Successful DSA-SEC Admissions In 2024 ~ Ms Gwenda Ng

20 Jan 2024
All About Dance Dance Competitions Dance Examinations Dance Performances Direct-School Admissions (DSA-SEC)
DSA-SEC Admissions In 2024 - Our Student's Success Stories
 
In an academically driven society as Singapore where every parent's primary concern with school-going children is their educational results, we have encountered first-hand when dance is often sacrificed for extra tuition classes when a student's academic results need improvement. However, we are of the humble opinion that dance actually offers students an outlet to engage in an activity that betters their mental and physical wellbeing, leaving them recharged for their academic pursuits.


In recent years, our nation's leading education authority - Ministry Of Education has been pushing for a broad-based multifaceted learning approach as evidenced by the introduction of the new Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scoring system - Achievement Level (AL) since 2021 and the introduction of Subject-Based Banding (SBB) in Secondary Schools from 2024 onwards. Thus, pursuing dance while striving for academic excellence at the same time is now a very viable option through MOE's DSA-SEC admission programme that takes into account a student's talent in Dance when they are vying for a spot in their preferred Secondary School. For our full in-depth review of this topic, please visit this link: https://stepup.sg/blog/DSA-SEC-How-Dance-Can-Complement-Your-Child-s-Admission-Into-Their-Preferred-Secondary-School.

 



 

Shown above are the 2022/23 Dance Competition achievements of Ms Gwenda Ng who managed to receive a confirmed offer from her preferred Secondary School through DSA-SEC via the talent area of Dance. Read on to find out more of her personal insights with regards to her successful DSA journey in 2023: 


1. What are the most important personal attributes in a student for success in DSA using dance?

To prepare myself for the interview portion of the DSA application, I practised intensively on the commonly asked questions that were prepared for me by StepUp. Having personal confidence is important too as you need to maintain good eye contact with the DSA assessors whom you are talking or presenting to, and your level of confidence will be most evident in your articulation.


2. How have the DSA preparations at StepUp contributed to your success in DSA?

My teacher, Ms Shir Lyn helped me in many ways such as coaching me for my contemporary dance piece that was used in the dance audition of the DSA application, and coaching me for the interview too! Ms Shir Lyn is also very experienced when it comes to DSA as she sits on the DSA panel of the Secondary School that she coaches in. In fact, she asked me the same questions over and over again until I got it just right. 


3. How has the dance journey at StepUp contributed to your success in DSA?

My dance journey at StepUp has helped me with the first step of the application process as you needed to showcase your participation and achievements in dance such as results from the dance examinations and competitions, recitals, workshops and performances. These information had to be submitted in the non school-based Awards/Activities of the DSA-SEC portal at the MOE website. This was the first critical step in the entire DSA journey as it helps to catch the attention of the DSA assessors before you are selected to go for the next round which is the audition/interview phase. 


4. Why did you decide to take up DSA-SEC?

I decided to take up DSA as I really love dance and I felt that it will benefit me by securing a spot in a Secondary School that I would really want to attend and continue in a CCA (dance) which is compulsory for all Secondary level students.


5. Who would you recommend DSA-SEC to and why?

I would recommend DSA to all my juniors who really loves to dance and bond together with like-minded friends in Secondary School.


6. What was the toughest part of the DSA-SEC submission?

I think the toughest part of the DSA journey is the interview portion as I was not confident in the way I presented myself as I had never attended any interview prior to DSA. Thus, I had to practice multiple times before getting it right. Furthermore, you will not know the exact interview questions though you can better prepare yourself through the list of questions prepared by StepUp or checking with the seniors in StepUp.


7. If you could redo the entire DSA-SEC submission again, what improvements would you undertake?

I would want to improve on my level of confidence, and to speak with much more conviction and smoother delivery.


8. What was the differential between your average Achievement Level (AL) from Primary 4 to the actual PSLE results, and the AL cut-off score required by Chung Cheng High (Yishun)?

My average AL was within a 10% differential from the requirements of Chung Cheng High (Yishun).


Thanks to Gwenda for sharing her DSA-SEC journey and inspiring our juniors at StepUp with her success story! 

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