Singapore Expats

I don't quite understand UWCSEA's new admission system: It's supposedly meant to be more fair in that everyone applies at the same time and should then - supposedly - also all be offered places around the same time.

I applied for my child to join elementary school in Sep 2014. Received communication stating the date when most recent school reports had to be received by (mid January) and I submitted my child's report as soon as it was available (end of December).

Was informed at the time of application that places would be offered by end of January/start February, but a friend's child (same age as my child) was then offered a place already in December. Whereas I'm truly happy for my friend's child, I just think it seems a bit odd as that child was effectively offered a place before everyone else even had a chance to submit their school reports.

It doesn't seem to be a particularly transparent or fair system to me, but maybe I'm missing something?

I'm not at all surprised. Corruption in the International School systems is a well known fact amongst teachers. These schools are run for PROFIT, not charity.

I'd suggest you look quickly for a back up school in case UWC doesn't come through and I recommend ICS.

Thankfully have a backup application pending, but just disappointed with the UWC application process so far as we specifically chose it for it's "not-for-profit" reputation and supposedly fair new admissions system

Dolph wrote:Thankfully have a backup application pending, but just disappointed with the UWC application process so far as we specifically chose it for it's "not-for-profit" reputation and supposedly fair new admissions system

1. Ask if there is a 'fast track fee'.
2. Ask if there is a building program you can contribute to.

The whole system stinks.

BTW - was the early entrant a sibling of a current or former student or child of a current or past staff member? That may explain it.

No, none of those as far as I know.

Are they still practicing the Corporate sponsorship program?

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Are they still practicing the Corporate sponsorship program?

I knew I missed one - aka "building program" for people without corporate backing (i.e. contribute a few thou to the building program and your queue number will magically shrink).

In years gone by, I'd heard at one point during the heydays, that the corporate sponsorships were well into 6 digits a one point.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:In years gone by, I'd heard at one point during the heydays, that the corporate sponsorships were well into 6 digits a one point.

I know SAS was around $20k at one point. CIS tried to jump on that bandwagon... interesting ownership of CIS - it includes a well known convicted US stock trader (fraud, insider trading I believe).

Dolph wrote:I don't quite understand UWCSEA's new admission system: It's supposedly meant to be more fair in that everyone applies at the same time and should then - supposedly - also all be offered places around the same time.

I applied for my child to join elementary school in Sep 2014. Received communication stating the date when most recent school reports had to be received by (mid January) and I submitted my child's report as soon as it was available (end of December).

Was informed at the time of application that places would be offered by end of January/start February, but a friend's child (same age as my child) was then offered a place already in December. Whereas I'm truly happy for my friend's child, I just think it seems a bit odd as that child was effectively offered a place before everyone else even had a chance to submit their school reports.

It doesn't seem to be a particularly transparent or fair system to me, but maybe I'm missing something?

I think you misunderstand the admission policy. It was/is intended to provide greater diversity and balance in the student population. According to the original announcement, some grades were too heavily male/female while others had high percentages of certain nationalities. It wasn't stated but that most likely meant Indian.

The charter for UWC, which is a non-profit entity, includes a "representative" student body. The result of these changes is an admissions process that works more like admissions for a university.

There was no mention of "transparency" or "fairness". It would be difficult to define "fair" in this process. Further, as families notify the school of their withdrawal over weeks or months and students apply at different times it isn't feasible or possible to offer enrollment to all families at the same time. UWC can only offer places at students withdraw for the next term.

I'd suggest you reset your expectations and just be patient. Many schools have not yet begun to offer enrollment. This tends to go on through June and July, even.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Are they still practicing the Corporate sponsorship program?

Yes, they call it the UWCSEA Nominee Programme. From their website:

Cost of a UNP subscription

SGD$225,000 (plus GST) for a single place (Dover or East Campus)

The ‘pre-screening’ option allows prospective subscribers to determine whether the child they are nominating meets the entry criteria before committing to a UNP subscription.

Yep, the amounts are still similar then.

PNGMK wrote:

Dolph wrote:Thankfully have a backup application pending, but just disappointed with the UWC application process so far as we specifically chose it for it's "not-for-profit" reputation and supposedly fair new admissions system

>snip

The whole system stinks.

>snip

There's no evidence to support this remark.

I think you misunderstand the admission policy

Well, I can only go by what the admissions officer has told me. It seems they tell prospective students/parents of students one thing and then in reality do something completely different. Disappointing.

Dolph wrote:

I think you misunderstand the admission policy

Well, I can only go by what the admissions officer has told me. It seems they tell prospective students/parents of students one thing and then in reality do something completely different. Disappointing.

I doubt the admissions office used or defined the word "fair" in the way you did in your OP. And there was never any mention that everyone would be admitted at the same time. No nongovernmental school here does that.