Here are a few types of kids who could benefit:

• the late-bloomers who find /traction/ in the university environment and beyond — 少壮不努力 老大涂伤悲 doesn’t really apply if they could catch up in those 4 years what they have lost in the previous 12 years. If a student is motivated enough she could spend additional years in uni and get multiple degrees.
  • My colleague Jack didn’t pay attention to math in a U.S. high school and early part of university. He caught up later.
  • My Aussie colleague Damien said he only became serious at the university level. He went on to earn a math PhD. It’s similar to the U.S. system — late bloomers are allowed to be late bloomers.
  • One ICE manager and my Thai landlord both said in this country, even at a old age some friends they know went back to school and studied for a formal qualification, because they are motivated. This is harder in an Asian country.
• presumably those with serious interest in arts or sports — Singapore education system rewards these talents less than U.S. system.
• presumably those with serious interest in gadgets, computers, robotics, machines — These aren’t emphasized in Singapore exams and homework. Furthermore, the relative importance of academic studies are much higher in Singapore, leaving less room for these pursuits.
• the seriously curious type — most kids are superficially curious but I wish my son’s curiosity lasts a year and propels him to put in consistent effort.
• presumably those with leadership ambitions — I feel many of these kids aren’t academically strongest, so in the Asia context they are often forced to spend too much time on homework and exams. In the U.S. system they probably get more “oxygen”.
• The aspiring marketing communication mavericks, the sales dragons, and entrepreneurs, including the techno-preneurs.
• the future inventors — I feel some of them aren’t so keen about trigonometry, calculus, composition, grammar, and all the 题海. I had to memorize lots of history, geography, biology, chemistry, which is not needed if I were an inventor. What I need to learn in these subjects I could learn easily as adult. In the West, students are given less to memorize.
• Those who want to graduate early or learn faster — Singapore system is rigid and doesn’t allow it

Most of these types of students possess a self-direction and internal drive about something. The “independent learning” culture in the U.S. system would give them more choices and more freedom. If you lack that “internal driver”, you might squander away much of your youth since the U.S. system has insufficient discipline, control and guidance. U.S. system relies more on parents to provide those, even though there are exceptional teachers.

The “prescribed dosage” of mandatory learning in the form of homework and exams is significantly lower (than in Asia) until Grade 10.

How about myself? —— I feel the Singapore/China system is better for someone like me. I didn’t have any keen interest even in university. Instead, I have strong abstract, cognitive, analytical and numerical skills as a student, so the standardized exams are my natural advantage. Even the fact-based subjects are easy for me since I put in much more hours memorizing them. I didn’t mind the “high dosage” and I could cope with it better than most students.

My sister is very different! —— I think she might do better in the U.S. system. She had talent in sports, leadership and social skills, but didn’t cope well with the high dosage of homework and exams in China. Did she have any direction at age 16? Not sure, Maybe, but the U.S. system would give her more freedom and choices and less pressure and pain. Given her academic capabilities, it was hard to get into in a Chinese university in the 1980’s but it’s easy at this time. Besides, my sister is weaker on standardized exams but would probably score higher in interviews, application essays, or teacher recommendations. I’m one-dimensional but she’s a 3-dimensional student.

Q: So how does a regular school vs good public school vs a private school affect the average students? (Let’s not talk about the minority of motivated students)

A: I imagine a lot of kids (at age 11) simply have very low drive and no direction, so in my imagination they would likely squander in an average school. There are not enough school “programs” to engage them in a regular school compared to a private school. Parents could find outside “enrichment classes” to engage the child — See https://tanbinvest.wordpress.com/2017/07/18/extra-tuitionu-s/

A: The good public schools also have more funding thanks to property tax, but more importantly the fellow students are presumably more serious, more disciplined, even if they too lack the self-direction. Family upbringing is the neighborhood is the key factor in my view.

In conclusion —— I feel if a young teenager has an internal driver towards any academic or non-academic domain, the freedom, extra-curriculum programs and choices offered by the (better) U.S. schools could be a winner over the Singapore system. In reality, most kids at that young age don’t feel a self-direction, so arguably the “high-dosage”, tough-discipline Singapore system is more beneficial.