Raffles Institution (Year 1-4)

[jtoh]

Strparent:

EQmum:

Hi fruitplus,


Can I check with you what is son aggreagte? Cos. my son is also from the GE n on RI waitlist, but he ws not being offer a place.

Hi EQmum,

I think the priority for those on WL is not depending on PSLE T-score. It is purely on the position on the WL. And the position was based on the SA1 score for GEP students. Fruitplus DS got in due to high SA1 ( near 79%, so higher up ). For GE pupils, those selected with above 80% SA1 were given CO, those 75 to 79.9 were on WL - that is based on my observation.

The slots available for the WL kids are purely dependant on the number of students who give up their CO spot, ie, by choosing another first choice, eg NUSH, etc.

My DS also did not get in, his PSLE is 260+, but someone got in despite only getting 255, but higher SA1. 2 of his classmates got into HCI via DSA with PSLE scores of 247 and 250, but they put it as first choice.

DS is really disappointed as 80% of his boy classmates going to RI.




Am considering an appeal :oops:

Hi. If your son didn't get his DSA from RI, can't he apply via the S1 Central Posting? Or did he accept another DSA offer, making him ineligible for S1 Central Posting? If he's eligible for S1 Central Posting he should be able to get in based on his score. In any case, you should appeal.

[fruitplus]

Strparent:

EQmum:

Hi fruitplus,


Can I check with you what is son aggreagte? Cos. my son is also from the GE n on RI waitlist, but he ws not being offer a place.

Hi EQmum,

I think the priority for those on WL is not depending on PSLE T-score. It is purely on the position on the WL. And the position was based on the SA1 score for GEP students. Fruitplus DS got in due to high SA1 ( near 79%, so higher up ). For GE pupils, those selected with above 80% SA1 were given CO, those 75 to 79.9 were on WL - that is based on my observation.

The slots available for the WL kids are purely dependant on the number of students who give up their CO spot, ie, by choosing another first choice, eg NUSH, etc.

My DS also did not get in, his PSLE is 260+, but someone got in despite only getting 255, but higher SA1. 2 of his classmates got into HCI via DSA with PSLE scores of 247 and 250, but they put it as first choice.

DS is really disappointed as 80% of his boy classmates going to RI.




Am considering an appeal :oops:

Hi EQmum,

Sorry to reply so late.

Yes, strparent is right, the ranking of the DSA waitlist did not conisder T-score at all, as long as it is above 200.

The ranking of the DSA waitlist is based on :
1) P5 SA1, SA2 (DS got 72+ and 75+respectively) and P6 SA1 (DS got 78.8% overall)
2) GAT (General Ability Test) score (DS must have done quite well too,
he said he didn't manage to finish 11 questions only)
3) Interview performance (Considering the rather tough question asked by the interviewer, DS did very well in this round, although the interviewers said he spoke too softly)

One thing I am not sure is whether the DSA portfolio that DS submited would affect the DSA ranking. We followed the sample portfolio in this KSP forum. I also followed the advices from this forum and I had the DSA portfolio binded with separators.

The topics included in the DSA portfolio : (Note: It was submitted together with all the hardcopies and forms when DS applied for the DSA)
Letter of Introduction (DS wrote it himself)
My Biography (DS wrote it himself)
Interest-Driven Project (DS wrote a summary and his thoughts about the project himself)
Weiqi and Strategic games (DS wrote it himself)
Holistic Report Card (P5 SA1, SA2 and P6 SA1)
Teachers’ Feedback (GE teacher feedbacks from P4 onwards)
Awards (SMOPS, NSW, SYF, etc)
Certificates

If your son get very high T-score, you can consider to appeal to RI.

So, it seem that this year the RI waitlist is not 100% in. A number of DS's classmate in RI waitlist also did not get it.

[fruitplus]

Polar bear:

Hi, I am caught in a dilemma. I have an aggregate score of 262, and I already have a confirmed place in ACSI under the Direct School Admission. But I am considering appealing to Raffles Institution but I am still undecided as to which school I prefer more. Can someone please tell me the pros and cons of these two schools and the key differences between them. I also wish to know which program, the A levels or the International Baccalaureate would provide me with a better opportunity to enter a good university.


Thank you very much!

Hi polar bear,

During the DSA open house, RI principal said that for IP programme, it provides the depth and IB programme the breadth. And I read somewhere in this forum that more A level top scorers got into Med and Law in U (but I don't know how true is it, hor). From what I heard, ACSI has a lot of rich men's kids, so your kid will probably get very good connections in future (good for business !? )

[Strparent]

fruitplus:

Strparent:

I think the priority is purely on the position on the WL. And the position was based on the SA1 score for GEP students. Fruitplus DS got in due to high SA1 ( near 79%, so higher up ). For GE pupils, those selected with above 80% SA1 were given CO, those 75 to 79.9 were on WL - that is based on my observation.

The ranking of the DSA waitlist is based on :
1) P5 SA1, SA2 (DS got 72+ and 75+respectively) and P6 SA1 (DS got 78.8% overall)
2) GAT (General Ability Test) score (DS must have done quite well too,
he said he didn't manage to finish 11 questions only)
3) Interview performance (Considering the rather tough question asked by the interviewer, DS did very well in this round, although the interviewers said he spoke too softly)

Hi fruitplus,

Congrats to your DS success in DSA to RI :celebrate:

However, I think I disagree on the criteria for the positions on the WaitList. My DS SA1/2 P5 were above 80, his GAT test aslo did fairly well, he did not do about 7 of the questions and was very confident about those he did ( he is extremely good with patterns, imho ) and for the interview, the principal herself was very impressed and even single him out for certain test which he did successfully, a really on the spot kind of test on his speaking and thinking abilities. She assured him he will be shortlisted, but unfortunately his SA1 P6 ( just below 77% ) only warrrants a WL. He was distracted by some BGR thing - it's complicated, LOL.

And for the Portfolio...she did not even asked to see any of it from his group of 3. Some of his classmates also did not get to showcase their portfolio.

The fact that some of his frens got in via DSA, despite fumbling their interview ( but getting a CO due to above 80% for sa1 p6 ) convinced me also SA1 P6 is very improtant.

But I stressed it is my personal view, and I would like to encourage the future batches of P6 GE students to work very hard for their SA1, as that could possibly determine their DSA success.

[fruitplus]

Hi strparent,


Thanks.

Oh, that means the P6 SA1 plays a very very important part.

By the way, for the DSA portfolio, we submited before the interview, ie. same time when we apply for the DSA (very kiasu haha). So, they must have seen it, right?

[Bumblebee135]

I think the portfolio actually do not play a role as important as most people think.

It is still the results that you get from p4 to p6.
As majority of the students who apply to RI through DSA would have a lot of similar certificates, like olympiad maths, NSW assessment and some school projects etc.
Unless it is something very extraordinary like you have conquered the Himalayas before, otherwise it is not going to have much impact on their decisions.

[luckystar]

I am not sure about GE that SA1 plays an important role on DSA selection, but for main-stream, it is the overall results of P4, P5 and P6 with all the other achivements that play an important role, so got to work hard consistently thru out primary.


I believe there are some fix figure of intake under academic, sports and music.

It is very clear when there is a selection under sports, those seeded sportman have a very high chance to get in, they are not to compare with GE kids. I think it is the same to GE kids selection .

[MYB]

Hi,


My child has secured 268 nd has the possibility of going to RI. Am I right?
If so could anybody highlight what subjects would he coverd the first semester, the study pattern, school timing etc?
Thanks

[mathsparks]

Congratulations, MYB! At 268, he’s as good as in. For year 1, they do the usual examinable subjects maths, sciences, history, geog, literature+english, HMT.


Others include oral communication, reseach education, computer studies, ART/Music, PE, philosophy.

Depending on yr child, he might go for selection for Euler (Maths) prog, Galileo (Science) prog, and/or 3rd language. I think there’re other optional prog to signup/select.

Didn’t you receive a booklet listing the subjects they’ll be doing? I think this was given out during Open house.

Btw, there’s no need to buy the Maths-Shinglee bk1 and 2, ds didnt refer to them and they’re still sitting in the cupboard all wrapped and smelling new.

[fruitplus]

Hi mathspark,


So the Math textbooks no need to buy. Thanks! So the Maths teacher gave out notes to the Sec 1?

I wonder is there any changes in the booklist for Sec 1 next year? I was thinking of getting the textbooks early, then get my not so hardworking son to go thru some topics early. I’ve copied down the booklist you posted in Dec last year Very helpful indeed, I found out that my Sec 3 girl can pass some of her old text books to DS. We can save a bit of $$, thank you!

How is your son coping? Is he enjoying his lessons in school ?

Is there a lot of project works in 1st year? What kind of project work is it?

Oh, is there a need to buy notebook for DS? Do they use computer to work on project very regularly?

Is RI a ‘Future school’ ? Some Sec schools are using the Fujitsu Tablet PCs b’cos they are the ‘Future school’. The tablet PC is so costly ($3k+) and heavy!

Thank you in advance!