i think we parents are more excited than our kids!! DS is excited he will be going to SOTA.

Anyone called SOTA to enquire on Briefing session? I called and they replied there will be briefing after the option is exercised around the week commencing Dec 11.


Anyone knows more than that?

Estéema:

ALL schools shld hv release DSA results (offers/rejections) by 31 Aug via calls/emails/post letters) to candidates.


Once candidates receives CO, and some wld hv applied to several schools, the schools & other candidates will appreciate if CO recipients can decisively select their school of choice & inform other schools to release your COs which u DO NOT want asap. Only, I'm not certain it shld be done before 31 Aug or 30 Oct, as Option Forms to accept COs will be sent out after 31 Aug & closing date is 30 Oct.

These dates are all in sync with all schools under MOE system. So, depending on how fast admin works & how considerate those who received more than one COs release places/opportunities to others & schools are trying to work within the MOE framework to convert WL.

So, if School A offered 80 COs & 10 WL places but amongst 15 of their candidates received 2 or more COs fr other schools. If considerate & decisive parents inform School A immediately (before 31 Aug) that they've decided on School B, opportunity goes to next in line for WL.

Assuming 12 kind & decisive parents act fast to release places their DC will not need as they've replied to accept School B, those 10 WL will be converted to COs & they'll call up 2 more to offer WL.

I believe the deadline is 31 Aug bcoz the Principal briefed that after that date, it is not within his control to convert WL. So, going by the fact that Option Forms will be issued btwn 31 Aug to 30 Oct, I'll assume these are then controlled in MOE system.

After Option Forms are returned (closing date 30 Oct), the formal registration of DSA choices begins btwn 30 Oct to 3 Nov. once DSA Registration completed, these DSA CO recipients will not participate in S1 posting.

So, advice to parents with >1 COs to please consider others who want that extra opportunities you're holding to be decisive & choose your DC's choice & RELEASE immediately so that the sch admin can make other anxious parents' day converting their WL.

For those anxious parents with WL or hv not been called, relax abit don't tense yourself up. DS may hv received CO but we still want to see consistent effort put in for PSLE. It's to train habits that will be a lifetime - DSA distracts him & we've not inform DC good news till after Prelims.

All the best for this coming week to those waiting for that call/email/letter.

there was no option form for CO received from CHS or SOTA. Not sure about other school. Only state in the letter to select in the option form that will be issued via school on 30Oct

SOTAmusic:

Hi firstly congrats to all who received CO. Welcome to SOTA, my DS is year 2 music.

Topics:-
(1) A levels vs IB - my son's writing skills are also average, which makes it really worth our while for him to do IB. SOTA trains them from year 1, English Language and Critical Thinking (ELCT), and especially if writing skills are not good, this is the correct track - we want to study what we are not good at, correct? A levels - my elder son is in a top boys' school, and next year he will be sitting for A levels, which is tons of memorising
(2) SOTA IB - ACSI was the first school to implement IB (under Principal Ong Teck Chin), and of course, with years of experience, they have found the secret to produce perfect scores. SOTA is getting there, but if you talk about value add, SOTA's PSLE cohorts are admitted solely based on Art Form talent, and PSLE scores rank lower in importance. For SOTA to produce scores of above 40 - is really value add, vs ACSI IB Track, in 2012, PSLE cut off points for this track was 255 points. So, likely, many of these >255 points boys, (and girls now too), should be able to achieve >43 points for IB
(3) SOTA teachers leaving - every school, there is a high turnover. Same for every commercial organisation. The Principal explained to parents already that this is the norm percentage
(4) SOTA environment - the school is meant for kids who love their art form, they live, breathe, eat their passion (Dance, Theatre, Music, etc). They love their teachers and schoolmates (years 1 to 6) who all speak the same language of music (etc), and have the same passion and drive. When you love your partner, you want to spend all your time with your partner/spouse, so this explains why SOTA kids stay so late in SOTA, certainly not because the teachers make them stay. But, my son in Music - his schedule ends:- Monday 5pm, Tuesday 730pm, Wednesday 430pm, Thursday 130pm, Friday 5pm. Which is the same as any other secondary school, so don't be alarmed by SOTA hours. Of course, same like sports meets seasons with extra trainings, some weeks, there could be a day or two extra for 730pm endings, but this is 3/52 weeks

Once again, for those who have CO to SOTA, if your kids have the passion (and SOTA recognised their talents), welcome

Sota parents - would u clarify this point and correct me.

