Moving to Singapore? Ask our regular expats in Singapore questions on relocation and their experience here. Ask about banking, employment pass, insurance, visa, work permit, citizenship or immigration issues.
Sponsored by:
Utrust Immigration
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 2:15 am
Swn4 wrote: ↑Tue, 26 Oct 2021 10:44 pm
I and a C/T (civics tutorial group) mate from Hwa Chong got admitted to Cornell in JC1 and another C/T mate got admitted to MIT in JC2. However this was in the mid 80s and admissions departments tightened up requirements after that.
Personally, I think O levels were enough academically but it is not easy socially when you are younger than everyone else.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wow, very impressive! What would have compelled you to apply to an ivy so early on?
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 2:16 am
MOCHS wrote: ↑Wed, 20 Oct 2021 5:36 pm
malcontent wrote: ↑Wed, 20 Oct 2021 4:26 pm
PNGMK wrote: ↑Wed, 20 Oct 2021 3:26 pm
I remember you telling me that O levels are good enough for comm college. My wife doesn't believe it and she teaches at an American school here!
after O-Levels in Singapore she went straight to university in the US.
I can confirm that too. My friend dropped out of JC and enrolled in a uni in Wisconsin with just her O Level cert. That was back in the late 90s and early 2000s.
So interesting, not sure it would be as easy to do so now, although still possible.
-
Swn4
- Regular
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Thu, 02 May 2019 10:00 pm
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Swn4 » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 8:00 am
Lisafuller wrote:Swn4 wrote: ↑Tue, 26 Oct 2021 10:44 pm
I and a C/T (civics tutorial group) mate from Hwa Chong got admitted to Cornell in JC1 and another C/T mate got admitted to MIT in JC2. However this was in the mid 80s and admissions departments tightened up requirements after that.
Personally, I think O levels were enough academically but it is not easy socially when you are younger than everyone else.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wow, very impressive! What would have compelled you to apply to an ivy so early on?
This was the 80s with no WWW so very little information available about competitiveness or the weather(!). I just applied to a list of schools from the Barron’s guide which meant very skewed to schools in the New England states.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
malcontent
- Manager
- Posts: 2637
- Joined: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:52 am
-
Answers: 8
- Location: Pulau Ujong
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by malcontent » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 9:19 am
Lisafuller wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 2:14 am
True, some schools will take O level results but the better, more competitive ones do not accept just O level results. If the student is hoping to gain admission into a more exclusive school, A level results would certainly be helpful.
That’s right. And for my daughter, she is very ambitious and driven. She just got her Sec 4 results back — straight A’s. I’d bet she could already get into an excellent university as it is, but she is an IP student, so she’s skipping O-Level and going straight to JC.
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr
-
PNGMK
- Moderator
- Posts: 9079
- Joined: Thu, 21 Mar 2013 9:06 pm
-
Answers: 10
- Location: Sinkapore
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by PNGMK » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:49 am
IP student?
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or
http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!
-
malcontent
- Manager
- Posts: 2637
- Joined: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:52 am
-
Answers: 8
- Location: Pulau Ujong
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by malcontent » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:01 am
PNGMK wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:49 am
IP student?
Yes, she is an IP (Integrated program) student.
IP is unique to Singapore, and is a recent, somewhat controversial development in the local education system here. It allows top performing students (generally top 10% of PSLE scorers; cut-off points vary by school) to skip O-Levels and go straight to A-level after Sec 4.
The idea is that by not having to study for O-Levels, it frees up students to broaden their educational exposure. She wanted IP and has no regrets.
Last edited by
malcontent on Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr
-
MOCHS
- Reporter
- Posts: 888
- Joined: Thu, 01 Aug 2019 8:43 pm
-
Answers: 2
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by MOCHS » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:02 am
PNGMK wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:49 am
IP student?
Integrated Programme. Also known as “zhi tong che” in Mandarin which means “through train”.
