Retaking O Levels as Private Candidate

elias1987 SG

Hey guys, Im retaking my o levels as a private candidate by enrolling in a private preparatory school environment.

I was wondering if you guys know any good private schools that give excellent preperatory lessons for o levels?

Ive compiled a lsit currently, but still not sure, and asking around for your opinions. What do you think? :confused:

http://inspire-edu.com/preparatory-courses/o-level-preparatory-course/

http://www.mdiscollege.edu.sg/gce-o-level-private-secondary-school.html

http://www.cambridge-b-school.edu.sg/en/programmes/o_level.php

http://www.beacon.edu.sg/GCE-O-Level-Preparatory-Course.html

http://hanbridge.edu.sg/index.php/academic/programmes/preparation-courses/o-lvl-prep-course

http://www.tyndale.edu.sg/

Xcert SG

personal opinion is to take the cheapest one and take the effort to study...if U dun want to put in the effort...give U all MOE teachers also no use....private schools(at least for O/A levels) are primarily not schools...they are private commercial entities out to make a profit...and to have profits...most of the time...the quality of the teachers will suffer...U need luck to have good ones...for those subjects with bad teachers...U still need to study on ur own.

Also...have a look at http://www.ite.edu.sg/cet/ge/index.htm

They used to use MOE teachers...I believe its still the same now.

btw now is Sept...O levels is not done yet....how come U are thinking of retaking liao?

if U still can retake in govt school next year and can take the insults....govt school is still the better option in terms of teaching quality.

Xcert SG

I clicked on a few links....all in the range of 8K to 9K....U think its for SG students?....their target is more like international students...I take average SGD8.5K/12=SGD708.33 per month....%#$%^$%^ expensive lor...U need to be above-average income family to afford it lor...

elias1987 SG

i need to retake 2 subjects as private candidates in a preparatory classroom environment since im damn weak in maths and science. well, my grades are borderline pass which means i cant enroll to the more demanding courses in poly. like that, how? :(

Xcert SG

maths and science ar....retake science must have lab lessons one....check out the ITE link I posted...

how ar?...like I said...since ur grades are borderline pass...and maths and science are weak...most likely poly courses are out...not sure about ITE...

Consider the possibility of going back to retake at ur secondary school....U might take a bit of heat there...but its much better than spending 8.5K a year just to keep urself out of army(if U are a guy) and retake.

if U really dun want to go back...then private tuition looks to be a better option unless U are a guy...cos U need a school to give U a deferment letter to stay away from army...also depends on how good the rest of ur grades are.

Example

English- C6

2nd language - C6

maths - F9

Science - F9

Humanities - C6

Maths+Science retake until A1

English- C6

2nd language - C6

maths - A1

Science - A1

Humanities - C6

like that also 20 points...can go poly....but maybe the more popular ones U also cannot get in.Which course U eyeing anyway?

CutePenguin SG

holy cow

Junyang700 SG

I heard these days even 18 points hard to get into poly liao.... Norm is like 13 pointer.

Darkness_hacker99 SG

I heard these days even 18 points hard to get into poly liao.... Norm is like 13 pointer.

Negative.

The cut-off point (COP) for each course is different from each other due to many factors. Popular courses like Mass Comm or Biomedical Scienes will command a lower COP. The COP and number of places offered in a course have a direct relationship between each other. If Mass Comm offer 50 places, the COP will be lower (implying more capable students) due to high competitive.

What you have heard may be rumours. GCE O Level graduates with 18 points may still get into a local polytechnic for courses like Engineering and Sports Sciences. And 13 is not the norm.

I hope I have cleared your misconception.

Best Regards,
Chin Seng
Homework Forum Moderator

Darkness_hacker99 SG

Dear Elias,

The ones that I have heard are BMC, MDIS, and ITE. All three of the Institution have their own science lab for practicals.

BMC is around for many years providing GCE N/O/A level prep courses and they have various package to meet your subject combinations. It is quite reputable in the industry.
Link: BMC

MDIS has a bad reputation for its staff management and business operation. I not recommand my students for MDIS prep course.

ITE General Education (GCE prep course). Usually classes are held at night. They have good lab facilities. The staff are well-trained and most of them are from MOE. Generally, it is the most suitable for everyone.

