Year 10 to 11 Selective Schools (2 Viewers)

[myinnermonkey]

Hi,

I am in Year 10 (in 2013) and my mum has just informed me of her plans for entering me into a selective school for my senior years. She is pretty keen on Baulkham Hills as well as Girraween. Upon researching the two schools, I have come to acknowledge that there is no test required in order to get into Baulko. I am also aware that only the most intelligent people get into Baulkham Hills and am curious about my chances of getting in.

In my most recent school report, these are my grades:
Math (Pathway 5.3) - A
English - A
Science - A
PDHPE - B
Religion - A
Geography - A
History - A
Visual Design - A
Japanese - A

In my school, we have annual awards ceremonies and in Year 8 & 9 I have received Outstanding Academic Achievement certificates. Also, since I did Japanese I had to take the Assessment of Language Competence provided by ACER and was able to obtain a Distinction in both the reading and listening categories. I also did the Australian Mathematics Competition, in which I got a Distinction in Year 8, but a Credit in Year 9 (I only made it to the top 18%). I did the Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians in Year 8, getting a Distinction, and also in Year 9, getting a High Distinction.

Also, for Baulko I need to include my NAPLAN results from Year 7 & 9. I am currently uncertain on what I got for Year 7, but in Year 9 for Reading, I got a Band 9. In Numeracy, Spelling and Grammar & Punctuation I got a Band 10. And for Persuasive Writing I got that little triangle thing above Band 10 which indicated that I had met all the requirements.

So here you go. Do you think I could get in? Please be completely honest. Also, are there any other selective schools you could recommend to me? I really want to get into one since I go to a private school and the tuition is pretty expensive and my parents are having a hard time paying for it. I also think that I may benefit from a more competitive learning environment.

 

[Kurosaki]

Your grades seem pretty good, try to ace your half year lies and you should be set . I don't think anyone cares about NAPLAN

 

[Verify]

As Kurosaki said, your grades are very impressive! Just make sure you the same sort of marks for your half yearlies because that's where it really counts. Also, try doing some volunteer work if possible. If you need more info you should ask a user called RivalryofTroll, he should be able to answer your questions for you. Good luck!

 

[myinnermonkey]

Thanks for replying! I just started the new school year last week, and so far I'm being more attentive in class compared to previous years, so hopefully I do well in my half yearly report. My only problem is PDHPE. It's compulsory to do the Bronze Medallion, and whilst I'm confident about the theoretical component, I can't swim. AT ALL. Before I start the practical component, I want to make my teacher aware of my abilities, or lack of anyway, as well as my fear of large bodies of water, so hopefully she goes easy on me, hehe. But anyway, thank you guys for replying! I'm going to try involving myself in the school community more and hopefully that would be advantageous for me. I'm planning to join the choir and chess club, and am already part of amnesty international as well as science club. Do you think those four would be sufficient enough?

 

[Capo]

Yes. As long as you keep up the good work, you'll be able to get in selective schools without too much problems.

Impressive grades, I must say. You should consider learning musical instrument, by the way. It helps a lot. So when they ask you for any musical achievements, you can say that you know how to play at least one instrument.

 

[RivalryofTroll]

1. What other schools? Definitely apply for 4 schools if you can. (4 is the max amount of options. More applications = more chances)

Just select any other selective school(s) which are closest in terms of distance because travel can be a pain. Distance is an important factor for your decision if you get all your desired offers.

Since you're trying for 2 or probably 3 fully selective schools, try out for perhaps 1 partial selective school just incase? Or just try out for 4 fully selective schools. Up to you.

2. Yes, Baulko applicants are lucky because they don't have to do a test but their application has to be assumingly flawless for greatest chances. This is where you can differentiate yourself from other kids who get straight As like you with your extra curricular activities and whatnot. But Girra has a test so make sure to do well in that. The test is generally a big differentiator and can sometimes have more weighting for your chances in a school than your academic reports and whatnot in your hand-in application.

3. Your Year 9 yearly report is impressive. If you can replicate that for your Year 10 half-yearly report, your chances will be VERY high. Your Year 10 half-yearly report is more important than your Year 9 yearly because it's the more recent one.

