Selective Schools (1 Viewer)

[kurt.physics]

Hello,

I am just wondering, how hard is it to get into a public selective school? And whats the chance that i could get in? I shall give some context

I am currently in year 9, I am in the top 5 in all my classes, I have accelerated into year 10 maths, I came first in the year for this year 10 maths term test, i also came second in the year in last years year 9 maths test (I was in year 8).

I am also great at computers, working at a year 11 level. I've got something like 15-25 merit certificates and Year Advisors award. I can get up to 6 letters of reference.

So whats the chance of me getting into a public selective school (more specifically penrith)?

 

[lyounamu]

Hello,

I am just wondering, how hard is it to get into a public selective school? And whats the chance that i could get in? I shall give some context

I am currently in year 9, I am in the top 5 in all my classes, I have accelerated into year 10 maths, I came first in the year for this year 10 maths term test, i also came second in the year in last years year 9 maths test (I was in year 8).

I am also great at computers, working at a year 11 level. I've got something like 15-25 merit certificates and Year Advisors award. I can get up to 6 letters of reference.

So whats the chance of me getting into a public selective school (more specifically penrith)?

Even though it proves to be quite competitive, if you have got good results to show, you will be picked. However, being good at Mathematics will not definitely guarantee your spot as they ask you about other subjects such as science and English.

I don't attend Selective High School so I don't know really well. But Penrith is not ranked high in terms of Selective High School so it will be relatively easy to enrol. I would like to hear how good you are in other subjects but what you got there seems adequate.

P.S. You may need to take exams or hand in portfolio. Before you think of changing school, it is sometimes better to think about alternatives.

 

[Aerath]

So whats the chance of me getting into a public selective school (more specifically penrith)?

I'd rate you as a pretty good chance of getting into a Selective School. But I don't think they accept any new students in Year 10 - they only accept new students in Year 11 (unless any current Penrith students are leaving for other schools).

 

[patty4848]

Hey I might be able to help you.
I go to Caringbah Selective High School and we rank pretty well across the spectrum. You will need to show evidence of results, and your maths marks and ranks are more than enough. However they will not only look at maths. English is the subject that everyone does so you will need to be competitive in that regard. If you don't mind me asking... How do you fair in English, History, Science and Geography? Are you just passing? Or are you getting 90s? Somewhere in between?

Your computer ability seems to be quite advanced so that will certainly work in your favour. You said you accelerated and are doing year 11 computers. Is that IPT or SDD? It doesn't really matter, I'm just curious.

Some schools will also have a test to take for new students just so they can compare your marks to that of the grade spectrum. What I would do if i were you is to contact whichever school you are interested in, and actually ask them what the requirements are for entry. You are in Year 9 so i wouldn't expect if i were you to gain entry for year 10. Its very difficult to enter when you are not already on the waiting list for people who just missed the cutoff in year 7. However most schools have an intake of students at the beginning of year 11, as you often get a handful of students leaving at the end of year 10. So i think that would be your best bet.

And btw, good references will come in handy so you're all good in that matter.

Good luck

 

[kurt.physics]

I am quite good at english, not the best though, i am currently in 9E2, but because i have come first and doing quite well, they might be moving me up. I am great at science, i understand alot of the senior physics. So no problems there. History i am also good at, its extremely easy. I would only worry about english really.

What i ment about computers, im not accelerating, its just i am preforming at a year 11 level. The school i currently go to, which is woolgoolga high school is alright, its just lately i have been realising that its not 'great', i have been mucked around in acceleration and the like, so there is no point in me accelerating in computers, my maths acceleration has already gone to craps, im not in the class, im told one thing and 7 weeks later told that i wasnt told that and the like. Its fairly reasonable as im the only person to accelerate at that school since it was established in the 80's, so yeh.

I have noticed that penrith high school already have an accelerated class that do year 10 maths in year 9, and year 11 maths in year 10 and so on. So i think that that would be a great school to attend.

I am hoping to get this arranged and down at sydney but week 3, does that sound outrageous, will they just let me in if i just give them context and that, because if i dont i will be stuck at this school, not that its bad, its just it has problems.

EDIT: Also Iyounamu, i have looked at other alternatives and so far none of them has worked, this one seams to be the go as there are more academic opportunities

 

[veloc1ty]

Nothing to do but go for it. Worse they can do is say no.

 

[lyounamu]

Then, good luck. Attending Selective School will prove advantageous for several reasons.

 

[kurt.physics]

Then, good luck. Attending Selective School will prove advantageous for several reasons.

Thanks

 

[Mark576]

Hello,

I am just wondering, how hard is it to get into a public selective school? And whats the chance that i could get in? I shall give some context

I am currently in year 9, I am in the top 5 in all my classes, I have accelerated into year 10 maths, I came first in the year for this year 10 maths term test, i also came second in the year in last years year 9 maths test (I was in year 8).

I am also great at computers, working at a year 11 level. I've got something like 15-25 merit certificates and Year Advisors award. I can get up to 6 letters of reference.

So whats the chance of me getting into a public selective school (more specifically penrith)?

I would say you have a very good chance of getting into Penrith. Best of luck :uhhuh:

 

[stillwaters]

hey kurt.physics,
i go to penrith and it does sound like you have a pretty good chance ^^
i got these off the school website (which is pretty crap looking) if you're interested:

"Applications for any vacancies which occur in Years 8 - 12 through the year are made in July each year. Application forms are available from the school's Reception Office at the school or from the Selective Schools Unit in June.

