yea mate an opportunity over academically achieving students who deserve the opportunity from consistent effort.
oh come off it. kids who apply for these access schemes work SO HARD to be given the opportunity.
You said it yourself; "network , better access to resources, more academically inclined peers, better teachers and pastoral support and better access to opportunities and facilities. the teaching being better is evident since private schools don't necessarily take in academically gifted students at the start of year 7 but their students end up performing similar or better than those at selective schools and almost always much better than those at normal public schools."
how is this fair and providing equality? You will likely get in on academic merit, due to the factors you provided above. A student who does not have access to these opportunities cannot rely on that. Everyone works hard in their HSC. to suggest not is so ignorant and quite frankly, you come off as jealous as you perceive it as 'an easy way in' You are not disadvantaged because someone else is. no one is taking away your place.
Im not going to say anything else because there seems to be a lot of sheltered people in this thread that do not realise the struggles a lot of people go through as teenagers. Arguing about this is pointless, because I know I wont change your mind. Just because you havent seen it, doesnt mean its not happening. We all do the same course, yes, but not everyone has equal access. Not all schools have 'free tutors.' Gateway entry and other similar schemes would not exist if there were not disadvantages students face.