4. Your NAPLAN is pretty solid. Year 7 NAPLAN is pretty irrelevant since Year 9 NAPLAN is a more recent indicator of your abilities. I remember for my NAPLAN, I got like 3 triangle Band 10s, 1 middleish Band 10 and 1 band 9 in reading I managed to offers from 2 fully selective schools (ranked in the 20s + 30s) so not as great as Baulko but yeah. My Year 9 Yearly report was like 3As and the rest Bs but my Year 10 report (showed improvement) with 6As and 2Bs. So yeah, a person of your calibre should get the Girra offer at least by prediction/judgment but no guarantees. Overall, report > NAPLAN so don't fret about that 1 band 9.

5. Can you get in?

Well maybe. A person of your calibre, judging from your academic excellence across everything, can make it into any school really but if the school has an entrance test, you're not guaranteed because a bad test day is not so great for your chances. Hopefully, you'll be fine for any entrance tests. For schools without entrance tests, your application will really shine.

6. Competitive learning environment.

Yeah definitely but it can work both ways. For you and against you, depends on the individual really.

 

[RivalryofTroll]

Thanks for replying! I just started the new school year last week, and so far I'm being more attentive in class compared to previous years, so hopefully I do well in my half yearly report. My only problem is PDHPE. It's compulsory to do the Bronze Medallion, and whilst I'm confident about the theoretical component, I can't swim. AT ALL. Before I start the practical component, I want to make my teacher aware of my abilities, or lack of anyway, as well as my fear of large bodies of water, so hopefully she goes easy on me, hehe. But anyway, thank you guys for replying! I'm going to try involving myself in the school community more and hopefully that would be advantageous for me. I'm planning to join the choir and chess club, and am already part of amnesty international as well as science club. Do you think those four would be sufficient enough?

Yes, school community + volunteer work and whatnot should boost your chances along with your academic brilliance.

I'd think Baulko values everything that makes a well-balanced student.

Those 4 things sound really good and remember not to over-commit to an extent where you'll drag down your academic grades.

Outside volunteering isn't too necessary since you have school community service but you could consider it.

I wasn't exactly the extra-cirricular type of person but these things will make a bigger difference for the VERY best schools like Baulko, NSG, SGHS, Fort Street, Ruse and whatnot.

 

[hit patel]

Hi
I made it in Girraween in year 11 this year. You have to practice writing a lot and if you want to go to baulkham hill you have to kill every subject in your school and get a perfect report. By perfect I actualyl mean perfect. For maths in the hsat, you have to improve your maths skill. Keep doing maths questions. The maths questions are not like the maths questions in tests so you have to actually sharpen your mathematical speed skills. Trying perfecting year 10 algebra and 2 unit algebra Good luck.

 

[myinnermonkey]

1. What other schools? Definitely apply for 4 schools if you can. (4 is the max amount of options. More applications = more chances)

Just select any other selective school(s) which are closest in terms of distance because travel can be a pain. Distance is an important factor for your decision if you get all your desired offers.

Since you're trying for 2 or probably 3 fully selective schools, try out for perhaps 1 partial selective school just incase? Or just try out for 4 fully selective schools. Up to you.

2. Yes, Baulko applicants are lucky because they don't have to do a test but their application has to be assumingly flawless for greatest chances. This is where you can differentiate yourself from other kids who get straight As like you with your extra curricular activities and whatnot. But Girra has a test so make sure to do well in that. The test is generally a big differentiator and can sometimes have more weighting for your chances in a school than your academic reports and whatnot in your hand-in application.

3. Your Year 9 yearly report is impressive. If you can replicate that for your Year 10 half-yearly report, your chances will be VERY high. Your Year 10 half-yearly report is more important than your Year 9 yearly because it's the more recent one.

4. Your NAPLAN is pretty solid. Year 7 NAPLAN is pretty irrelevant since Year 9 NAPLAN is a more recent indicator of your abilities. I remember for my NAPLAN, I got like 3 triangle Band 10s, 1 middleish Band 10 and 1 band 9 in reading I managed to offers from 2 fully selective schools (ranked in the 20s + 30s) so not as great as Baulko but yeah. My Year 9 Yearly report was like 3As and the rest Bs but my Year 10 report (showed improvement) with 6As and 2Bs. So yeah, a person of your calibre should get the Girra offer at least by prediction/judgment but no guarantees. Overall, report > NAPLAN so don't fret about that 1 band 9.

