Pros and cons of enrolling into a selective school for Year 12 (1 Viewer)

[slyhunter]

High school science is pretty mediocre.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

Eh I know. I didn't wanna take bio, but nothing else on the line >.< (Like there was textiles and Sport, Life + Rec etc.)

All I wanted was French Continuers on that line.

 

[fallenstars]

Off the top of my head:

Pros:
- better school might mean better teachers and resources (..? maybe?? DEPENDS on your selective school) which may potentially help you to do better for HSC
- competition (like you said)
- better learning environment possibly - cos you're with people similar to you who are driven and smart
- scaling - selective schools can help scale up your HSC marks (what I heard)
- it probably helps for you HSC assessment mark - cos your HSC internal assessment mark is determined by your final rank at school and how well the school performs in the HSC exam e.g. let say you come 15th in the school for 3u maths, and the 15th best mark of the school in the exam is 94 (just hypothesising) then you get 94 as your internal assessment mark (THIS is primarily the reason why people who are serious about the HSC would want to go to a selective school so much - cos people of the school do well in exams and that helps them if they have a reasonably good rank)
- school may be more organised?

Cons:
- pressure (academic + school + competition)
- Competition (this time in a negative way - since people do well and are probably competitive, it would be hard to get top/great/good ranks (depends on the school and what you see as good ranks) - this might lower your morale?? possibly?? but as long as you work hard and are motivated i believe you can get a good rank
- settling in the new school - making new friends, coping with sadness from leaving old school, coping with new environment (this would be pretty bad if one is introverted)
- leaving friends from your current school
- you might not like the 'selective' environment

Hope that helps. It's just off the top of my head.

 

[animeiswild]

Pal, i really understand what you're feeling because that's how i felt when i was in year 10, wondering whether i should have applied. I was a rather competitive person before, i was always top 3 in all my subjects but when i transferred, i was either at the bottom 30 for sciences or just in the middle-average for other subjects. It's not that my school was stupid making me slightly smarter but it was because they learn things way quicker than us and are already ahead by heaps.

You mentioned before a bit of competitiveness and more slef study might help. Let me tell you reality- it doesn't. When it hits you for real, don't say getting determined to compete, you even lose your motivation. Because truth is there are heaps of other kids who are way smarter than you. Also just because it's selective, it doesn't mean that you'll get good teachers- i only like 2 teachers of my 6 because they're the only ones who teach properly. That's how bad the teachers are. If you have good teachers now, i'd advise u to stick with them instead of risking having crappy teachers for your HSC year. Also you mentioned something about picking up chemistry or something, or whatever the subject is, they probably won't have space because their first priority are obviously their existing students. So if you can;t continue your preliminary subjects then you'll probably even lose the qualification for HSC. BEsides if you're going to be dux of your school, i don;t see the point of transferring and losing your DUX position.

However, i'm not encouraging you to not apply for selective, i'm just telling you to think hard and deep about your choice. Apply for the stupid schools, i applied for 4 and they all accepted me. I think even if you don't actually enter a selective school, you can sorta know your level just by applying because i applied for 4 schools just to know whether i had the ability to enter sydney girls or fort street or something even if i know i wouldn't go even if i made it in. I said before you seemed smart enough to enter sydney boys and caringbah is shit easy to get into so that's sorta guaranteed. I remember someone tlking about losing friends and stuff when changing schools, that's true and if u still insist on going, i recommend caringbah- my friends transferred there this yr and they're absolutley loving it.

Anyways my final opinion is that i don't think its advised to transfer in year 12 because its such a critical year and getting into selective is nothing but a superficial goal. Overall, i even regretted my choice of even entering one.

 

[SpiralFlex]

Pal, i really understand what you're feeling because that's how i felt when i was in year 10, wondering whether i should have applied. I was a rather competitive person before, i was always top 3 in all my subjects but when i transferred, i was either at the bottom 30 for sciences or just in the middle-average for other subjects. It's not that my school was stupid making me slightly smarter but it was because they learn things way quicker than us and are already ahead by heaps.

You mentioned before a bit of competitiveness and more slef study might help. Let me tell you reality- it doesn't. When it hits you for real, don't say getting determined to compete, you even lose your motivation. Because truth is there are heaps of other kids who are way smarter than you. Also just because it's selective, it doesn't mean that you'll get good teachers- i only like 2 teachers of my 6 because they're the only ones who teach properly. That's how bad the teachers are. If you have good teachers now, i'd advise u to stick with them instead of risking having crappy teachers for your HSC year. Also you mentioned something about picking up chemistry or something, or whatever the subject is, they probably won't have space because their first priority are obviously their existing students. So if you can;t continue your preliminary subjects then you'll probably even lose the qualification for HSC. BEsides if you're going to be dux of your school, i don;t see the point of transferring and losing your DUX position.