There is an exit point at y4 should dc want to switch to A levels. Am I right? What are your thoughts?

TQIA

SOTAmusic:

Hi firstly congrats to all who received CO. Welcome to SOTA, my DS is year 2 music.

Topics:-
(1) A levels vs IB - my son's writing skills are also average, which makes it really worth our while for him to do IB. SOTA trains them from year 1, English Language and Critical Thinking (ELCT), and especially if writing skills are not good, this is the correct track - we want to study what we are not good at, correct? A levels - my elder son is in a top boys' school, and next year he will be sitting for A levels, which is tons of memorising
(2) SOTA IB - ACSI was the first school to implement IB (under Principal Ong Teck Chin), and of course, with years of experience, they have found the secret to produce perfect scores. SOTA is getting there, but if you talk about value add, SOTA's PSLE cohorts are admitted solely based on Art Form talent, and PSLE scores rank lower in importance. For SOTA to produce scores of above 40 - is really value add, vs ACSI IB Track, in 2012, PSLE cut off points for this track was 255 points. So, likely, many of these >255 points boys, (and girls now too), should be able to achieve >43 points for IB
(3) SOTA teachers leaving - every school, there is a high turnover. Same for every commercial organisation. The Principal explained to parents already that this is the norm percentage
(4) SOTA environment - the school is meant for kids who love their art form, they live, breathe, eat their passion (Dance, Theatre, Music, etc). They love their teachers and schoolmates (years 1 to 6) who all speak the same language of music (etc), and have the same passion and drive. When you love your partner, you want to spend all your time with your partner/spouse, so this explains why SOTA kids stay so late in SOTA, certainly not because the teachers make them stay. But, my son in Music - his schedule ends:- Monday 5pm, Tuesday 730pm, Wednesday 430pm, Thursday 130pm, Friday 5pm. Which is the same as any other secondary school, so don't be alarmed by SOTA hours. Of course, same like sports meets seasons with extra trainings, some weeks, there could be a day or two extra for 730pm endings, but this is 3/52 weeks

Once again, for those who have CO to SOTA, if your kids have the passion (and SOTA recognised their talents), welcome

your post is assuring. DS is also accepted for Music. I am now more confident to let him join SOTA which is his first choice

Peaceto:

\"-taurbear » Wed Aug 23, 2017 7:44 am


Peaceto wrote:taurbear wrote:Parents with kids in SOTA, would like to have your advise about SOTA students progressing to local universities. What is the trend in the school? Is it true that most of SOTA graduates goes overseas?

Is it a trend for SOTA student to go overseas? I need your advise. Please help.. Thx.






Base on some conversations, students who choose to develop their art form would go overseas while general studies will choose local

Hello... taurbear,
Thx for the info. Btw my DD got CO for VA. Saw from DSA 2017 you child got CO too. Maybe they will be classmate. Congrats to you.

Hi Peaceto

yes.. looks like he will be schoolmate with several here. At least one of the friends he is performing with is also accepted...

charchel:

taurbear:

SOTA has emailed to candidates and announcement on the portal needs to be acknowledged.

Received CO from SOTA for dance, but not sure if to accept it, DD loves dancing but heard the dancers' schedule are tough at SOTA, need to cope with IB schedule and dancers basically dance at least 11 hrs per week, school can end at 12am when there is performance or competition, this was told by a friend's hubby who was SOTA maths teacher. Also, understand SOTA now only allow one science at year 5 and 6, is it true?

double science for those able to manage... its a case by case basis from what i heard at the parents symposium

SOTA has emailed to candidates and announcement on the portal needs to be acknowledged.

fushiavl:

Same here - CO for Visual Arts - yeah!!

:congrats:

MrBin:

Got CO from RI ( Sports DSA), informed by PE/CCA head

:congrats: