.

I also know of some girls whose aggregate score is 84% and above(not easy for GEP) and consistently recognise as high achievers are not given confirmed offer for the dream school they hope to go to.

Also, no one will know if you fail or pass interview. There is no right or wrong answers in interview. Interviews are usually conducted to assess suitability beyond academic results.

Perhaps it will be more informative if the DSA schools are identified in such discussions so that we donch end up challenging one another coz we are actually talking about diff schools.

[cluelessmama]

Mum101:

octoberbaby:

why GEP students can get thru DSA easily? even interview fail, these students clinch a place.


We need a transparency from the way MOE produce the results of PSLE. New South Wales results are very impressive, they list down which part of domain that are weak, etc.

I am not sure if the statement about GEP students can get thru DSA easily is true.

From my experience (my son is in GEP), it is absolutely NOT true. GEP students need to have aggregate score of 80% for their exams in GEP 4 to GEP P6 SA consistently to be exempted from the GAT or HAST (entry test).

Interviews are compulsory for all GEP pupils.

Those score 80% and above and those pass GAT/HAST MUST go thru' interviews.

I know of many GEP boys who did not score 80% are not offered any confirmed offers, some on waitlist and some rejections for all schools they applied.

I also know of some girls whose aggregate score is 84% and above(not easy for GEP) and consistently recognise as high achievers are not given confirmed offer for the dream school they hope to go to.

Also, no one will know if you fail or pass interview. There is no right or wrong answers in interview. Interviews are usually conducted to assess suitability beyond academic results.

Yes, what you say is true because that's the scenario I saw this year.

[sinoboy]

cluelessmama:

Mum101:

[quote=\"octoberbaby\"]why GEP students can get thru DSA easily? even interview fail, these students clinch a place.


We need a transparency from the way MOE produce the results of PSLE. New South Wales results are very impressive, they list down which part of domain that are weak, etc.

I am not sure if the statement about GEP students can get thru DSA easily is true.

From my experience (my son is in GEP), it is absolutely NOT true. GEP students need to have aggregate score of 80% for their exams in GEP 4 to GEP P6 SA consistently to be exempted from the GAT or HAST (entry test).

Interviews are compulsory for all GEP pupils.

Those score 80% and above and those pass GAT/HAST MUST go thru' interviews.

I know of many GEP boys who did not score 80% are not offered any confirmed offers, some on waitlist and some rejections for all schools they applied.

I also know of some girls whose aggregate score is 84% and above(not easy for GEP) and consistently recognise as high achievers are not given confirmed offer for the dream school they hope to go to.

Also, no one will know if you fail or pass interview. There is no right or wrong answers in interview. Interviews are usually conducted to assess suitability beyond academic results.

Yes, what you say is true because that's the scenario I saw this year.[/quote]Maybe this is to ensure GEP students have no more unfair advantage at DSA , to let PSLE decide if they are really that gifted. Or maybe just let GEP students try to consider other good schools since all schools are good...

[Mum101]

Quote: Perhaps it will be more informative if the DSA schools are identified in such discussions so that we donch end up challenging one another coz we are actually talking about diff schools.


Schools participating in DSA have information in their website. All terms are clearly explained. GEP students applying via GEP domain must have at least 80% to be exempted from GAT/HAST. Interviews apply to all. These are at least the criteria for the 2 school my child applied. Other IP schools would have their criteria stated in their website.

DSA is like job interviews, you won’t expect a prospective employer to discuss why a candidate is not hired. There are many factors in the decision making just like DSA e.g. track records both academically, CCA, other talents, interviews and etc.

If the child is not given confirmed offer in a school he/she applies, it just means that the school does not think he/she is suitable at this time based on what they have now. Of course the child can apply to the same school when PSLE result is out and meets the COP.