5. Can you get in?

Well maybe. A person of your calibre, judging from your academic excellence across everything, can make it into any school really but if the school has an entrance test, you're not guaranteed because a bad test day is not so great for your chances. Hopefully, you'll be fine for any entrance tests. For schools without entrance tests, your application will really shine.

6. Competitive learning environment.

Yeah definitely but it can work both ways. For you and against you, depends on the individual really.

Thank you for all the info! It actually helps a lot! I'm planning on talking to my mum about other selective schools and am trying really hard in school now. I've so far joined card club (for pure enjoyment), amnesty international and choir. So far, science club has yet to begin this year, but once it does, I'll be sure to do it. Also, later on in the term, a few students in my school as well as I (accompanied by a teacher) are to go to a nursing home in order to provide assistance for the elderly.

 

[Verify]

Thank you for all the info! It actually helps a lot! I'm planning on talking to my mum about other selective schools and am trying really hard in school now. I've so far joined card club (for pure enjoyment), amnesty international and choir. So far, science club has yet to begin this year, but once it does, I'll be sure to do it. Also, later on in the term, a few students in my school as well as I (accompanied by a teacher) are to go to a nursing home in order to provide assistance for the elderly.

That sounds great, I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Kurosaki]

Thank you for all the info! It actually helps a lot! I'm planning on talking to my mum about other selective schools and am trying really hard in school now. I've so far joined card club (for pure enjoyment), amnesty international and choir. So far, science club has yet to begin this year, but once it does, I'll be sure to do it. Also, later on in the term, a few students in my school as well as I (accompanied by a teacher) are to go to a nursing home in order to provide assistance for the elderly.

That sounds great, I wish you success =).

 

[myinnermonkey]

Wow, it's been a while since I've been on, hasn't it? Well, I got my half yearly reports today, and honestly, I didn't do as well as I did for my yearly report in year 9. I got a C in PDHPE this time 'round, hehe, curse my nonexistent skills in aquatics and dance! But other than that, I was able to consistently maintain my A grade for the remainder of my subjects. I hope this is good enough!

Also, I happened to improve my co-curricular activities a lot! I didn't do exactly what I said I was going to from the posts I had made previously, but I still think they are an achievement, considering I was not someone who particularly liked to get themselves involved in the school community. So anyway, this is what I did:
- Amnesty International
- iScience (this is a program at the University of Sydney. We were placed in groups to do this challenge, in which my group achieved first prize.)
- Maths Challenge Competition
- Card Club
- Red Shield Appeal
- Art Competition (This was an intra-school competition, in which I came 5th)
- Scrabble Club
- Assisting in the school talent show
- Assisting in college open days
- Mercy Schools Conference
- Nursing Home visits
- Tutoring African children

So how did I do? These are the schools I have decided upon (in no particular order):
- Girraween
- Baulkham Hills
- Fort Street
- Sydney Girls/St. George Girls/Penrith (I'm still deciding between these three, but I'm leaning towards Penrith, as it is more convenient in regards to travelling, what do you think?)

 

[Combo]

just reminding you that you can still get an amazing ATAR without getting into a selective school or tutoring, if you are truly interested and enjoy the subjects you choose
nevertheless you will have an outstanding application and good luck

 

[poortom]

go try for ruse

 

[myinnermonkey]

go try for ruse

I would, but I don't think I'd get in. Also, just wondering, for my application, do I need to make a cover letter?

 

[BLIT2014]

Wouldn't hurt to include a cover letter I think

 

[poortom]

tbh you have a very good change of getting in as long as you dont screw up your entry exam.... yeh and a cover letter doesnt hurt as BLIT2014 said (i put one anyways )

 

[myinnermonkey]

Wouldn't hurt to include a cover letter I think

tbh you have a very good change of getting in as long as you dont screw up your entry exam.... yeh and a cover letter doesnt hurt as BLIT2014 said (i put one anyways )

Thank you! I'll be sure to make one! Hehe, thanks, I'll think about it some more, but what's been bugging me is that I seem to bum out in entrance exams. I know that the exam for Ruse is an EDU-test, but is it anything like the ACER Scholarship Test??

 

[poortom]

ummm its like 50-60 questions in 30 minutes, but the questions are ok. its really annoying for reading comprehension >.<

 

[kyary]

apply for hurlstone agricultural high school