School Of The Arts, Singapore

[Rivervalekid]

taurbear:

smurfalone:

[quote=\"taurbear\"]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?

Hope DD can go local Uni, can't afford overseas tuition fees unless can get scholarship.

I sent you a pm[/quote]Taurbear, now I noe y you rather send infor via PM. *shake head* BTW :congrats:

[Rivervalekid]

Peaceto:

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.

I shared some info over local uni admission in DSA2017 but kenna flame by two parent who read it in a diff way, but if u keen to noe go there read my sharing. Not keen to repost here else get flamed for nothing. Too tiring to PM everyone individually. So funny when applying for TA everyone so keen then after gotten the results the WLs parents are toking bad about SOTA dunno the real intentions is ????? Anyway, go read if you want to know about local uni admission. I have enquired first hand thru my nephew so very reliable info as I am DSAing my dd into another sch's IB track.

[Rivervalekid]

To those SOTA DSA parents, it was great sharing info and stuff in the Whatapp grp chat for dance, I am exiting since my DD did not get into SOTA regrettably. All de best to all your DCs in SOTA. I have heard it would be an awesome 6 yrs with fun teachers and fun-loving friends.

[Peaceto]

Rivervalekid:

Peaceto:

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.

I shared some info over local uni admission in DSA2017 but kenna flame by two parent who read it in a diff way, but if u keen to noe go there read my sharing. Not keen to repost here else get flamed for nothing. Too tiring to PM everyone individually. So funny when applying for TA everyone so keen then after gotten the results the WLs parents are toking bad about SOTA dunno the real intentions is ????? Anyway, go read if you want to know about local uni admission. I have enquired first hand thru my nephew so very reliable info as I am DSAing my dd into another sch's IB track.

\"Rivervalekid n \"taurbear

Thx for the sharing.... possible to pm me on more detail what should I do as I'm determine to let my DD to stay local. Agree to you all on certain parents talking of SOTA. I always believe that once you set your goal, go all the way to the end. That how I taught my DD.

[Oldgal]

Thanks rivervalekid and taubear for sharing. Sad that people can take it so personallly. It’s always good to keep an open mind.


I DD has CO in SOTA. I have no doubt that IB is a good Programme,. But I have a nagging concern. I read from the feedback from some students in Reddit that there is a general dissatisfaction over the management of SOTA … which has caused good Teachers to leave and lowered the morale of the students and remaining Teachers. Has anyone heard anything or feedback on the current calibre of the Teachers and the environment there? Thanks.

[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

[limws1]

I like to make a correction to the above post. My girl is in year 6 theatre. SOTA does not just accept students based solely on artistic talents. Academic plays an important criteria in the selection process which is why, the entry requirements need the students to pass the written test and cognitive test. So that explains why some students that are exceptional in their art form but still are unable to get into SOTA.


There was no cognitive testing during my girl’s TA selection. If there is, she probably would not get in, just like my younger daughter who didn’t get in last year. But the older girl is doing well in SOTA both in her art form and academically. She plans to go overseas next year to further her study.

[taurbear]

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

[miiniworld]

Hi, are there any parents with kids doing Literary Arts currently? I would like to find out more about what they do for this art form - like music kids go play instruments, dance kids go dance... lit art kids?

Any feedback or insights would be greatly appreciated

[lexis]

my dd is in Year 1 SOTA now. Congratulations to all who have gotten a CO!


I would say that academics play as important a role as talent in the SOTA audition process, which I think is fair, since they are offering the IBDP, and for those who are really keen to pursue their artform professionally, the IBCP.

Please be honest with yourself and your child before accepting the CO. Will SOTA be a good fit for your child? It is true that the IB itself requires an above average command of the English language (Studies in language/lit is a compulsory subject at the IBDP, and it can't be dropped like your artform). On top of that, you have Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay in Year 5/6 which require copious amounts of research and writing. You can probably get by if you didn't have a good grasp of English, but it will not be easy.

Will your child be comfortable having to do oral presentations regularly? How about project work? Almost every subject in SOTA has projects, some individual, some group, and these count towards your final grade. Can they manage themselves well without constant supervision from you? As a parent, we aren't kept informed of their daily assignments, or projects. These are relayed to the kids directly via their school email account and unless you have the password, you won't know what is going on.

Also consider if your child will be keen to pursue higher forms of Math/Sci education at pre-university level. I am quite certain that schools like RI or HCI spend a lot more resources on this area than SOTA (not to say that SOTA kids don't participate in Math Olympiads etc, cos they do).

What about adapting to a different environment? I find the SOTA environment quite different from mainstream schools. I think the kids feel empowered, and some of them are really creative and artistic and outspoken. The teachers treat them with respect, and the kids are expected to speak out and lobby for things they want. Although it has only been 8 months since she joined, I can sense that my daughter (who is reserved in school, and that has been pointed out by her SOTA teachers as well) is a lot more confident in her public speaking skills, and voicing her opinions on things she feels strongly about. I feel that intellectual discourse is very welcomed at SOTA. From Sec 1 onwards, they are treated as thinking adults.

That's what i can share after 8 months of being a SOTA parent. Suffice to say, my girl is happy there, and I am happy she's there. Can't say if IB is more rigourous than A levels or vice versa (although my elder kid is in a IP prog leading to A levels) - both have their merits, so what is more impt is which is better for your child. You, together with your child, will know best.

There'll be 1-2 more sessions with the school before you have to decide whether or not to accept the CO. Attend these sessions, and engage the school and teachers and ask all the questions you need then, so you'll be better placed to make the decision.

Good luck!