Secondary 2 Streaming

[sharonkhoo]

MommyDearest:

My DD has been working hard to realise her dream to be in the medicine course at a local uni since her primary school days. She knows clearly what she wants in life and always works hard to achieve her goals. And since medicine is her targeted course in uni, so YES it does matter to choose her subject combination carefully at this stage as it will affect her subject combination in JC/ A levels. Hence, I would greatly appreciate if there are parents of any medical students here or even medical students who are reading this thread to offer your comments from your own experience


By the way, the interview for applicants of the medical course in uni is not so into academics but more on evaluating a student's worth in terms of life experience via exposure to needy people around and etc. Hence, good grades and volunteer work in the healthcare sector is a necessity and they work hand-in-hand to determine the student in such an application. This is not my assumption but based on facts.

Oh, so your daughter is interested in Medicine? I know someone who just graduated from NUS Medicine - I may even be seeing her later today. Let me ask and I'll tell you what she says.

[sharonkhoo]

zbear:

TeaBoh:

Are this subjects in Science stream or Art Stream? (Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Econ)

These subjects are offered at A Levels -

Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Maths - Science subjects
Economics - Humanities subject

So if you take a combi like PCME or BCME, you are considered a Science student

But if you take a combi like ELL/E/H/M, you are considered a Arts student

The third alternative will be a Hybrid combi.

All students are required to take a contrasting subject for A levels.

I think I've heard that students taking hybrid combos are still considered Science stream students? Which means that as long as a students takes at least 2 Science/Maths subjects, they are considered Science students for purposes of cut-off points on application.

[sharonkhoo]

slmkhoo:

Oh, so your daughter is interested in Medicine? I know someone who just graduated from NUS Medicine - I may even be seeing her later today. Let me ask and I'll tell you what she says.

OK, I did see that friend today. She says that not taking Bio at A level is really not a problem in terms of entering NUS Medicine. Her view is that A level Bio is too simplified anyway, and there is very little from A level that really helps. Her personal view was that Physics is more useful for understanding physiology! So I guess your daughter doesn't have to take Bio. But one of the previous posters did mention that some overseas universities may require A level Bio, and some may require the applicant to take BMAT (which includes Bio questions), so that's something you might want to bear in mind too.

[KTKS]

TeaBoh:

From MOE website, it stated cut-off point for L1R5 (with Bonus) for JC, does this means after deducting the bonus points for CCA and HMT or before deducting?


TIA

It means after deduction of bonus points.

Please note that not every pupil has bonus point to deduct. Eg, pupils who are not active in CCA and without HMT, plus private candidates who will not have CCA point and without HMT.

However, the maximum L1R5 that a pupil should obtain is 20 before bonus point deduction. If one scores 22, even if he has 2 or 4 bonus points to deduct, he will not be eligible to apply for JC.

[KTKS]

slmkhoo:

Her view is that A level Bio is too simplified anyway, and there is very little from A level that really helps.

I am baffled by this statement. A level bio is at molecular level & students are expected to memorise big chunks of info. Then what is the purpose of offering bio if it is not going to help a potential medical student? And if it is so different from uni level, how would a student know if he is interested to pursue medicine? Gotta wait until he becomes a medical student?
Pardon me, I don't quite understand the logic.

[sharonkhoo]

KTKS:

slmkhoo:

Her view is that A level Bio is too simplified anyway, and there is very little from A level that really helps.

I am baffled by this statement. A level bio is at molecular level & students are expected to memorise big chunks of info. Then what is the purpose of offering bio if it is not going to help a potential medical student? And if it is so different from uni level, how would a student know if he is interested to pursue medicine? Gotta wait until he becomes a medical student?
Pardon me, I don't quite understand the logic.

I did not study science beyond O levels, so I'm reporting what I've heard from friends and relatives who have continued with the sciences. What I have heard from those who study science to higher levels is that science at lower levels has to be simplified, and in that simplification, becomes less useful at higher levels. I don't think the nature of the subject changes, but the level of detail. So it's still a good 'taster' for those interested in pursuing it further, but even those who study it earlier will have a lot to unlearn and relearn (to add the details and exceptions). Apparently it's not uncommon for lecturers to start a topic by saying \"what you learned at A level is wrong!\"

[KTKS]

slmkhoo:

What I have heard from those who study science to higher levels is that science at lower levels has to be simplified, and in that simplification, becomes less useful at higher levels. I don't think the nature of the subject changes, but the level of detail. So it's still a good 'taster' for those interested in pursuing it further, but even those who study it earlier will have a lot to unlearn and relearn (to add the details and exceptions). Apparently it's not uncommon for lecturers to start a topic by saying \"what you learned at A level is wrong!\"

I see what you mean. Just like the term photosynthesis. It is taught in more detail in sec sch than the simplified version in pri sch. Still, it's beyond my comprehension that a student who aspires to be a medical doctor doesn't bother to find out more about the human body at O or A levels though they are in simplified versions but instead choose to study physics which is more for engineering field. Yet they still stand a chance to be accepted into this highly competitive & exclusive faculty. :? In an rijc BCM class I know, 90% of students aspire to be doctors. At least 25% of BCM students in low tier JCs also have same aspiration. Why pick the less deserving PCM candidates too? They should be chosen for physiotherapy course.

[Augmum]

slmkhoo:

My daughter, the jack-of-all-trades, complained bitterly when she had to drop Geog and Hist at the end of sec 2, and is complaining again now that she is going to have to further reduce to 4 subjects! We just tell her that she's the odd on out as most people are happy to narrow down to fewer subjects. She knows that she can read up, but given how busy students always seem to be, she won't have much time except possibly during vacations.

Fyi, 4 core H2 subjects are alrdy very content heavy...H2 subjs are unlike secondary sch subjs...
i understand that the norm in mid tier JCs is juz 3 H2+1 H1...

If yr daughter is so passionate for another subj...she could still take it under 4 H2 + 1 H1, so long she satisfy the sch criteria, such as min GPA (plus other criteria if any)...
BUT very few students would choose this option ...
As it's NOT a wise choice...It makes more sense to reserve the 1 AU for a H3 subj, instead of a H1 subj...
Unless the student is really passionate in that \" extra H1 subj\" to go all way to pursue it...

[Augmum]

zbear:

Apart from what has been shared by starlight n sieg, for those who don't like memorising, kindly don't go for Bio especially at JC level.

It's NOT only the memorising part of Bio...
Many pple perceive that so long u memorise the mountains of notes, u'll score...
But No...the Bio Essay questions which are very stringent in marking, many students simply lose marks on these...

In short, the amt of hardwork pile into this subj... may not translate to good grades...

If ONLY Further Maths is introduced 2 yrs ago...i think my gal would gladly choose that ... to replace Bio... After going thru it...

[Song22]

Augmum:

zbear:

Apart from what has been shared by starlight n sieg, for those who don't like memorising, kindly don't go for Bio especially at JC level.

It's NOT only the memorising part of Bio...
Many pple perceive that so long u memorise the mountains of notes, u'll score...
But No...the Bio Essay questions which are very stringent in marking, many students simply lose marks on these...

In short, the amt of hardwork pile into this subj... may not translate to good grades...

If ONLY Further Maths is introduced 2 yrs ago...i think my gal would gladly choose that ... to replace Bio... After going thru it...

Yes yes, F Maths! My ds is already planning to take double Maths for A level though he is only going sec 3 next year