Here’s my experience on how my kid got into SOTA.

I went for one of their talks when she was in P4 or P5 to find out their requirements for admission. I had already read it on the website but wanted to hear it from them.

It was then I learnt I had to prepare a portfolio of my kid’s art works (Visual Arts) and I had to sign up for one of their talent auditions in her P6 year. (Mine was in June 2009. I heard it’s better for them to be well rested — June is a one-month break compared to March, which is only one week.)

In addition, I learnt that if your child has a confirmed place after the Talent Auditions (in this case applied under DSA), whether in the end the kid gets into SOTA depends on her PSLE results. She must do well enough to get into Express stream. 

And the story continues... 

At the beginning of Jan 2009, I signed her up for the Talent Audition via website, of which my kid was allocated an admission number. Her form and payment of $150 had to be submitted via post or by hand by a certain date. (The $150 is refunded via first month’s fees of the first school term when the child becomes a SOTA student.)

She was given a date to come for auditions. (This letter comes later, two weeks before auditions.)

Then there was an Open House by SOTA (can’t remember if it was end of last year 2008 or beginning of this year 2009). I could not make it on that day as I was working, so I asked a friend to bring my child. 

I needed my girl to find out about the school and if she liked the ‘vibe’ — it’s a six year programme leading to the IB diploma and the school days are long (abt 8am to 4pm). Besides the daily training of the Arts fields — 3 hrs a day — she still must go for classes in the various academic disciplines. (Whatever I am writing here is what I learnt from their talks as my dd has yet to attend her first day of school.)

 My friend informed me that during the Open House, there was a talk given and they mentioned kids must get at least aggregate 230 during their PSLE to get into SOTA.

Anyhow my dd got into SOTA via DSA (confirmed place) and after the PSLE exams saga was over, we all began to worry if she would make it for the COP (as stated above).

Kiasu parents always worry regardless sigh... personality hazard!!

Between the time after PSLE was over and the time the results were released, just before the end of the school term, you have to confirm if your kid wants to accept the DSA offer. At this time, to help us understand SOTA better, SOTA invited the parents to a talk to detail the curriculum and the IB diploma better, so that we would know what her schooling years would be like at this specialised school of the arts. At the talk, it was mentioned — whether DSA students get into SOTA would depend on PSLE results — must get into Express stream.

For additional details check out sota.edu.sg.