The student skips O levels after PSLE and goes straight to A levels. That means they spend 6 years in a secondary school-JC environment. Though if they fail A levels, they’ll only have a PSLE cert…
But from my knowledge the teachers will assess them around Sec 3 to see if they can make it to A levels without the O levels. If they can’t, they are persuaded to drop the IP and take O levels.
-
malcontent
- Manager
- Posts: 2637
- Joined: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:52 am
-
Answers: 8
- Location: Pulau Ujong
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by malcontent » Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:10 am
MOCHS wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:02 am
PNGMK wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:49 am
IP student?
Integrated Programme. Also known as “zhi tong che” in Mandarin which means “through train”.
The student skips O levels after PSLE and goes straight to A levels. That means they spend 6 years in a secondary school-JC environment. Though if they fail A levels, they’ll only have a PSLE cert…
But from my knowledge the teachers will assess them around Sec 3 to see if they can make it to A levels without the O levels. If they can’t, they are persuaded to drop the IP and take O levels.
That is correct. A friend of my daughter was moved from IP back to O-Level. So I think they are careful to avoid that risk.
For my daughter, she will study university in the US, so her A-level results won’t matter, and won’t even be available when she applies.
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Thu, 28 Oct 2021 2:18 am
Swn4 wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 8:00 am
Lisafuller wrote:Swn4 wrote: ↑Tue, 26 Oct 2021 10:44 pm
I and a C/T (civics tutorial group) mate from Hwa Chong got admitted to Cornell in JC1 and another C/T mate got admitted to MIT in JC2. However this was in the mid 80s and admissions departments tightened up requirements after that.
Personally, I think O levels were enough academically but it is not easy socially when you are younger than everyone else.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wow, very impressive! What would have compelled you to apply to an ivy so early on?
This was the 80s with no WWW so very little information available about competitiveness or the weather(!). I just applied to a list of schools from the Barron’s guide which meant very skewed to schools in the New England states.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wow, still amazing that they took you so early on. What made you apply to college at such a young age?
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Thu, 28 Oct 2021 2:19 am
malcontent wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:10 am
MOCHS wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:02 am
PNGMK wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:49 am
IP student?
Integrated Programme. Also known as “zhi tong che” in Mandarin which means “through train”.
The student skips O levels after PSLE and goes straight to A levels. That means they spend 6 years in a secondary school-JC environment. Though if they fail A levels, they’ll only have a PSLE cert…
But from my knowledge the teachers will assess them around Sec 3 to see if they can make it to A levels without the O levels. If they can’t, they are persuaded to drop the IP and take O levels.
That is correct. A friend of my daughter was moved from IP back to O-Level. So I think they are careful to avoid that risk.
For my daughter, she will study university in the US, so her A-level results won’t matter, and won’t even be available when she applies.
If she’s applying RD to any schools, the results will be relevant. But on a whole, relatively meaningless.
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Thu, 28 Oct 2021 2:20 am
malcontent wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 9:19 am
Lisafuller wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 2:14 am
True, some schools will take O level results but the better, more competitive ones do not accept just O level results. If the student is hoping to gain admission into a more exclusive school, A level results would certainly be helpful.
That’s right. And for my daughter, she is very ambitious and driven. She just got her Sec 4 results back — straight A’s. I’d bet she could already get into an excellent university as it is, but she is an IP student, so she’s skipping O-Level and going straight to JC.
Excellent, good for her! My daughter does IP as well, she just graduated from Raffles and is waiting to take her A levels. Where does your daughter go?
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Thu, 28 Oct 2021 2:23 am
malcontent wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:01 am
PNGMK wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:49 am
IP student?
Yes, she is an IP (Integrated program) student.
IP is unique to Singapore, and is a recent, somewhat controversial development in the local education system here. It allows top performing students (generally top 10% of PSLE scorers; cut-off points vary by school) to skip O-Levels and go straight to A-level after Sec 4.
The idea is that by not having to study for O-Levels, it frees up students to broaden their educational exposure. She wanted IP and has no regrets.
Same with my daughter, she just wanted a guaranteed spot in a top JC, and didn’t want to have to worry about studying for O levels.
