Secondary 2 Streaming

[Super Alice]

Not sure whether without physics will have any problem to go to Poly if DS suddenly want to do Engineering after Sec 4.


Following are the subjects that he wants to do:
A Math
E Math
Pure Biology
Pure Chemistry
Pure Geog
Elective Social studies + History
HCL
CL
EL

[sc_gal]

Super Alice:

Not sure whether without physics will have any problem to go to Poly if DS suddenly want to do Engineering after Sec 4.


Following are the subjects that he wants to do:
A Math
E Math
Pure Biology
Pure Chemistry
Pure Geog
Elective Social studies + History
HCL
CL
EL

Hi Super Alice!

Physics is indeed a prerequisite for Engineering. However, I think there is an option to take a bridging course for physics, if he does want to do Engineering the future and did not take it in sec sch.

Both combis are great. However, my only cautionary concern will be that Pure geog with bio together will be an incredibly content heavy combo. So if your child struggles with memory work or isn't particularly hardworking (and is not willing to buck up greatly for Os), he may end up having a really tough time, especially for the final exams/Os when students are required to master ALL content.

[Super Alice]

Thanks for the advice. Will definitely request DS to consider properly.

[Ichigokun]

Hey everyone, so I just finished my End-Of-Year examinations for Secondary 2 and its time for streaming (L1R5)


I'm not really sure how this thing works but I know there are two choices - Arts or Sciences.

I generally do well in languages (both English & Chinese) and humanities (Geography & History), but I do better more so in languages because my humanities are somewhat of a bumpy ride. I can fail terribly in one term and suddenly jump up to A2 in the next term (Geography tends to do better than History but I'm more interested in History). My languages are somewhat consistent at A1/A2 though.

Now the trouble comes that I'm bad in all 3 sciences - Chemistry, Biology and Physics - I tend to do slightly better in Biology (passable) but the other two is terrible. I'm also bad in Math (it also links up to Physics and Chemistry).

So it seems like I'm more of an \"Art\" student - but I don't like Arts such as Music or Art, and well, everyone is talking about choosing Double Science or Triple Science, as if Art is non-existent, basically because most people think there are very limited choices for Art students (which is true)

I kind of think Singapore's education system is flawed because if you are good in languages, you can't do anything with that. If you are good in Maths and Science, who cares if you do badly for languages, as long as you pass English.

I'm really clueless on what to pick now because of that. And it seems like almost everyone around me is going to Science while I'm going to Art.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,
Ichigokun

[reddiechan]

I thought it’s just SC3, SC2 and SC1, from the blue handout on Sec 2 streaming?

[reddiechan]

Actually it isn’t true that only Math and Sciences matter. Your strength in the languages will put you in good stead for lots of career choices. Government service, for one - you’d get a headstart once you hold an Honours degree in anything (from reputable institutions, of course). When you’re good with languages, I assume you’d be able to talk well and present yourself well - clear articulation and eloquence is something that’ll make you stand out too.


If you don’t like Science, then take the one SC1 course and excel in it - I heard from a teacher double Math is compulsory for everyone in Cat High, so no escape from there. Like what your principal said during the briefing - enjoy the entertainment on the luxury cruise ship along the way!

[rains]

If you are a language person, go ahead and do Arts - Lit, Geog and History are considered Arts too.


Don’t go the way everyone is going just becos everyone is going there. If you don’t like something, chances are you won’t do very well in it.

I did badly in Maths and Science throughout my school life, sometimes scraping through them and at other times, failing them. I followed my peers and seniors in enrolling for a finance and banking course and failed two Maths modules in the first year. I decided to withdraw from the course rather than repeat the year. I thought I was done for in life but fortunately my language subjects helped me in gaining employment and furthering my studies.

Do what you like and you are more likely to do well in it.

[sharonkhoo]

Ichigokun:

...So it seems like I'm more of an \"Art\" student - but I don't like Arts such as Music or Art, and well, everyone is talking about choosing Double Science or Triple Science, as if Art is non-existent, basically because most people think there are very limited choices for Art students (which is true)


I kind of think Singapore's education system is flawed because if you are good in languages, you can't do anything with that. If you are good in Maths and Science, who cares if you do badly for languages, as long as you pass English.

I'm really clueless on what to pick now because of that. And it seems like almost everyone around me is going to Science while I'm going to Art.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,
Ichigokun

I'm not sure if you mean 'Arts' or 'Art'? With the 's', that generally refers to humanities subjects, which in school essentially are Lit, Geog and Hist. Without the 's' would refer to the fine arts like music, art (drawing, painting, sculpture etc), dance, theatre etc.

I'm going on the assumption that you mean 'Arts' with the 's'. I chose to study humanities at 'A' level as I realised that Maths and Science were really not my thing, and I have not regretted it. I was told to my face by an uncle that 'only stupid people do arts' and my choice was generally regarded as not wise (this was in the earliest days when the humanities programme hadn't become much known) and my maths/science results were pretty good up to that point. Over the years, I have learned that what you learn is not as important as how well you learn how to learn, and you do that better when you enjoy what you are learning. It is certainly not true that you can't do anything with humanities, and the scope will broaden as you grow, with options such as law, political science, sociology, anthropology and lots of other '-ologies' besides the conventional lit/hist/geog. At the same time, some basic amount of Maths (especially statistics) is important for any course of study, and some science is also good training for the mind and is compulsory in sec school anyway, but you can do the minimum and fill your other options with what you are interested in. It can be difficult to go against the flow, but ask yourself if you want to spend the next 2 or 4 years struggling with subjects you are poor in when you could be really learning a lot in subjects you enjoy. Just my thoughts.

[zbear]

My DS will be doing his Sec 2 streaming. DS is strong in languages but with the help of tuition n self study, he has improved in his Maths/Science. His FT said that he shldnt have a problem choosing a combination of Triple Science or Double Science/Double Humanities.


It has always been the '‘in thing’ to do Triple Science as that combi is deemed to be for the Smarter Ones.

I have been advised not to pressure or make the selection for my son. Instead, he shld go for the subjects that he like n will do well. So I will encourage him to choose what he is happy in n not succumb to peer or parental pressure.

Also, if I am not wrong, I think L1R5 requires at least 1 Science n 1 Humanities?

[koguma]

Just to share my niece’s experience. She is in JC 1 now this year.


Same as you, she is extremely "cluessless" to Maths. No matter how much tution she went, she still struggle with E Maths. However she is good in Both Languages (Eng and HCL) and Humanities subjects.

When I helped her to choose the subjects, I discouraged her to do Physics. However I still encourage her to do Pure Chem and Pure Bio as there are less Maths components compare to Physics. Furthermore at that time, she wanted to do medicine courses in University, as a result of watching too many CSI programmes !

Throughout Sec 3 and Sec 4, beside struggling with E MAths, she also struggle with the 2 pure sciences. Eventually the school asked her to drop Pure Bio as she did badly in her Preliminary Examination.

For her O, she scored As for 2 languages and 2 Humanities (SS+Hist, Pure Lit). For Pure Chem she gets a B3 (BIG Surprise to everyone considering she did not do well in Prelim). In JC, she is now doing H2 Lit, H2 Econ, H2 Hist and H1 Maths. She still struggle with her Maths !

So my advise is if you really good in Humanities, choose 2 Humanities subjects. Do not follow the crowd and do 3 Pure Sciences. Recommend that you do Pure Chem (more useful out of the 3 Science) and perhaps one more Pure Sci if you are not sure what you want to do in University.

Hence 2 Lang, 2 Sci, 2 Humanities, 2 Maths combination.

Do consider what you want to study in JC when you choose the subjects for your sec 3.