However, i'm not encouraging you to not apply for selective, i'm just telling you to think hard and deep about your choice. Apply for the stupid schools, i applied for 4 and they all accepted me. I think even if you don't actually enter a selective school, you can sorta know your level just by applying because i applied for 4 schools just to know whether i had the ability to enter sydney girls or fort street or something even if i know i wouldn't go even if i made it in. I said before you seemed smart enough to enter sydney boys and caringbah is shit easy to get into so that's sorta guaranteed. I remember someone tlking about losing friends and stuff when changing schools, that's true and if u still insist on going, i recommend caringbah- my friends transferred there this yr and they're absolutley loving it.

Anyways my final opinion is that i don't think its advised to transfer in year 12 because its such a critical year and getting into selective is nothing but a superficial goal. Overall, i even regretted my choice of even entering one.

Cheers for the advice.

 

[SpiralFlex]

Off the top of my head:

Pros:
- better school might mean better teachers and resources (..? maybe?? DEPENDS on your selective school) which may potentially help you to do better for HSC
- competition (like you said)
- better learning environment possibly - cos you're with people similar to you who are driven and smart
- scaling - selective schools can help scale up your HSC marks (what I heard)
- it probably helps for you HSC assessment mark - cos your HSC internal assessment mark is determined by your final rank at school and how well the school performs in the HSC exam e.g. let say you come 15th in the school for 3u maths, and the 15th best mark of the school in the exam is 94 (just hypothesising) then you get 94 as your internal assessment mark (THIS is primarily the reason why people who are serious about the HSC would want to go to a selective school so much - cos people of the school do well in exams and that helps them if they have a reasonably good rank)
- school may be more organised?

Cons:
- pressure (academic + school + competition)
- Competition (this time in a negative way - since people do well and are probably competitive, it would be hard to get top/great/good ranks (depends on the school and what you see as good ranks) - this might lower your morale?? possibly?? but as long as you work hard and are motivated i believe you can get a good rank
- settling in the new school - making new friends, coping with sadness from leaving old school, coping with new environment (this would be pretty bad if one is introverted)
- leaving friends from your current school
- you might not like the 'selective' environment

Hope that helps. It's just off the top of my head.

Thanks for your input. Untrue.

 

[powlmao]

I say don't leave get first in everything and you'll get a ATAR of 99

 

[SpiralFlex]

I say don't leave get first in everything and you'll get a ATAR of 99

Easier said than done. I have a few more weeks to decide I guess...I think I would be happier in a selective school. I am not solely doing this for a high ATAR.

 

[powlmao]

Easier said than done. I have a few more weeks to decide I guess...I think I would be happier in a selective school. I am not solely doing this for a high ATAR.

But your SpiralFlex

Anyway, do what makes you happy

 

[xjess]

honestly apply simply because if you want to apply later in the year it'll be too late. secondly applying for a new school wouldnt be that idea in year 11 - 12 simply because the teacher wouldn't know you too well, itl be to hard to familarise with your environment. also you are currently a big fish in a small pond, but if you go to a selective school your practically not anymore, so i dont know if you would be ready to place yourself in the shoes of not constantly coming first. also keep in mind if you leave your old school, you may lose major important leadership roles or dux etc.

 

[SpiralFlex]

honestly apply simply because if you want to apply later in the year it'll be too late. secondly applying for a new school wouldnt be that idea in year 11 - 12 simply because the teacher wouldn't know you too well, itl be to hard to familarise with your environment. also you are currently a big fish in a small pond, but if you go to a selective school your practically not anymore, so i dont know if you would be ready to place yourself in the shoes of not constantly coming first. also keep in mind if you leave your old school, you may lose major important leadership roles or dux etc.

I am not enrolling for great results, something about being around selective people really feels nice.

 

[GenY]

Anyhow, James Ruse does not accept students after year 10 afaik. I'd say some other selective schools would have a similar situation.

What are you taking about? last year Ruse took in 36 year 11 newbies....
Do any selective schools take in new students in year 12 ? I doubt it...

 

[SpiralFlex]

What are you taking about? last year Ruse took in 36 year 11 newbies....
Do any selective schools take in new students in year 12 ? I doubt it...

A few, Caringbah and SBHS to name a few.

 

[GenY]

A few, Caringbah and SBHS to name a few.

Ok but historically, in Year 12, there are very few, if any, vacancies,
gook luck...

 

[d3st1nyLiang]

go for it =)

 

[Aerath]

A few, Caringbah and SBHS to name a few.

Er.....we do? I don't remember anyone coming in in Year 12. (Class of '09).

 

[iRuler]

I was under the assumption they selective schools stopped taking in students after the end of year 10, for year 11 (or up to half way through year 11).

 

[SpiralFlex]

Er.....we do? I don't remember anyone coming in in Year 12. (Class of '09).

http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com/enrolment/years8-12

 

[Aerath]

http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com/enrolment/years8-12

Fair enough. I still don't remember anyone coming in in Year 12. All the transfers started in Yr 11.

 

[winonaaa]

Honestly, I don't know many selective schools that allow people to join in Year 12. Also, you need to do prelim courses before you do actual hsc courses (prob mentioned before, so sorry), so you can't just pick up randm subjects. Also, if you choose to change school, chances are you won't know many people or have many friends. This might be more detrimental than beneficial.
I say, stick with your school, it can't be that bad. Just put in the effort and your ATAR will prevail