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Thu, 28 Oct 2021 2:26 am
MOCHS wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:02 am
PNGMK wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:49 am
IP student?
Integrated Programme. Also known as “zhi tong che” in Mandarin which means “through train”.
The student skips O levels after PSLE and goes straight to A levels. That means they spend 6 years in a secondary school-JC environment. Though if they fail A levels, they’ll only have a PSLE cert…
But from my knowledge the teachers will assess them around Sec 3 to see if they can make it to A levels without the O levels. If they can’t, they are persuaded to drop the IP and take O levels.
Its a relatively safe gamble to take most times. Most students in the IP program are relatively studious and able to pull through to A levels.
-
Swn4
- Regular
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Thu, 02 May 2019 10:00 pm
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Swn4 » Thu, 28 Oct 2021 12:12 pm
Lisafuller wrote:Swn4 wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 8:00 am
Lisafuller wrote:
Wow, very impressive! What would have compelled you to apply to an ivy so early on?
This was the 80s with no WWW so very little information available about competitiveness or the weather(!). I just applied to a list of schools from the Barron’s guide which meant very skewed to schools in the New England states.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wow, still amazing that they took you so early on. What made you apply to college at such a young age?
Because other people were doing the same. And a huge dose of being too young to know better.
With hindsight, I’d recommend to slow down.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Lisafuller
- Governor
- Posts: 6211
- Joined: Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:45 pm
-
Answers: 3
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by Lisafuller » Sat, 30 Oct 2021 3:45 am
Swn4 wrote: ↑Thu, 28 Oct 2021 12:12 pm
Lisafuller wrote:Swn4 wrote: ↑Wed, 27 Oct 2021 8:00 am
This was the 80s with no WWW so very little information available about competitiveness or the weather(!). I just applied to a list of schools from the Barron’s guide which meant very skewed to schools in the New England states.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wow, still amazing that they took you so early on. What made you apply to college at such a young age?
Because other people were doing the same. And a huge dose of being too young to know better.
With hindsight, I’d recommend to slow down.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wow, nowadays barely anybody does that. I agree with you, being ready for college is more than just being academically ready, there’s also a level of maturity that one must have in order to thrive.
-
-
Would like your opinion on to retire or not
Replies: 8
First post
I've accumulated 1.25M SGD to-date... thinking of moving to Kuala Lumpur and retire.. problem is I'm 39, and the sole breadwinner. Just me and my...
Last post
You should research FIRE (financial independance retire early). there are some good subreddits on it.
I love FIRE. yeah man, reddits has many good...
- 8 Replies
- 5173 Views
-
Last post by PNGMK
Tue, 18 Jun 2019 8:24 am
-
-
Early Retire on PR PTS Scheme?
Replies: 17
First post
I have a friend who recently got granted PR on the Professional, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers scheme. He's under 40 and plans to retire...
Last post
PR is now a tool for immigration. Your friend has misunderstood.
- 17 Replies
- 3565 Views
-
Last post by PNGMK
Fri, 30 Dec 2022 5:21 pm
-
-
Is it possible to retire in Singapore as PR forever?
Replies: 24
First post
Hi all ,
I was wondering is it possible to retire ( Basically stay in Singapore until old & die ) as a PR ?
Because i read many cases persons who has...
Last post
...
Just realised I posted the same link in my earlier post. It was mentioned again in parliament the other day (point 62):
No problem and...
- 24 Replies
- 5454 Views
-
Last post by Lisafuller
Sat, 23 Sep 2023 1:40 pm
-
-
- 24 Replies
- 19820 Views
-
Last post by sundaymorningstaple
Wed, 03 Feb 2021 11:07 pm
-
-
What would you do if you were a passenger
Replies: 2
First post
What if you were inside this taxi. What would you do?
Last post
I feel sorry for danielmok. If he had to think about what to do and then actually ask somebody in print. Well, poor boy must have a loose screw,...
- 2 Replies
- 5410 Views
-
Last post by sundaymorningstaple
Thu, 11 Jul 2019 10:35 pm
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests