moonee:

Hi all, After reading all posting abt getting into GEP, I tot Iwll just share with u guys a little abt my nephew. My nephew was in a sap school two yrs back. Hes well knwn by nearly all teachers as he is extremly lazy, shows little interst in school work.//teachers have called my brother many times complaining that he does not complete projects and that he seldom hand up his homework. My nephew love computer games and spend whatever time he has on it..,,used to read a lot in p2 but that too came to a halt as he became too engrossed with the pc... anyway he took the GEP test and I think all the teachers nearly fainted when he was selected. No extra study, results in school band2 for english n chinese and band 1 for maths. Now how do we explain that??

MdmKS:

There was a discussiion about this unclear statement made by MOE in this thread about EESIS

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1624&start=15

Under KiasuParents.com Forum Index -> Primary Schools - Academic Preparation and Support->COP for 2008

you may get more inside.

turquoise:

Not true. EESIS is awarded to top 1/3 of all Sec One students based on their PSLE results. This is extracted from the MOE website:


Eligibility
The EESIS are awarded up to the top one-third of the total number of pupils posted to Secondary One in all Independent Schools, based on their PSLE results.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/secondary-one-posting/general-information/edusave-scholarships/

Therefore, so long as a child is in the top 1/3 of students based on his/her PSLE results and opts for an independent secondary school, he/she will be awarded EESIS.

MdmKS:

Can't say unless you have seen the screening Maths questions and able to compare. GEP screening still has a portion on English and GAT. You need to clear these two well also. The one and only one test to decide who are \"gifted\" at P3 is not good enough. Eg, in the case of Lim Jeck, some parents question why he was not in GEP. That's why GAT in DSA process and SMOPS could supplement this to pick them up again. But not fair to them leh, they won't get EESIS when they have confirm DSA. Unlike the P3-GEP students. Well, otherwise, nobody would want to do GEP and GEP programme will not be so so so ... \"successful\" as was claimed.

kiasiparent:

[I believe that GEP Maths screening test is also like Maths olympiad. Its just that its pitched at P3 level. Maybe there will be more IQ questions but at the end of the day, its all testing on the child's aplitude in maths.

turquoise:

I'm confused. Are you talking about GEP or Math Olympiads? The original thread was about GEP tests so I assume you were talking about GEP tests? If so, what has platinum for smops got to do with the GEP test at P3 as kids only take these math olympiads at P6 or at P5 for NMOS?

kiasiparent:

Umm, when i mean 'training in maths olympiad', it could refer to self-training. Like buying an olympiad book and self study.


Anyway, i believe for 99% of the students out there, to get a platinum in smops or equilvalent, one probably needs to undergo some sort of training (either self-study or externally trained).

When i mean 'do well in maths olympiad', i mean nothing less than aplatinum for smops, gold for nmos or SMO.

turquoise:

I disagree that Math Olympiad training is required to do well in the GEP screening and selection tests. All my child's friends who got into GEP did not take any Math Olympiad training nor preparation classes of any sort. Conversely, one of the girls who has been taking Math Olympiad classes for years did not clear the GEP test. She also did poorly at the DSA GAT tests.

Fairy:

Merlion, I do not agree with you on the Parent having to know what the GEP selection test is all about. Our children are the ones taking the test. Why do we need to know? So as to prepare them for the test? If the child is meant to be in the programme, he will be in without any help. Both my children took the screening & the selection tests few years back & until today, I have no idea what the tests are about. Though my younger child was not selected, I accepted the test as fair and have no regrets about not 'preparing' her for it. Though dissapointed, I believe if one's head is not big enough, one should not wear a big hat. We will be happier persons if we are not overwhelmed by stress. I won't be surprised that as the GEP continues, there will be more & more kids in the programme who are Advance learners instead of Gifted learners.

Merlion:

For those parents who already know what GEP Selection Test is all about, this center might not be that useful. But there are a lot of parents out there who have no idea about the selection test, this center might be able to provide you what need to be covered in the selection test. But it is a very high price to pay. Is GEP Selection Test a fair game anymore? I am not so sure. For people who can afford the course will be able to know what kind of questions will be tested in the selection test. This is a huge advantage compare to those who don't know. It is hard to tell from 2 tests (Round 1 and Round 2) whether a kid is \"gifted\" or \"advance\"? To me, GIFTED should be a kid being able to solve a tough question without being \"taught\". ADVANCE is more like a kid being very \"advance\" - has learned / being taught 1 or 2 years material above his level in advance. I do not think all GEP selected kids are gifted. Some of them have gone through a lot of training before they took the test. I consider them as advance, not gifted. These students migth suffer during their 3 years GEP program because GEP is really a tough program.

kiasiparent:

IMO, the question setters are also trying very hard to make sure that questions are set such that they cater to those naturally gifted plus hardworking type. A lot of questions are heavily modified or totally new such that the student must definitely understand the question well in order to score. However, training in maths olympiad is still required to do well.


Thus
(1) Only naturally gifted plus hardworking type students get in.
(2) Those naturally gifted but not hardworking enough may not get in.


The recent NMOS exam round 1 and round 2 is an example. Probably only those who are gifted and yet decently hardworking will get gold. There is only a small % of students scoring gold and significantly higher % of students scoring silver.


EDIT: I believe that GEP screening exams will get harder and harder as we move on. Questions wont repeat or even if they do, they will be heavily modified to make sure that students actually understand. There will be no easy answers where students can guess and get correct. The test will probably be set such that most students will FAIL terribly. Not 10/30 but maybe 7/30. The cutoff point may be just 7 marks to get into round 2 or so.

Anyway, in the recent SMO Junior, the cut off to get silver award is 7/35.

mathsparks:

Hi Merlion, My sentiments exactly! The GEP selection test should be for screening those kids who have are naturally gifted not those who've gone thru advance training/drill. Fairly hot debate in another thread http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=418&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=165

Merlion:

For those parents who already know what GEP Selection Test is all about, this center might not be that useful. But there are a lot of parents out there who have no idea about the selection test, this center might be able to provide you what need to be covered in the selection test. But it is a very high price to pay. Is GEP Selection Test a fair game anymore? I am not so sure. For people who can afford the course will be able to know what kind of questions will be tested in the selection test. This is a huge advantage compare to those who don't know. It is hard to tell from 2 tests (Round 1 and Round 2) whether a kid is \"gifted\" or \"advance\"? To me, GIFTED should be a kid being able to solve a tough question without being \"taught\". ADVANCE is more like a kid being very \"advance\" - has learned / being taught 1 or 2 years material above his level in advance. I do not think all GEP selected kids are gifted. Some of them have gone through a lot of training before they took the test. I consider them as advance, not gifted. These students migth suffer during their 3 years GEP program because GEP is really a tough program.

Merlion:

I am not that sure how much they charge. It will be better for you to call them and check with them. I heard that it is around $2,000++ for 10 lessons. Maybe got discount during this recession period.

Merlion:

For those parents who have no idea what GEP Selection Test is all about, this center (basically a one-man show) should be able to help. I heard that the center selects the students very carefully - if you are not among the top students in eng and maths in your school, they are not that keen to take you in for the GEP preparation course. Yes, I agree that it is expensive. :moneyflies: