DSA is an admission exercise that allows primary school students to gain a place in a secondary school based on a diverse range of talents and achievements, and not just on their PSLE results. The process varies by school and talent area, but typically involves interviews, auditions, or trials. The secondary schools Anchorlites apply to will have access to their academic and co-curricular activity (CCA) records. The application window is typically in May and June. Shortlisted candidates are invited for selection rounds from July to September, and offers are released in September, before the PSLE results are out.