How to prepare for the direct school admission application

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SINGAPORE – When Celyn Yap, 14, was applying for the direct school admission (DSA) exercise during her Primary 6 year, her parents engaged the services of a vocal coach and an interview trainer.

At that time, Celyn wanted to get into the choir at River Valley High School via DSA. An enthusiastic alto, she was in the choir at Lakeside Primary School for three years.

“I’ve liked singing and music since I was young, and after I took choir as my CCA (co-curricular activity) in Primary 3, my interest in performance grew,” she says.

“I took the DSA route as I hoped to secure a spot in my preferred secondary school, in case my PSLE didn’t go that well.”

The DSA exercise allows pupils to apply to a maximum of three schools based on an area of talent – which includes sports, visual or performing arts, or a specific academic area – before taking the Primary School Leaving Examination.

The DSA application period usually starts in early May and ends about a month later.

Different schools have different talent areas, criteria and selection processes. Shortlisted pupils have to attend interviews, auditions or trials conducted by the schools. Those who receive and accept offers from their chosen school must participate in this talent area during their time there.

Some parents see DSA as another way for their child to get into a preferred secondary school, apart from entry through Achievement Level (AL) scores at PSLE.

Channelling nervous energy

Some students take preparatory courses, which can cost upwards of $300, to train for their DSA application.

Celyn’s voice coach, Ms Narelle Ong at Narelle Ong Vocal Studio, taught her better voice control and more accurate pitching in one such workshop in July 2024. She helped Celyn in choosing a song in Tagalog, uncommon in Singapore, for her DSA audition, which showcased the girl’s lower register.

Celyn’s interview coach helped her to organise and refine her ideas over two sessions. Preparing for the anticipated question of why she wanted to apply to River Valley High School, for instance, her first instinct was to reply that it was just a 10-minute bus ride from her home.

Her coach, Ms Grace Tan of Learning Journey Education Centre, advised her to research the school more. Celyn eventually talked at greater length during her DSA interview about how she hoped to contribute to the school’s choir.

Ms Tan also advised Celyn to pay more attention to her body language. The adolescent stopped pushing her hair back behind an ear. Instead, she channelled the energy from the nervous tic into expressive hand gestures to amplify her speech.

Today, Celyn is enjoying her choir CCA and thriving as a Year 2 student in the integrated programme at River Valley High School.

Taking part in DSA training workshops helped her mentally prepare for the exercise. “My communication skills and confidence also improved,” she says.

Talent versus interest

Having a longstanding commitment to her craft made Celyn highly suited for the DSA exercise, but it is not for everyone.

Ms Tan, the principal and founder at Learning Journey Education Centre, which offers English tuition and customised DSA preparation courses, says selecting the right school and DSA domain is crucial.

She says: “The child must love the talent area that he or she has identified, and find joy in the activity.

“I know there are many anxious parents who really want their child to enter a specific school. But ask yourself: Will my child be happy doing this for the next four years in secondary school?”

She has seen children train six times a week in their sport, on top of preparing academically for the PSLE. DSA would probably not suit a child who enjoys badminton, but is neither in his primary school team, nor has taken part in external competitions.

“Choose a school whose cut-off score is close to your child’s academic achievement level so that your child can cope better in secondary school,” Ms Tan adds.

She has seen students, who were successful DSA applicants, going into depression and eventually dropping out of their integrated programme as they were unable to keep up academically.

Urging parents to be sensitive to their offspring’s emotional well-being and the risk of burnout, she advises regular check-ins and frank discussions with the child.

She also encourages parents and children to check out schools’ DSA open houses – many of which are held in April and May – to find out more about a potential fit between the school’s culture and the child’s aspirations.

DSA journey is a marathon

The DSA journey is more a marathon than a last-minute sprint since it can take years to explore interests and develop expertise, says Ms Tan.

Ms Li Dongmei is the founder and visual arts tutor at Moyuan Culture Education Centre, which provides visual arts enrichment and DSA preparatory courses.

She says an interest in art might begin in a pre-school art class. A pupil might then start thinking in Primary 4 about putting together an art portfolio for his or her DSA application in the Primary 6 year.

While aptitude and techniques are core to DSA application, soft skills and values are also important.

In Ms Li’s opinion, a visual arts DSA portfolio should demonstrate the use of different media. A young person’s oeuvre that includes different genres of painting, calligraphy, sculpture and digital art shows perseverance and teachability.

A young child who dislikes sketching may avoid it, but sketching is a foundational skill that shows a pupil’s powers of observation, layout and use of space, Ms Li adds. She says that some schools offering art as a DSA domain ask for candidates’ sketchbooks from previous years, which record their artistic trajectory.

Ms Li says: “DSA is not about selecting the ‘best’ students, but those who are most suitable. They have potential, genuine passion and are open to exploring new ways of doing things.

“Parents should support and encourage their child over the years, and document his or her growth journey.”

Common interview questions

The interview in a DSA application could make or break an application, observers say.

Ms Tan says: “DSA interview prep is like practising for the oral exam. You need time to coach and prep.”

Many children are not able to articulate what their achievements and strengths are – even if they have done well in performances and competitions – which could result in someone else of similar aptitude getting the DSA place instead, she says.

“Our job is to help students find their voice. They craft their responses, and we polish and refine them.”

Memorisation, model answers or AI-generated scripts are out. Such prepared remarks are not authentic and easily exposed if the student stumbles and forgets his or her speech on the day, says Ms Tan.

She prepares her DSA students for questions relating to their proposed school, and the child’s personal achievements and soft skills.

Common interview questions include why the child chose this particular school, and how the child might contribute to the school through this talent area, says Ms Tan.

Develop life skills

Ms Candice Wang is co-founder of Coding Lab, an enrichment centre that offers classes in coding and artificial intelligence, as well as DSA prep courses. She says programming can be used in various DSA domains in STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Her students have built their own websites, and she encourages children to notice technology in their backyard, such as installations at a light festival, so as to be comfortable talking about tech and its applications.

Group competitions and group interviews are common in STEM, she says. “It’s not only about how well you do in your coding, but it’s also what kind of person you are,” she adds.

A joint task may show not only children’s ability, but also how they articulate their thoughts and feelings about their creation, as well as how effectively they work with their peers.

Ms Tan adds that regardless of whether a DSA application succeeds, the process can be meaningful. “Many of these skills are transferable life skills.”

She urges parents not to exert undue pressure on their kids. “Assure your children that your love for them doesn’t change, whether or not they get into DSA.”