JC TUITION
There is a general consensus that Junior College (JC) is one of the toughest hurdles in one’s education journey – some lament that it’s even harder than university! The A Levels, which JC prepares you for, is undeniably one of the most important exams students will sit for in their lives. The A Levels results typically determine what university courses you qualify for, and hence represent a major crossroad in one’s life. Especially for extremely prestigious and coveted courses like Medicine, Law and Architecture, excellent A Level results are crucial.
JC Subjects: What to Study?
JC is a giant leap from secondary school. The wide range of subjects available may be a little confusing and overwhelming for some. We break down the subjects for you in an easier way:
The 3 Hs: H1, H2, H3
The categorisation of subjects in H1, H2, H3 can be pretty confusing for fresh JC students. Generally, H2 subjects include more content; they cover more breadth and depth. H2 subjects take up the bulk of the curriculum and will need more time to cover. On the other hand, H1 subjects cover less depth and breadth. The lesser workload means that H1 subjects are typically easier compared to their H2 counterparts.
H3 subjects are optional. These additional subjects are not included in the A Level rank points. Generally, H3 subjects are recommended for students who have a keen interest in a specific subject and are looking to expand their knowledge in that particular field.
General Paper, Project Work & Mother Tongue
General Paper and Project Work are compulsory for all students. Knowledge & Inquiry (KI) can replace General Paper, and typically requires students to sit for a placement test. Project Work culminates in a final project report and presentation at the end of J1.
Students who obtained at least a D7 for their Higher Mother Tongue in O Levels are exempted from Mother Tongue in A Levels. Otherwise, students are required to take H1 Mother Tongue and sit for the exam at the end of J1.
Common Subject Combinations
Generally, subject combinations in JC can be categorised into two types - the Science stream and the Arts Stream.
Science Stream
Students in the Science stream generally take these two combinations: BCME or PCME (Biology/Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Economics), with Economics as the contrasting subject. Nonetheless, Geography and History are also viable subjects for interested students.
Arts Stream
The most common JC subject combination for the Arts Stream include HELM or GELM (History/Geography, Econs, Literature, Math). Other subjects include ELL (English Language and Literature), Arts, or a 3rd Language.
Besides the Science and Arts stream, students can also opt for the Hybrid Stream. As the name suggests, this JC subject combination is a mix of Science and Arts (2 of each). Possible subject combinations include CMLE (Chemistry/Math/Literature/Economics).
It is advisable to avoid choosing two content heavy subjects when planning your JC subject combination. For example, History and Geography are two well-known content heavy subjects. While it is not impossible to excel in these two subjects simultaneously, studying both these subjects would be undeniably taxing on one’s memory.
JC Tuition Helps You Navigate a Jam-Packed Curriculum
Despite spanning a short 2 years, the A Level curriculum is jam packed with content. On top of the massive amount of content knowledge expected, the A Level curriculum also expects students to articulate this knowledge with critical thinking and writing skills. Besides expectations to perform well in exams, A-Level students are also expected to be active in CCA (co-curricular activities) as well as be involved in community work. Reasonably, JC students are stretched thin. To help relieve some of the stress and aid in better learning, JC tuition thus plays a critical role.
4 Benefits of JC Tuition
- Don’t struggle alone
JC is challenging time. As the curriculum covers a massive amount of content, teachers sometimes teach at a speed that may outstrip one’s personal learning pace. As assignments come in one after another, it is easy to start feeling like you are drowning under an avalanche of work. Our dedicated and patient JC tutors can help you master the content, as well as clear any of your doubts.
- Reinforce what you have learnt
Psychologists have found that constant refreshing of learnt material is crucial in retaining the information in your memory. JC tuition helps to keep the content fresh in your mind by setting a weekly routine of practice.
- Help in answering techniques
Often times, students understand the content but fail to articulate their answers in ways that gain marks. JC tuition helps to emphasize important answering techniques so that students can excel in the exams.
- Simplified notes
With so much content to learn, all the information can sometimes end up feeling like a mangled clump in your mind. JC tuition helps you to extricate clarity from the mess. Tutors can provide simplified notes that make concepts clearer and more intuitive.
Why Private Tuition than Tuition Centres?
- Undivided attention
One to one tuition affords each student the undivided attention of the tutor. Especially for students who tend to be shyer, it is easy to be outshadowed by classmates who are more outspoken. This problem is immediately circumvented with private tuition.
- Reduced fear of asking questions
In tuition centres, teacher to student ratios tend to be higher. Consequently, it is difficult to build a good working rapport between the tutor and student. Hence, the fear of asking questions in class can be very prevalent, and might hamper effective learning. With private tuition, the student and tutor are able to build more effective rapport, which might reduce the student’s fear of asking questions.
- Lessons tailored exactly to fit your child’s specific needs
A major pitfall of group tuition is that lessons generally follow a fixed structure. With multiple students, it is nearly impossible to tailor the lesson to suit each student’s specific needs. In comparison, private tutors are able to craft lesson plans that directly address their student’s weaknesses. Consequently, private tuition can be much more effective and bang for your buck than group tuition in tuition centres.
- Flexible schedule
Unlike tuition centres where classes are allocated a fixed schedule, private tuition has much more flexibility. With the understanding that JC students are generally very busy with various commitments, private tutors typically work to fit the student’s schedule. This flexibility also enables private tutors to conduct make-up classes or additional classes when required without much administrative hassle.
Nanyang Academics - Helping You Pursue Excellence
Nanyang Academics is committed to help students excel in their A Levels. Our JC tutors are specialised in their respective subjects and are dedicated in helping you reach your fullest potential. You do not have to struggle alone in the ferocity that is JC – let us help you navigate the storm safely.
Request for a tuition assignment today!
