27 May 2026
3 Schools Opening Their Doors on 30 May — What to Expect
Cedar Girls', SST, and Yusof Ishak are holding DSA open houses this Saturday. Here's what each school is known for, what to look out for, and the questions worth asking before you leave.
The DSA application window closes in six days. Saturday is one of the last chances to walk through a school before you click submit.
Three schools are running open houses on 30 May. If any of them are on your child's shortlist — or if you're still deciding — here's what to expect at each.
At a Glance
| School | Time | Format | Known For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Girls' Secondary | 9:00am – 11:00am | 🖥️ Online | Performing arts, Choir, Dance |
| School of Science and Technology (SST) | 9:00am – 1:00pm | 🏫 On-site | STEM, Research, Infocomm |
| Yusof Ishak Secondary | 9:00am – 10:30am | 🏫 On-site | Sports, Performing Arts |
Note: Cedar Girls' is running an e-Open House this year — register in advance to receive the link.
Cedar Girls' Secondary School — e-Open House (Online)
9:00am – 11:00am · Register on the school website for the link
Cedar Girls' has a reputation that precedes it in one specific area: performing arts. Their Choir and Dance programmes are serious — the kind where students genuinely train, not just perform at Teachers' Day.
This year's open house is online. The upside: your child can attend from home without the Saturday-morning school run. The downside: you can't walk the grounds or watch a live showcase. Lean into the session format instead.
What's on the agenda:
- Principal's Talk
- Sharing on Talent Development, CCAs and Student Development
- DSA Breakout Session
- Live Q&A
That DSA Breakout Session is the one to stay for. It's where you'll get the most direct answers about what the application process actually looks like.
DSA talent areas to look out for:
- Dance
- Drama
- Choir / Music
- Visual Art
- Sports
One question worth asking in the Q&A:
"For Dance applicants — is the trial a prepared piece, improv, or both? And roughly how long is each component?"
The answer to that question alone can save your child weeks of preparing the wrong thing.
School of Science and Technology (SST)
SST is a different kind of school. If most secondary schools run on exams, SST runs on projects. The integrated programme means students who are admitted won't sit for O-Levels — they go straight through to pre-university on a different track entirely.
That's not for every student. But for the right student — one who gets bored in a traditional classroom and lights up when given a real problem to solve — it can be exactly the right fit.
DSA talent areas to look out for:
- Science Research
- Technology / Infocomm
- Robotics / Engineering
- Mathematics
What to pay attention to at the open house:
SST tends to showcase student project work prominently. Look at the projects on display and ask yourself honestly: is your child doing work at this level? Not to discourage anyone — but knowing the realistic competitive field early saves everyone a surprise later.
One question worth asking:
"For Infocomm or Robotics applicants — do you expect prior competition results, or is a personal project portfolio sufficient?"
Yusof Ishak Secondary School
Here's a school that deserves more attention than it typically gets in DSA conversations. Not every child is applying to the top-tier IP schools — and not every child should be. Yusof Ishak offers DSA talent areas where your child could actually have a genuine shot, train meaningfully, and have a secondary school experience that doesn't feel like a five-year pressure cooker.
DSA talent areas to look out for:
- Sports (confirm specific offerings on-site)
- Performing Arts
- Visual Art
What to pay attention to at the open house:
Smaller schools often have more candid open houses. You're more likely to get a real conversation with a teacher or HOD than a polished presentation. Use that. Ask specifically what happens to DSA students in Year 1 — how are they onboarded into the CCA, what's the training schedule, what support do they get?
One question worth asking:
"For students who join via DSA — do they train with the main team from day one, or is there a development pathway first?"
Three things to bring on Saturday
Your list of questions — Open houses are loud, crowded, and over faster than you expect. If you don't write your questions down beforehand, you'll leave having talked to three CCA students and remembered none of their answers.
Your child, if possible — Twelve-year-olds notice things parents miss. Whether the students seem happy. Whether the school feels like somewhere they'd want to spend four years. That gut sense is data too.
A deadline reminder — Applications close 2 June at 4:30pm. Whatever you learn on Saturday, you have four days to act on it. If you haven't finalised your school choices, now is the time: → Check your choices against PSLE COP data
Can't make it on Saturday?
We compile takeaways after each open house — useful even if you couldn't attend.
And with six days left before the deadline, here's what else to check off:
→ 7 Things to Do Before June 2
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