Secondary School Selection 2012

[alng]

Hi all,


Would like to have your opinion on this: is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? This is not off topic but it is got to do with the choice of sec school that my dd would choose. She is in a primary school that has a reasonably good affiliated sec school which is also offering IP. Say she qualifies for RGS and NYGH with a t score of 264, should she stay put or move. If she stays, she will be in top class. If she moves to RGS or NYGH, she is just another digit there.

TIA.

[janet88]

alng:

Hi all,


Would like to have your opinion on this: is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? This is not off topic but it is got to do with the choice of sec school that my dd would choose. She is in a primary school that has a reasonably good affiliated sec school which is also offering IP. Say she qualifies for RGS and NYGH with a t score of 264, should she stay put or move. If she stays, she will be in top class. If she moves to RGS or NYGH, she is just another digit there.

TIA.

My opinion - stay put.
She will be in top class if she does.
My daughter is in a primary school with affiliated sec. I hope she does very well and go to the top class in her affiliated sec. You have my vote.

[jtoh]

alng:

Hi all,


Would like to have your opinion on this: is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? This is not off topic but it is got to do with the choice of sec school that my dd would choose. She is in a primary school that has a reasonably good affiliated sec school which is also offering IP. Say she qualifies for RGS and NYGH with a t score of 264, should she stay put or move. If she stays, she will be in top class. If she moves to RGS or NYGH, she is just another digit there.

TIA.

Hi alng, if I'm not mistaken your dd's secondary school's IP is new and she'll be in the first batch of IP students? Given that the new JC is untested I say go for an established IP school. Having said that I can see the dilemma you might be in because if she's in the top class she will be given many opportunities. But who's to say she won't be given opportunities in RGS or NYGH if she proves herself? And in the medium term, would you prefer her to go to an established IP school or be in the pioneer batch of an untested JC?

[Crester]

alng:

Hi all,


Would like to have your opinion on this: is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? This is not off topic but it is got to do with the choice of sec school that my dd would choose. She is in a primary school that has a reasonably good affiliated sec school which is also offering IP. Say she qualifies for RGS and NYGH with a t score of 264, should she stay put or move. If she stays, she will be in top class. If she moves to RGS or NYGH, she is just another digit there.

TIA.

Hello,
Firstly, envy yr dd for able to qualify for RGS/NYGH.
Next, if her feeder Sec sch is an IP Sch, it must be a very gd n renowned sch!
To get into its feeder Sec sch is a privilege.
I wd say go back to feeder Sec sch- familiar environment n most imply she will be in the top class. It will motivate n boast her morale even more.
Morale in a child is very impt.
Btw, yr dd's sch is in Upper Bukit Timah /Dunean Rd
or AMK, rite ? Just kaypo,if u don't mind.
Just my 2 cents worth.

[MotherHen]

jtoh:

alng:

Hi all,


Would like to have your opinion on this: is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? This is not off topic but it is got to do with the choice of sec school that my dd would choose. She is in a primary school that has a reasonably good affiliated sec school which is also offering IP. Say she qualifies for RGS and NYGH with a t score of 264, should she stay put or move. If she stays, she will be in top class. If she moves to RGS or NYGH, she is just another digit there.

TIA.

Hi alng, if I'm not mistaken your dd's secondary school's IP is new and she'll be in the first batch of IP students? Given that the new JC is untested I say go for an established IP school. Having said that I can see the dilemma you might be in because if she's in the top class she will be given many opportunities. But who's to say she won't be given opportunities in RGS or NYGH if she proves herself? And in the medium term, would you prefer her to go to an established IP school or be in the pioneer batch of an untested JC?

I agree with jtoh. If the T-score permits, I would rather go for an established IP school rather than be the pioneer batch in an untested IP program. I believe that iron sharpens iron, and I'm sure your dd will thrive equally well in RGS / NYGH.

[ruohoo97]

Yes,I will vote for jtoh, if she can, go for the higher ground.

[alng]

Thanks to all who have replied.


jtoh and MotherHen, the untested JC is one of our considerations. Once committed, she does not even given a chance to get transfer at JC1. Frankly, I am ok with her staying put but my dh prefers the Raffles brandname.

Crester, yes, one of those schools you have mentioned :-). She is doing well in school so if no hiccups, she is likely to qualify for better schools.

What if what she has to give up is more than the top class, she is currently a President of a CCA club and one of the leaders of the prefectorial board…if she moves on to affiliated sec school, her leadership position is likely to be at the same or higher level.

My dd will have the final say in which sec school she goes to. The parents decide on her primary school but she will have the final say on her sec school. She is monitoring this forum as well.

Thanks!

[MotherHen]

Hi alng,


It seems your dd is doing very well .

Like you, I'm leaving the final decision to my dd as well (even though Mummy here has got her own \"dream school\" :oops: ). After all, dd's the one who will have to go to the school for the next 4 to 6 years.

All the best to your dd!!

[alng]

MotherHen:

Hi alng,


It seems your dd is doing very well .

Like you, I'm leaving the final decision to my dd as well (even though Mummy here has got her own \"dream school\" :oops: ). After all, dd's the one who will have to go to the school for the next 4 to 6 years.

All the best to your dd!!

Thanks MotherHen! Is your dd doing PSLE this year too? All the best to your dd too!

[jtoh]

Hi alng,


I can see your dilemma even more clearly now that you’ve written that your dd has strong leadership positions too. I suppose if she stays on in her current school she’ll have the opportunity to help mould and shape the new JC especially given her leadership positions. But so little is known of this new JC. As it is the schools haven’t even revealed where the new JC will be sited, just a vague indication of where it might be.

One thing to consider is when she goes on to uni, will her choice of JC affect her application, especially to overseas unis? Given that she’ll probably do as well academically at her A levels regardless of whether she’s at RI, HCI or XXJC, will having an established JC name help more?