Hi folks, I need to get 3 O level credits, meaning just a pass will suffice.
I have the following options to do
Pure Chem
Pure Physics
E Maths
OR
E Maths
Combined Science(Chem/Phy)
Combined Humans(SS/History)
Which one is easier to do? I last took my O's in 2005 and I'll only have next year to study everything.
Is it better to enroll in a school(MDIS, BMC) or to study on my own and engaging a tutor? I understand I can do this and just take the lab lessons for the practical exams on the science topics at BMC.
Really would appreciate all help rendered.
Thanks in advance:)
Originally posted by Stretford.End:Hi folks, I need to get 3 O level credits, meaning just a pass will suffice.
I have the following options to do
Pure Chem
Pure Physics
E Maths
OR
E Maths
Combined Science(Chem/Phy)
Combined Humans(SS/History)Which one is easier to do? I last took my O's in 2005 and I'll only have next year to study everything.
Is it better to enroll in a school(MDIS, BMC) or to study on my own and engaging a tutor? I understand I can do this and just take the lab lessons for the practical exams on the science topics at BMC.
Really would appreciate all help rendered.
Thanks in advance:)
Taking combine science is obviously easier than pure science but the combine science combination will be like takeing 5 different subjects with maths, phy, chem, SS, hist.
If you are a discipline student and believe that you can force yourself to study with minimal supervision, you can consider private tutors. If you lack that motivation, a private school might be better. Cost wise i am not sure which is cheaper.
Originally posted by dkcx:Taking combine science is obviously easier than pure science but the combine science combination will be like takeing 5 different subjects with maths, phy, chem, SS, hist.
If you are a discipline student and believe that you can force yourself to study with minimal supervision, you can consider private tutors. If you lack that motivation, a private school might be better. Cost wise i am not sure which is cheaper.
Hi there, thanks for your input.
Yes, I understand combined sciences would be easier but I would need to study 5 subjects in this combination. My aim is not to score high grades, I just need 3 credits.
I would definitely prefer a private school but I've heard one too many horror stories about the lecturers at MDIS & BMC.
Thanks
Originally posted by Stretford.End:Hi there, thanks for your input.
Yes, I understand combined sciences would be easier but I would need to study 5 subjects in this combination. My aim is not to score high grades, I just need 3 credits.
I would definitely prefer a private school but I've heard one too many horror stories about the lecturers at MDIS & BMC.
Thanks
Since you taken the O's before. You should consider your strengths and weakness and factor it into your decision. If theres anything that you might have abit of interest in, that will help alot more.
There will always be good and bad stories be it govt schs, private schs and even in uni, there are gd and bad lecturers. It depends on your luck. Don't just hear what others say only.
Originally posted by dkcx:Since you taken the O's before. You should consider your strengths and weakness and factor it into your decision. If theres anything that you might have abit of interest in, that will help alot more.
There will always be good and bad stories be it govt schs, private schs and even in uni, there are gd and bad lecturers. It depends on your luck. Don't just hear what others say only.
Ok thanks. I think I've got untll the end of next week to make my decision, would like to have more inputs and choose my path.
Thanks again buddy
It's to do with the bell curve, not just the difficulty of the syllabus/questions. It sometimes takes less than 70% score to score A1 for combined science, but more than 80% score to score A1 for pure science. Due to the bell curve.
Regardless, pure sciences are always more useful than combined sciences, if your future further studies and/or profession is science based (eg. engineering).
And every student I know hates social studies, and since social studies is combined with a humanity subject, it is difficult to score a good grade for the overall combined subject.
But since you just aim to pass, either option seems ok for you. So you can't really go wrong either way (unless you failed to mention that you're terrible at a particular subject which appears in one of the above options).
Lastly, about private school and tuition. If you're just aiming to pass, a private school and self-study will suffice. No need for private tuition as well, unless you're aiming for distinction.
Originally posted by Stretford.End:Ok thanks. I think I've got untll the end of next week to make my decision, would like to have more inputs and choose my path.
Thanks again buddy
When you are choosing a private school, you need to ask one very important question which many private students forget to ask before they enrol in a private school.
The important question to ask the private school is
"Who are the teachers that are going to teach you ? "
Ask to meet the teachers personally, ask to see their teaching materials, ask to talk to the former students of these teachers, ask the teachers for detailed lesson plans, lecture notes, tutorial exercises with worked detailed answers for each lesson. Are these materials just taken from a guidebook and the teachers just teach from the guidebook ? Are the teaching materials exam oriented and specially prepared by the teachers for the "O" level exam ?
It will be too late once the private students sign up for the course and later they found out that the teachers do not cover the whole syllabus of "O" exam ie some private school teachers just cover the sec 4 topics or covers the topics superficially or the teachers do not give or mark any assignments or exercises. Do not do any ten years series questions or just pick one or two simple questions to do. Worse, some teachers do not even know the syllabus in detail or the exam patterns or the topics at all or they teach only the topics that they know and they skip those topics that they do not know and then they tell their students that those topics they do not know are not in the syllabus or unimportant. Or when the students have doubts or questions and approach the teachers for help, the teachers will try to avoid by giving the excuses that they will give the answers another day and on the next day they will feign ignorance or they do not know the answers themselves, they will try to scold the students or act angry to divert the attention.
Originally posted by Stretford.End:Hi folks, I need to get 3 O level credits, meaning just a pass will suffice.
I have the following options to do
Pure Chem
Pure Physics
E Maths
OR
E Maths
Combined Science(Chem/Phy)
Combined Humans(SS/History)Which one is easier to do? I last took my O's in 2005 and I'll only have next year to study everything.
Is it better to enroll in a school(MDIS, BMC) or to study on my own and engaging a tutor? I understand I can do this and just take the lab lessons for the practical exams on the science topics at BMC.
Really would appreciate all help rendered.
Thanks in advance:)
Hi Stretford,
I believe the first option will be a better one, especially since you intend to further your studies.
As for studying, I will suggest you enrol in one of those schools, especially if you do not have a good foundation in the above subjects. As Lee012lee has kindly mentioned, you can find out more about the teachers who will be teaching you before you enrol in the school itself.
Cheers.
Originally posted by Lee012lee:It will be too late once the private students sign up for the course and later they found out that the teachers do not cover the whole syllabus of "O" exam ie some private school teachers just cover the sec 4 topics or covers the topics superficially or the teachers do not give or mark any assignments or exercises. Do not do any ten years series questions or just pick one or two simple questions to do. Worse, some teachers do not even know the syllabus in detail or the exam patterns or the topics at all or they teach only the topics that they know and they skip those topics that they do not know and then they tell their students that those topics they do not know are not in the syllabus or unimportant. Or when the students have doubts or questions and approach the teachers for help, the teachers will try to avoid by giving the excuses that they will give the answers another day and on the next day they will feign ignorance or they do not know the answers themselves, they will try to scold the students or act angry to divert the attention.
Valid concerns regarding private schools. It's true private schools only skimp through the syllabus, because the basic assumption is that private students have already gone through a government secondary school proper education, and are now only retaking the 'O' levels.
Which is why I said earlier that if your intention is to score a distinction, (quality) private tuition will be valuable, and for many private candidate students even necessary; if your intention is only to pass (though it makes more sense to want to score well), then it's not so much the private school that matters, because it's really about self-study and self-discipline.
But if Stretford.End is pondering about private school VERSUS private tuition, then the consideration shifts to costs and affordability : private tuition for multiple individual subjects will cost significantly more than a private school which covers all subjects registered.
So we've identified 5 factors for Stretford.End :
1) checking out the quality of the private schools
2) financial status and affordability
3) intention to pass vs to score well
4) self-discipline and self-motivation
5) future study plans determine Pure Sciences vs Humanities subject options (though taking 'A' Maths as well, would be vaulable to go with Pure Sciences)
And lastly, feel free to post your maths, physics and chemistry questions here if you find you need help with questions (especially if you take Pure Sciences and/or 'A' Maths).
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for your valuable inputs.
Overall, I think going to a private school + self studying would be good enough I suppose. My budget would be around $5000 for the papers and school, would it be enough?
I understand if I were to go to a private school, I have to register for 5 subjects which includes English and Mother Tongue. However, I do not wish to retake these subjects, is there any private schools which allows me to do so?
I would not be working for the year of 2010, just planning to clear the 3 subjects and get on with my life, so I believe I have alot of time to spend on studying.
After seeing Lee01Lee's post, I must say I am indeed very petrified by the lecturers/teachers of private schools. Do you peeps have any school in mind which provides an environment such that I can gain a proper education to clear the 3 subjects?
Thanks alot again people!
Bringing it up
Hi there, I've found out that CHEC(City College) is quite a conducive school to prepare me for my O levels.
However, I've checked with CHEC, and they're asking me to take an entry test.
And it's on Wednesday. I'm really nervous as I don't know will I be
able to clear my Maths or not. English should not be a problem but
Maths how to study anything in 2 days?
And they're not really clear whether if like I don't clear my Maths can I join the school or not.
Seriously not really sure what to do.
Originally posted by Stretford.End:Hi there, I've found out that CHEC(City College) is quite a conducive school to prepare me for my O levels.
However, I've checked with CHEC, and they're asking me to take an entry test.
And it's on Wednesday. I'm really nervous as I don't know will I be able to clear my Maths or not. English should not be a problem but Maths how to study anything in 2 days?
And they're not really clear whether if like I don't clear my Maths can I join the school or not.
Seriously not really sure what to do.
For MDIS is you have to go for their intensive tuition class
Originally posted by One Harmonius Blend:For MDIS is you have to go for their intensive tuition class
I'm looking at City College for now as I hear it's better to study there for O's compared to BMC/MDIS.
Bringing it up.
Thanks
your tuition is dubious because you don't even know how to read the guidelines.
Hi,
I dont quite get you when you said you need 3 'O'. Are you combining for JC/Poly. BTW...thats since 2005. which year are we in now, consider the timing.
I work in a private institution, if you need advise. Send me an email: [email protected]