• Best of luck to the class of 2024 for their HSC exams. You got this!
    Let us know your thoughts on the HSC exams here
  • YOU can help the next generation of students in the community!
    Share your trial papers and notes on our Notes & Resources page
MedVision ad

Transition to selective (1 Viewer)

Mark576

Feel good ...
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
515
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Hey, I would really like to hear your thoughts about changing schools (in this case, changing to a selective school) when you move into year 11. Please add any advantages, disadvantages you have in mind. Thank you
 

topdeck

Member
Joined
May 18, 2006
Messages
152
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Hi,
I'm hoping to do the same thing as you next year....where are u planning on going?
 

pritnep

Boredof?
Joined
May 30, 2005
Messages
3,949
Location
Newcastle
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
Well its the best time to change school; if your ever going to do it. Also you if start at the new year with everyone else you can put your subject selection forums in ontime and increase the chances of getting the subjects you want.

Advantages and disadvantages is really something you would have to weigh up as I am sure there are reasons why you want to change.
 

Mark576

Feel good ...
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
515
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
topdeck said:
Hi,
I'm hoping to do the same thing as you next year....where are u planning on going?
I'm planning on going to Gosford High School, how about yourself?
 

Mark576

Feel good ...
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
515
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
topdeck said:
Hi,
I'm hoping to do the same thing as you next year....where are u planning on going?
I'm planning on going to Gosford High School, how about yourself?
 

Michiru

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2003
Messages
89
Location
sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2005
hheheh.. i can rant all day about this topic ^^" I also was offered a chance to go to several other selective schools (james ruse, syd girls, north syd girls) back when i was in yr 10. I also have friends who've either moved TO a selective school (or even moved OUT of one. That person moved from James Ruse to King's).

The advantages are that you may get better teachers, a better environment to study in which the people around you are more studious (not always the case). Selective school are usually ranked higher than other schools so it may affect your uai.

On the other hand, if you're not doing that well in your studies, you'll get a crappy uai no matter what school you go to. Also, balancing the transition experience as well as school work load, stress, & social life can be a bit hectic. A lot of people fail at this.

The transition into a selective school can also be hard because most are, lets be frank, smarter. So if you do decide to change, be prepared to work your ass off. A warning, not all transition is successful. One of my friend who had the potential to get a UAI of 99/100 ended up getting 89. Wasted talent eh?

Oh...there's a bias towards the disadvantage. hehehe... at this point i should probably tell you that my decision in the end was to remain at my school =D
 

Michiru

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2003
Messages
89
Location
sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2005
no matter what path you choose, tell me your end decision ok?
 

Bobness

English / Law
Joined
Aug 7, 2005
Messages
1,656
Location
Sligo
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
you would first have to send in an application form to all those high schools (ruse, nsghs etc) before they'd offer you a position. if you wasted that much time and effort applying, weren't you WANTING to go in the first place?

you seem all over the place =/
 

Wooz

^wooz*y^
Joined
Aug 14, 2005
Messages
2,468
Location
Campbelltown
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/7-12assessments/selective8_12.php

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 31st of July 2006!!!

It's definetly worth going to a selective school, but settling in is hard.

I changed last year from a school that was ranked in the 500's out the of 600 or so schools last year. Now im in penrith high which was ranked 25th and doing extremly well and also doing Biology Olympiad NQE.

Pros: Better environment, virtually no bullies, heaps of extra-curricular activities, better motivation, if your going to a school ranked after the 20's most of the students havent started studying, most start studying after 1st assesments or half yearlys after they bomb out. Often better resources than normal comprehensive public schools.

Cons: Travel i would only reccomend you going if u live within 40mins by public transport from the selective school. Teachers arent selective(but its you that must put in the effort in senior high school!!!),

PM or post in thread for any other info.
 

drynxz

I..solated..ated..ated
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Messages
304
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
I am one person who changed from a catholic school to a selective school (Hurlstone Agricuture) last year. However u find the new school is all based on which school u are planinng to go to. For me my advantages and disadvatanges are:

Advantage:
-Meeting new and interesting people
-Better working environment
-"Slightly" better teachers
-Change in personal goals
-More encouragement from peers

Disadvantages:
-Longer way to travel 2 mins to 20 mins to school
-Offline classes starting at 7:45 in morning
-Loss of sleep
-Loss of ego from other students academic L33tness
-Getting lazy and developing the belief that when u go to a selective ur UAI will improve, which is inccorect.
-Starting tutor for 3 classes in order to keep up with other students ><

HMm i think thats all for now. I beleive that i made the right choice in changing schools because of all the new people ive met + the ego booster that i know that i go to selective -_-.
So anyways its up to you if you want to move or not. Want more info? go visit my old thread.
 

pritnep

Boredof?
Joined
May 30, 2005
Messages
3,949
Location
Newcastle
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
I would state that a loss of EGO would be an advantage as it does lead to the "i'm better then you attitude".
 

Mark576

Feel good ...
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
515
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
What would be the most likely entry requirement for entry into year 11 for a selective school?
 

drynxz

I..solated..ated..ated
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Messages
304
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
i just sat for an entrance exam for maths and english + i had to hand in a porfolio full of certificates and reports from past years.
 

Mark576

Feel good ...
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
515
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
drynxz said:
i just sat for an entrance exam for maths and english + i had to hand in a porfolio full of certificates and reports from past years.

How difficult was the entrance exam say, compared to the difficulty of similar tests at your previous school?

What were you tested on?
 

ladyknight

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
97
Gender
Female
HSC
2005
topdeck said:
Manly High hopefully
Hey, İ graduated from there last year! High five!, hehehe...

İm not sure if this can be generalised to selective schools, but İ also found that the students were socially alot smarter as well- most people actually getting to know personality before judging, and generally a lesser distinction between groups (not so cliquey).

Anyone else agree?
 

drynxz

I..solated..ated..ated
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Messages
304
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Mark576 said:


How difficult was the entrance exam say, compared to the difficulty of similar tests at your previous school?

What were you tested on?
Overall the selective high school tests for year 11 is slightly harder than that of the school certificate. For me , english had comprehension and a extended response, which was not extremely difficult.

Maths however included topics not yet covered in most schools based on the sylabis due to the fact that selective exams are sat in july-sept. Therefore topics such as co-ordinate geometry and statistics may be included, so make sure you cover most of the year 10 topics.

Examinations is different in every schools, with some schools having harder exams than others + elite schools like james ruse require only a portfolio submission and dont have exams.

Dont worry, i didnt finish the english exam and still made it through. Others also stuffed the test big time and still got a reserve. AND everyone that got a reserve got in :)
 

nandayo

ismist
Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Messages
252
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
In theory (and please correct me if I'm wrong) but if you're achieving top Band-6 marks at your current school, wouldn't the only benefit of changing to a selective school be the work ethic and perhaps the pressure to do well.

If you're coming first at your current school (in all or most subjects) aren't you exempt from moderation (with peers) and wouldn't that mean your mark isn't affected as much as it would be if you changed to a selective high school and did mediocre (according to state standards not school standards).

That's a lot of friggin' brackets.
 

drynxz

I..solated..ated..ated
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Messages
304
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Yes i agree. If you are performing well at your current school and your feel that your confortable in your posisiton, then by all means stay at your current school. By achieving the top ranks, moderation will not affect you much at all and therefore its purely based on how well you perform.

Remember: Changing to a selective school does not guarantee you will get a higher UAI. You have to work your ass off for that high UAI and for all you people who think the school will scale you up, it is not necessarily the case. Change schools only if you find you are unable to perform to your maximum potential there, and who knows your new selective school might turn out worse that your current school.
 

Mark576

Feel good ...
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
515
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
In fact, i'm coming first in the year for science, first in my advanced maths class, first for music, and somewhere at the top of my class for every other subject (except metal lol :)). So what i'm essentially looking for is a better working environment, with more people at my level so i'm always in need of working harder, and thus hopefully boosting my marks from harder study.

What do you think?
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top