Jennifer:

http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/the-o-level-track-of-shame


http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/about-6-of-students-likely-to-not-finish-ip

For reading pleasure, not to start another round of debate.

hquek:

塞翁失马，焉知非福. Road is long.... fall down, pick up and better things may be ahead.

havok_ex:

IMO it feels like a complacency problem by the Teachers. Even for Neighbourhood secondary schools, we have psle score of ~200 but we still can get below 20 and below 10. Did the students practice TYS? One of the students said that they felt smth was wrong while doing the o-level paper. Feels like he didn't practice the tys at all.

zulu:

phtthp:

[quote=\"zulu\"]
Their GAT admission standard is lower than those applying thru DSA Academic.

In RGS, the majority of those who apply for DSA Academic do not progress beyond the GAT test whilst most who apply under Sports get called up for interviews.

you mean ... those who apply under DSA Academic domain :
need not sit for any GAT test ?

while those who apply under DSA Sports domain :
also, no need to sit for any GAT test, just interview, can liao ?

hquek:

塞翁失马，焉知非福. Road is long.... fall down, pick up and better things may be ahead.

janet88:

so sad for the boys who didn't make it to JC.

janet88:

pirated:

[quote=\"janet88\"]so sad for the boys who didn't make it to JC.

Is not the end of the world. Half the cohort don't go to JC

pirated:

janet88:

so sad for the boys who didn't make it to JC.

Is not the end of the world. Half the cohort don't go to JC

WeiHan:

pirate:

Since when is a B average (24 points still B average) considered not pass O levels?

I was not refering to this case. Or maybe I should have phrased it this way...Does the top university accept sportsman that did sub par standard in the entrance examination and consider only his sports ability?

janet88:

so sad for the boys who didn't make it to JC.

harvardalum:

StillThinking:

What does this have to do with US though?

Specific to this topic? No. Generally if top universities will consider? Yes. And unfortunately, the only ones I know are in the United States.

StillThinking:

harvardalum:

[quote=\"WeiHan\"]I was not refering to this case. Or maybe I should have phrased it this way...Does the top university accept sportsman that did sub par standard in the entrance examination and consider only his sports ability?

Yes. In the United States. Said sportsman may not be offered the coveted full sports scholarship but yes. If the sportsman has a \"sub-par\" B average, but excel in that sport, he'd have been approached, especially in sports like football (american) and basketball.

harvardalum:

WeiHan:

[quote=\"pirate\"]
Since when is a B average (24 points still B average) considered not pass O levels?

I was not refering to this case. Or maybe I should have phrased it this way...Does the top university accept sportsman that did sub par standard in the entrance examination and consider only his sports ability?

WeiHan:

pirate:

Since when is a B average (24 points still B average) considered not pass O levels?

I was not refering to this case. Or maybe I should have phrased it this way...Does the top university accept sportsman that did sub par standard in the entrance examination and consider only his sports ability?

ChiefKiasu:

Sutton:

... I know of a GEP kid who went to one of the top-tier ip schools but did not perform as well as he should or thought. The kid was not happy in the ip school but remained in the school and had to sit for the 'O' levels and eventually got into a JC among the lowest rung. Over there, the kid performed well and became one of the top performers there. Sometimes, when choosing a school for your kid, you just have to be realistic and find the right fit for them. Take a good hard look at your own kid and his/her learning style and personality, and not just the results. The results don't 100% tell you everything about your child. Not all can flourish in elite and top notch schools, especially IPs, and sending your child there does more harm than good and by the time we realise the mistake, it's too late. That's why we see students with 26X to 27X going for mid-tier Neighbourhood schools.


This episode is indeed a timely wake up call for parents to make the right call when choosing schools for our kids and not to clamour for elite schools regardless of their learning capabilities and interests. We are raising children, not flowers. Discover their passions and not your own.

An excellent post. I have also seen many former IP students who didn't do well enough at A-Levels to get into the local universities. For these students, that is a rude wake up call, and some do go into a downward spiral thinking that they are worthless. It is hard breaking to see these good students lose their confidence and self-worth. That is the reason why I feel that debate over appeals and secondary school COP overlooks the actual negative impact that squeezing into a school right at or below its COP, can have on the student. It is better to excel in a normal school, than to wallow at the bottom of an elite school.

pirate:

Since when is a B average (24 points still B average) considered not pass O levels?

WeiHan:

pirate:

[quote=\"WeiHan\"]I was pondering on that view too that society may have been too narrow in defining success...but then, I immediately start wondering what are the career prospects if one were to develop along the sports line. Of course I am not familiar with this field.

Top universities also take in students for their sports prowess, you know? So, if the kid is national or SEA level...

floppy:

jetsetter:

...
5) Big 4 Advertising agencies (Creative Director, Art director - BIG $$)
...
Graphic Designer / Interior designers (but not so big $$)

While training to a graphic illustrator, you could end up in a workshop teaching you how to eat fire and be part of the circus. Soon after, you could be drinking martini - shaken, not stirred, driving a Aston Martin and working for strange bosses named after alphabets.

At least that's what happen to Pierce, sort of.

Moral of the story:
L1R5 = 5, < 5 or > 5.
No one knows how the story will unfold in future.