Selective school vs public school (1 Viewer)

[livelaughlove]

If you were aiming for a 99.95 atar (or just a really high atar) would it be better to be in a selective school or a really good public school?

 

[buriza]

Selective schools can be helpful for maximising ATAR, but it's still important that you consider which environment you'd thrive most in.

 

[astroman]

Selective is better, if you go nonselective you will become like the lads and end up going tafe and becoming a brickie.

 

[BLIT2014]

Another thing to bear in mind, is the possibility of teachers' being inexperienced at teaching certain subjects/high scaling subjects not being an option.

 

[RivalryofTroll]

If you were aiming for a 99.95 atar (or just a really high atar) would it be better to be in a selective school or a really good public school?

Short answer:

Depends on the individual.

I know selective school students who would have probably done better if they had stayed back at their comprehensive school (in the case of transfer kids).

Conversely, in the case of transfer kids, I know other students who thrived more in the selective school environment than in the comprehensive/'lower ranked' school environment.

Statistically, you have 'seemingly' higher chances of a 99+ or 99.95 ATAR at a 'selective' or highly ranked 'private' school but statistics don't tell the whole story. There have been plenty of 99+ ATAR students from comprehensive schools in the past.

 

[Flop21]

No selective school all the way. Wish I went to a selective.

Why would anyone thrive better at a public school unless they have low ambitions in regards to their education? The kids at selective schools are normal human beings, and in my experience nicer than the kids at public schools (but this really depends on the school).

There is also a large chance of kids being left behind in public schools, I've seen it. Teachers couldn't give two shits about you if you're not in the top class or maybe top 2 classes. Again, this is just my guess and from experience at my school.

 

[Natural Water]

It is a more competitive environment, you are essentially forced to study harder.

 

[kuromusha]

If you were aiming for a 99.95 atar (or just a really high atar) would it be better to be in a selective school or a really good public school?

Dude, are you even Asian?

 

[crowley926]

In my opinion the environment at a selective environment is more conducive to success --> pretty much all students work hard and want to do well and *most* teachers are more than well-equipped enough to provide the necessary help/advice/resources for this success (and many teachers are seasoned HSC markers, past exam writers or Chief Judges so they know exactly what standards are required for Band 6s).

But this isn't to say you can't do well in comprehensive high schools. Obviously not everyone who gets 99+ is from a selective. But it does help your chances of succeeding especially when we all have to pull each other up during HSC + we don't really worry so much about getting dragged down by the lower ranked people - and this is obvious as the median ATARs for top selectives are around the 98-99 range. In a comprehensive high school you'd really have to work hard all year to ensure you earn a rank in the top 5 for all subjects to ensure that other people won't affect your marks as much. But then again I mean I know people from schools ranked in the 400-500s getting around 99 while some selective kids don't even get 95.

When it comes down to it - the school doesn't matter so much as the student. If you put in hard work and excel in what you do then it won't matter what school you go to.

 

[iforgotmyname]

No selective school all the way. Wish I went to a selective.

Why would anyone thrive better at a public school unless they have low ambitions in regards to their education? The kids at selective schools are normal human beings, and in my experience nicer than the kids at public schools (but this really depends on the school).

There is also a large chance of kids being left behind in public schools, I've seen it. Teachers couldn't give two shits about you if you're not in the top class or maybe top 2 classes. Again, this is just my guess and from experience at my school.

I Think it is mostly about the pressure placed on students to do well in selective school. People tend to break down under pressure=(f/a) therefore they consequently perform much more poorly than if the pressures is not exerted on them

 

[crowley926]

I Think it is mostly about the pressure placed on students to do well in selective school. People tend to break down under pressure=(f/a) therefore they consequently perform much more poorly than if the pressures is not exerted on them

Nah. A lot of people from comprehensive high schools are pressured to do well too.

While it's true that selective kids are held to high standards... it's not for no reason. A lot of us have a genuine desire to do well so when we get pressured we don't really break down but idk it's hard to explain. Like it motivates us and we have really high goals so we try really hard to reach them and I don't think as a majority we perform poorly under pressure

 

[Flop21]

Nah. A lot of people from comprehensive high schools are pressured to do well too.

While it's true that selective kids are held to high standards... it's not for no reason. A lot of us have a genuine desire to do well so when we get pressured we don't really break down but idk it's hard to explain. Like it motivates us and we have really high goals so we try really hard to reach them and I don't think as a majority we perform poorly under pressure

I've had people cry in my class from the pressure, couple years ago (public school) lol. Also heard someone had to be taken away in an ambulance due to year 12 stress.

I don't really think any of this is relevant though, it's more the fact you have high achievers all in the one place. Whereas public schools have maybe 1 class of high achievers. So obviously the majority in these schools are not high achievers, thus there's no atmosphere / positive attitudes towards studying and doing well for yourself.

 

[HecticSandWitch]

If you were aiming for a 99.95 atar (or just a really high atar) would it be better to be in a selective school or a really good public school?

Moving to a selective school was the single best decision I've ever made. If you love to push yourself, and see what you're capable of, then selective schools are the way to go. I think they're better for ATAR's compared to public schools because they're filled with students who's sole aim is (gross generalisation incoming) to beat as many people as possible, and you just keep pushing each other till you're working the hardest you possibly can, collectively pushing the cohorts marks up.

 

[crowley926]

Also heard someone had to be taken away in an ambulance due to year 12 stress.

Woah that's extreme

I don't really think any of this is relevant though, it's more the fact you have high achievers all in the one place. Whereas public schools have maybe 1 class of high achievers. So obviously the majority in these schools are not high achievers, thus there's no atmosphere / positive attitudes towards studying and doing well for yourself.

+1

 

[sida1049]

I've only studied in a public comprehensive high school, and never regretted it. Really, anyone can get a high ATAR if they simply put enough effort, efficiency and strategy into what they do.

The biggest different between selective schools and non-selective schools is pressure, as iforgotmyname has appropriately articulated, that some students perform poorly under pressure than others. Some thrive in a stressful, pressured environment. Others need that headspace to work efficiently and achieve. One of the things that one needs to cope with in a selective school is failure, because even the students who know their content, do a lot of past papers and revision, are constantly up to date, et cetera, are still stuck below average. And if a student becomes discouraged by the idea that they are simply not competing very successful within the context of their cohort (i.e. their efforts aren't translating to results they perceive as adequate), then that perspective, or rather the lack thereof, will drag them down. One of our best students once replied to why they aren't in James Ruse, saying that "because you need people who are worse you", and while initially it may seem condescending, it becomes self-evident upon reflection.

I've enjoyed my non-selective environment. Contrary to what many may think, we do become quite competitive especially after Year 11 (at least for the top quartile). The vast majority of us try. I'm gonna bet at least 3-4 99s this year.

 

[livelaughlove]

Short answer:

Depends on the individual.

I know selective school students who would have probably done better if they had stayed back at their comprehensive school (in the case of transfer kids).

Conversely, in the case of transfer kids, I know other students who thrived more in the selective school environment than in the comprehensive/'lower ranked' school environment.

Statistically, you have 'seemingly' higher chances of a 99+ or 99.95 ATAR at a 'selective' or highly ranked 'private' school but statistics don't tell the whole story. There have been plenty of 99+ ATAR students from comprehensive schools in the past.

When kids transfer into year 11 to a selective school is it usually really hard to cope with the workload?

 

[sinophile]

If you want to aim high, hands down you should go to a selective school. Its a more supportive environment for learning.

I went to a public school in the sydney south-west. You really don't know how bad it is unless you've been one. The teacher can't even teach because they're constantly being interrupted by future brickies and panelbeaters who don't give a shit about studying, so they just start shouting in class or drumming on the tables or just standing up and walking out of the classroom. Frequently calssrooms have to be evacuated because someone let off a fartbomb or sprayed deodorant everywhere. Another time class was cancelled because a bunch of arab kids decided to chant 'kill all the jews' in arabic in the hallways instead of go to class. Its like someone put all the bogans and wogs and 'live laugh love' drama bitches you met on public transport and put them into one place.

 

[RivalryofTroll]

When kids transfer into year 11 to a selective school is it usually really hard to cope with the workload?

Depends on the individual.

I had somewhat decent study habits from years 7 to 10 so when I changed to a fully selective school in Year 11, I adjusted better than I thought I would.

However, I had an "underdog mentality" - where I felt that I was 'behind' and had to work insanely harder to catch up to the students at the school. This mentality definitely helped cause I ended up doing well in both Years 11 and 12.

 

[matchalolz]

When kids transfer into year 11 to a selective school is it usually really hard to cope with the workload?

Some transfers thrash everyone else. Others (mainly those who get in via natural intellect) may not have any idea how to study due to being in a bad environment previously/shaky foundations, and get rekt until they learn that they need to work hard to keep on top of things.

If you can thrive in a highly competitive environment then go for it. hsc tends to get really overhyped though...
Although seeing other people study their asses off is meant to motivate you I still think that motivation is internal and no matter what environment one is in, it's your choices and behaviour that ultimately determine things

 

[eyeseeyou]

Selective schools tend to motivate students to do better but you can still do well if you're in a shit school

Just study harder and smarter and the marks will be guaranteed