Understanding the New A-Level Grading System: Your 70-Point Rank Score Explained
- 5 min read
From this year onwards, A-Level scoring looks a little different for JC students.
The new 70-point rank score changes how results are counted, especially for those juggling multiple content subjects. Instead of every subject automatically affecting university admissions, the fourth content-based subject now only comes into play if it helps your overall score. This applies to students who have entered JC this year, as well as Year 2 students in Millennia Institute. With the rules shifting, Secondary School students aiming for JC and those already in JC will need to approach their subject choices more deliberately from the start.
The Purpose of A-Level Rank Points
Rank Points are the main way A-Level results are compared during university admissions. Instead of looking at grades subject by subject, universities rely on this score to see how a student has performed across their A-Level subjects.
- Overall performance indicator: Rank Points, also known as the University Admission Score, converts individual subject grades into a single numerical score.
- University selection benchmark: Local universities use RP as the main reference point when assessing eligibility for different degree programmes.
- Beyond the final number: When students have the same RP, universities may look at specific subject grades or course requirements to decide who is offered a place.
Mechanics of Rank Point Calculation
Under the revised A-Level grading system, Rank Points are calculated with a clearer focus on a student’s strongest subjects, rather than counting everything by default. The maximum possible score is now 70 points, instead of the previous 90.
Here is how the calculation works in practice:
- Core subjects counted: Your Rank Points are based on your three best H2 subjects and General Paper (GP).
- Optional subjects: H1 subjects and Mother Tongue Language are only included if they raise your overall score.
- Four H2 subjects: If you take four H2s, the weakest H2 is treated as an H1 and counted out of 10 points instead of 20.
- Project Work: PW no longer contributes to Rank Points, but a Pass is still required for local university applications.
A sample Rank Point calculation:
A student takes three H2 subjects and H1 General Paper. If they score an A, B, and B for their H2s, and an A for GP, the Rank Points add up as follows:
H2 A = 20 points
H2 B = 17.5 points
H2 B = 17.5 points
GP A = 10 points
Total: 65 Rank Points out of 70
Rationale Behind the Curriculum Adjustments
But why did MOE decide to change how A-Level results are calculated in the first place?
At its core, the move towards the 70-point system is about rebalancing the JC experience in Singapore. By reducing the pressure tied to every single subject, students are less boxed into choosing only “safe” options for the sake of grades. The updated structure also gives students more breathing room to explore subjects they are curious about. At the same time, lowering the stakes across the board helps ease excessive stress and creates space for growth beyond the classroom, without weakening preparation for university.
Advantages of the 70-Point Scoring System
With the shift to a 70-point system, instead of every subject pulling equal weight all the time, students now have clearer priorities when it comes to university admissions.
- Less score anxiety across all subjects: Not every subject automatically affects your university score, which eases the constant pressure to score perfectly everywhere.
- More intentional subject choices: Students can take a contrasting subject out of interest, knowing it will only be counted if it strengthens their final score.
- Clearer tracking of performance: With fewer components counted, it becomes easier to see which subjects matter most and where effort should be focused.
Potential Challenges of the 70-Point Scoring System
At the same time, the system raises the stakes in other ways. When fewer subjects count, each one matters more, especially for students aiming for competitive courses in university.
- Closer score clustering: With a lower maximum score, more students may end up with similar Rank Points, making competition tighter.
- Greater emphasis on consistency: A weak result in one counted subject can have a bigger impact than before, leaving less room to rely on compensation from other subjects.
- Stronger spotlight beyond academics: When scores are close, universities may place more weight on subject combinations, interviews, portfolios, or co-curricular involvement.
Key Information on the New RP System
With the scoring structure changing, a few timeline and transition details also matter, especially for students moving through JC over the next few years and those planning ahead from Secondary School.
Who Does the New 70-Point A-Level Grading System Apply to in Singapore?
The newly revised 70-point Rank Point system applies to students who sit for the GCE A-Level examinations from 2025 onwards. These results will be used for university admissions starting in 2026. In practical terms, this affects current JC1 students and those entering JC this year.
How Are Earlier A-Level Results Handled After 2026?
Students who took their A-Levels in 2024 or earlier are not excluded from applying to local universities under the new system. Their original scores, previously calculated out of 90 points and including Project Work and the fourth subject, will be adjusted to fit the new 70-point scale during the transition period. From 2028 onwards, all applicants will be assessed fully under the revised system.
What Does This Mean For JC Students Day to Day?
The impact will not be the same for everyone. Some students may feel relieved knowing that not every subject automatically affects their university score. Others may feel added pressure, since each counted subject now carries more weight. Standing out may rely more on consistent performance and subject strengths rather than overall volume.
Seamless Support for O-Level Excellence and Beyond
Strong A-Level outcomes do not begin in JC. They are built much earlier, through solid fundamentals and confidence with core concepts at the O-Level stage. As subject weightage increases under the new system, gaps formed in Secondary School become harder to fix later on. At TLS Tutorials, our programmes focus on depth and clarity through our O-Level Physics tuition classes, Combined Science O-Level tuition lessons, and Secondary 4 Math programmes, so students enter JC prepared.
Speak with our team to plan a pathway that supports both O-Level success and long-term JC readiness.