Citycollege, a subsidary/affiliate of City Harvast Church. Have a good reputation. A good percentage of private student retaking O Levels are from Citycollege.

Best Regards,
Chin Seng
Homework Forum Moderator

Darkness_hacker99 SG

Retake O Level --> O Level Prep School --> Poly Course --> NS.

This is the route that you will take. Of course, as mentioned, you need to get the letter from the private school.

Retaking O level is not a failure.

Best Regards,
Chin Seng
Homework Forum Moderator

elias1987 SG

Hello there darkness hacker!!

Well, yeah its true. Ive also heard the bad reputaiton of MDIS. Same goes for JBS (Jamiyah Business School).

What I fear of going to preperatory private schools is that they will ask you to do independent studies instead of them teaching, which is akin to having an RP type of teaching, which is what my friend at JBS told me. -.-

Since uve given me the suggestion of the latter and former, Im now considering to either taking preperatory classes either in BMC and ITE now.

Perhaps you can enlighten me the pros and cons of both taking preperatory classes at BMC and ITE? Perhaps maybe in terms of fees, time schedules, administration, reputation of teachers and the fact that ITE has MOE teachers copared to BMC?

Xcert SG

Dear Elias,

The ones that I have heard are BMC, MDIS, and ITE. All three of the Institution have their own science lab for practicals.

BMC is around for many years providing GCE N/O/A level prep courses and they have various package to meet your subject combinations. It is quite reputable in the industry.
Link: BMC

MDIS has a bad reputation for its staff management and business operation. I not recommand my students for MDIS prep course.

Citycollege, a subsidary/affiliate of City Harvast Church. Have a good reputation. A good percentage of private student retaking O Levels are from Citycollege.

Best Regards,
Chin Seng
Homework Forum Moderator

yes,BMC has been offering it for years...and no...reputable is not something I will use to describe it....the good thing about it is the lower course fees.How U benefit from it depends on urself and the quality of the teachers that they find.

Xcert SG

Im now considering to either taking preperatory classes either in BMC and ITE now.

consider taking both.

Seowlah SG

Indeed, most of BMC "O" level teachers are not former MOE teachers and their class sizes are big ie there are many students in a class.

elias1987 SG

consider taking both.

you got to be kidding me considering i want to work part time. -.-

Xcert SG

you got to be kidding me considering i want to work part time. -.-

considering U have not mentioned that beforehand,I am not kidding U.

Darkness_hacker99 SG

considering U have not mentioned that beforehand,I am not kidding U.

Yes.

ITE General Programme offers only English, Mathematics, Science (Phy/Chem) as at AY2009. It is just these three.

On the other hand, BMC offer almost a complete range of subjects under their GCE O Level Prep course. Subjects like F&N are not BMC forte.

Xcert is not kidding you.

Best Regards,
Chin Seng
Homework Forum Moderator

Seowlah SG

Yes.

ITE General Programme offers only English, Mathematics, Science (Phy/Chem) as at AY2009. It is just these three.

On the other hand, BMC offer almost a complete range of subjects under their GCE O Level Prep course. Subjects like F&N are not BMC forte.

Xcert is not kidding you.

Best Regards,
Chin Seng
Homework Forum Moderator

You are wrong.

ITE also offered other subjects.

ITE offered English, Maths, Science (Physics / Chemistry), Principles of Accounts, Add, Maths, Science(Physic / Biology), Science (Chemistry / Biology), Literature, History, Geography, Chinese, Malay, Tamil and Art.

Please see the url link http://www.ite.edu.sg/cet/ge/timetable_mar10.htm

You pay only $102 + $8 lab fee = $110 fee for the whole year at ITE Academic. Most ITE Academic teachers are former MOE teachers.

You pay $3020 fee for the whole year at BMC. Most BMC "O" level teachers are not former MOE teachers.

Darkness_hacker99 SG

You are wrong.

ITE also offered other subjects.

Please see the url link http://www.ite.edu.sg/cet/ge/timetable_mar10.htm

You pay only $102 + $8 lab fee = $110 fee for the whole year at ITE Academic. Most ITE Academic teachers are former MOE teachers.

You pay $3020 fee for the whole year at BMC. Most BMC "O" level teachers are not former MOE teachers.

Dear seowlah,

Thank you for correcting my major errors. I appreciate that a lot.

Best Regards,
Chin Seng
Homework Forum Moderator