Same SOTA? SOTA has all along been an art school. Students are supposed to have passion in their art form. SOTA has always discourages students from dropping their art form to do double sciences.


The only different I know of in recent years is the acceptance of new students based more on academic competency than talent in art. Maybe the introduction of cognitive testing as part of entrance exam makes the difference. During DD times, there is no cognitive testing.

According to DD, announced just last month. Best to check with Students Affair.

Local universities require 2 sciences for entry to medicine course. SOTA used to allow the very good students to drop their art and do 2 sciences but not anymore. So students can only take 1 science subject moving forward. They will not be able to study medicine at local universities. If the objective is to become a doctor, SOTA is not a suitable school for your child.

I think what they want are students who meet the basic art form criteria but definitely must pass the writing and cognitive tests. So if a student do not do well for the entrance tests, whatever skills and awards in their art form will be irrelevant. Typical of any top schools DSA requirement where the students need to pass the GAT before even getting considered for DSA.

The video submission is for getting a place into TA. After getting into TA, I think the writing test and the cognitive test play a more important role in getting a place in SOTA. Before the current Principal, artistic talent plays a more important role.

I will be happy for you too. It is the learning that counts and not the marks.

There is a possibility taking 3 std subjects and 1 foundation subject may go to express stream with enough t-score. Maybe I am wrong. But you would know by now foundation subject would result in lower scoring compared to std subject.


I don’t see why a child needs to do foundation subject if he/she is still passing the subject. Even passing with lowarks, is still a pass. My DD school only recommend foundation subject when the student consistently fail the subject.

If I am correct, as long as a student takes a Foundation subject, he/she is not allowed to go to the Express stream in sec schools. That makes all sec schools without Normal stream unavailable for the student.

Blue Pearl:

limws1:

Most SOTA students would want to continue pursuing higher education in Arts, they are likely to go overseas for their University education. I don't think many ended up in local Uni.


NUS/NTU has their entry requirements for IB diploma on their websites.

Yes I saw their requirements but in reality I want to know how many kids actually go into local university. I m chkg for my cousin. If it is a must the kids need to go overseas my cousin hav second thoughts as she do not want kids to go overseas. She prefer kids to do local. Kid is interested in VA.

It is sometimes difficult to change their minds after submitting them to 6 years of Arts education. If the objective is to go to local Uni to study something else other than Arts, it is better to go to a non-Arts school.

Fyi, only a handful do double science subjects by dropping their Art form. That is IB requirement. So most SOTA students cannot to to Med school in local Uni because they have only 1 science subject.

Most SOTA students would want to continue pursuing higher education in Arts, they are likely to go overseas for their University education. I don’t think many ended up in local Uni.


NUS/NTU has their entry requirements for IB diploma on their websites.