DSA 2011

[Ashton]

Hello everybody! I have been a reader of this forum for a long while but now, I have decided to participate too!


My DS1 is in year 3 ACS(I). He got in through DSA. Let me recount his experience.

In 2008, he applied DSA to ACS(I), RI and HCI. He received CO from ACS(I) and HCI.

ACS(I): The phone call came first to let me know that he was successful in his application. It was followed by an email and a letter. We were invited to the school to receive the official letter of confirmation. It was held in a lecture room; there was no tea reception. Those on waitlist were invited too. Ex-principal Ong Teck Chin gave a speech. The main highlight was telling those on waitlist that if they really want ACS(I), they should put it down as their first choice during the Sec 1 posting exercise as the chances of getting it were very high based on past years. They should put down their CO from other schools as second choice because if their first choice on Waitlist is not offered, they will be given their second choice automatically which is already confirmed. Make sense, right?

HCI: He was in the phase 1 DSA exercise as he had won medals in Maths Olympiads especially the one conducted by HCI. Not sure whether he did well for the tests, but I think his interview helped. I had prepped him for it, telling him questions that would be asked would likely be: “Why HCI?” “Any other schools you have applied?” \"If you are offered RI and HCI, which would you choose?” True enough, they were asked. He told me they were grouped in threes, and the panel consisted of two teachers and an older HCI student as an observer. DS1 was very kiasu; he was always the first to answer. He told me if he doesn’t answer first, then if those other students mentioned those points he want to make, then he would not have any thing new to say and it wouldn’t look good. He said after he had answered, the other two boys were practically repeating what he had said. He got the CO through email and snail mail.

RI: Naturally, he applied under the Maths Domain as he was strong in it and he was also not a Gepper. The strange thing was getting a phone call a couple of days before the GAT telling me that he need not go down to sit the test as he had already done the GAT through HCI. Both tests were the same, so RI would get the results from the GAT centre. But they didn’t refund the $50 leh… On the selection test day, I could see that there were many applicants under the Maths Domain, probably about 50 students? Think English and Science were about 20 while I distinctly recalled there were only 2 students for MT (Chinese). He told me that the Maths test was tough, which was why he didn’t get a CO from RI.

[Ashton]

DS2 is in P6 this year, and he has applied for ACS(I), RI and NUSH. Like his brother, he is good in Maths but not the Maths Olympiad type. His brother was top in Maths for P5, and so was he. But seeing that his brother who is much better in Maths and won awards (he didn’t win any) and yet still did not get a CO from RI, I did not apply for him under the Maths Domain. Instead I chose the Visual Arts Domain.


I had also considered the Science Domain as he is equally good in it. He loves Science; all his birthday presents were Science kits and such, some of which were ordered from overseas. He has a particular keen interest in Botany. He could identify flowers and plants easily and loves gardening. I can just imagine him being a landscape architect. But I think there would be many people applying under this domain so the chances would be slim. Why Visual Arts? Because he loves to draw too and is quite an artist. Of course, he loves to draw flowers. Already at 5 years old, his drawings of flowers were very realistic, complete with stigma, filament and anther. Well, he would be going for the Visual Arts selection test next Saturday.

NUSH – he found the Maths test difficult but the Science portion ok. Told him not to be disappointed if he didn’t get in because I think this is his first choice. He was wowed by the Open House; it was practically like a mini Science centre.

Why not ACS(I) as first choice since his brother is there? He didn’t like the two CCAs policy and that one has to be a uniformed group, compulsory.

[vlim]

:rahrah: hi Ashton a big welcome to this forum :rahrah: and u have a very good memory!!...thank you very much for sharing!

[Ashton]

You’re welcome.

[Paddy Field]

Ashton,


Care to share why your DS chose ACSI instead of HCI in the end?

[Ashton]

Well, affiliated primary school and his friends were all going there. He was the only one with a CO from HCI. His other friend was on waitlist, who got in after PSLE (his friend is now the only one in HCI). I had wanted him to go to HCI then, as the IB programme was still very new and that a lot of RI and HCI students studied in the Ivy League (their selling proposition), haha.

[jtoh]

Thanks for sharing Ashton. All the best to your ds2.

[vlim]

Oops .... My guess is wrong ... Still Bo email from RI foe interview

[Mum1113]

Ashton:

The main highlight was telling those on waitlist that if they really want ACS(I), they should put it down as their first choice during the Sec 1 posting exercise as the chances of getting it were very high based on past years. They should put down their CO from other schools as second choice because if their first choice on Waitlist is not offered, they will be given their second choice automatically which is already confirmed. Make sense, right?

Thanks ashton for sharing.
Pardon my asking : meaning with CO, students still participate in S1 posting ? I am under the impression those with CO have to confirm on their acceptance of the CO before S1 posting exercise, meaning they have to make their decision whether or not they are to accept ? Thus leaving the opportunities to all others to take part in S1 posting only. Is my understanding wrong ?

[Ashton]

The "real" confirmation would be after PSLE because you still need to pass the minimum requirement of qualifying for express stream. If I recall, the form will indicate all the DSA CO and waitlist your child received and you are to choose which CO or waitlist is first choice or second choice.