The school will hold an Open Night on Thursday, 22nd May, 2008 and an Information Evening for prospective students and their parents will be held on Tuesday, 14th October, 2008." <---- so if you're interested come to the open night.

anyway, i think they usually take in new students at the start of each new school year so if you apply and get in youll probably be starting in 2009. youre doing accelerated maths right? youd probably be able to join the acclerated class too... yep ^^ g luck​

 

[clintmyster]

hey kurt
for me, im a new guy at girra for 08-09. Im in year 11 and to get into girraween high i had to send in my report. It was fairly good, 5As, 3Bs and I got in. So id say if your doing pretty good across all areas, youl be a sure candidate to be accepted. I dont know exactly how phs works though im sure they adopt this report-looking thing.

Good luck!

 

[eliseliselise]

i think the selection process for entrance into selective schools after year 7 is a hell of alot fairer, i got in2 the local selective school (which is 1.5 hours away) in year 7, however i didnt accept it due to distance, i then realised what a mistake this was, so i tried out again for year 11. once again, i was accepted but denied it as at the time it seemed too much of an unknown quantity and i'd have to wake up @ 4:30 to get to maths!! =.=;

but if you can go, GO. you wont regret it.

 

[nerdsforever]

i think the selection process for entrance into selective schools after year 7 is a hell of alot fairer, i got in2 the local selective school (which is 1.5 hours away) in year 7, however i didnt accept it due to distance, i then realised what a mistake this was, so i tried out again for year 11. once again, i was accepted but denied it as at the time it seemed too much of an unknown quantity and i'd have to wake up @ 4:30 to get to maths!! =.=;

but if you can go, GO. you wont regret it.

true. Year 7 is soo much fairer. Thats why some schools fall in rank. The year 7 test generally tests on talent and ability. For the year 8-12 selection, most schools dont even require a report. Plus, some students go to normal high schools and get A's which is easier, and some that go to selective get B's. THus the selective schools generally select the A student from community instead of the selective student with B. Not to be rude but It makes me really pissed to know that most people selected into SEfton were from community (20) and the other 10 were from selective.

Schools should have an IQ test or something to select students.

 

[Continuum]

Sefton is only half-selective though, plus the public and selective streams combine for Year 11 and 12 don't they? The people I know apply for Girraween rather than Sefton.

 

[lyounamu]

i think the selection process for entrance into selective schools after year 7 is a hell of alot fairer, i got in2 the local selective school (which is 1.5 hours away) in year 7, however i didnt accept it due to distance, i then realised what a mistake this was, so i tried out again for year 11. once again, i was accepted but denied it as at the time it seemed too much of an unknown quantity and i'd have to wake up @ 4:30 to get to maths!! =.=;

but if you can go, GO. you wont regret it.

I had a similar situation as well. However, I couldn't apply for Selective High School in Year 6 as I wasn't even here. I had to apply for Selective High School in Year 11 when I was accepted into Normanhurst & Gosford (just based on my report).

But I realised that I was better off staying at my school as Normanhurst & Gosford cannot cater for my acceleration in Mathematics & Mathematics Extension 1 and even if they could cater for my acceleration program, they could not organise the specific subject timetable for me. I was also hearing some rumours that teaching is quite poor in Normanhurst (some ex-students mentioned that no one in Normanhurst got Band 6 in English, I doubt this statement). Gosford is too far. My brother attends Gosford and he's finding it difficult to attend. He will soon move to either NSBH or SBH (which are better schools in terms of location).

 

[r170491]

I had a similar situation as well. However, I couldn't apply for Selective High School in Year 6 as I wasn't even here. I had to apply for Selective High School in Year 11 when I was accepted into Normanhurst & Gosford (just based on my report).

But I realised that I was better off staying at my school as Normanhurst & Gosford cannot cater for my acceleration in Mathematics & Mathematics Extension 1 and even if they could cater for my acceleration program, they could not organise the specific subject timetable for me. I was also hearing some rumours that teaching is quite poor in Normanhurst (some ex-students mentioned that no one in Normanhurst got Band 6 in English, I doubt this statement). Gosford is too far. My brother attends Gosford and he's finding it difficult to attend. He will soon move to either NSBH or SBH (which are better schools in terms of location).

bit late but im y12 student at normo and last year we got quite a few band 6's (top16 or so ranks) and the ly be otop 80% of grade got a band 5 or above in english but its known to not particullarur schools strength. True teaching in some perspective is poor but really its for the environment your in and you are motivated to study. We do particularly well in Maths (from accelerated people i know my friend who was ranked 60~+/100 in 2unit achieved 95 in HSC for subject) and im not sure why we didnt cater for your acceleration in HSC seeing as every year we accelerate about 30 students in year 11 to sit the 2unit Maths and pulled off something like 93% rate in scoring a band 6. About the statement about the no band 6's in English i heard this rumour about the '06ers but the majority of grade was aparently in band 5 range. Generally according to SMH or Daily telegraph our Band 6 rate is something like 30~35% accross the board.

 

[lyounamu]

bit late but im y12 student at normo and last year we got quite a few band 6's (top16 or so ranks) and the ly be otop 80% of grade got a band 5 or above in english but its known to not particullarur schools strength. True teaching in some perspective is poor but really its for the environment your in and you are motivated to study. We do particularly well in Maths (from accelerated people i know my friend who was ranked 60~+/100 in 2unit achieved 95 in HSC for subject) and im not sure why we didnt cater for your acceleration in HSC seeing as every year we accelerate about 30 students in year 11 to sit the 2unit Maths and pulled off something like 93% rate in scoring a band 6. About the statement about the no band 6's in English i heard this rumour about the '06ers but the majority of grade was aparently in band 5 range. Generally according to SMH or Daily telegraph our Band 6 rate is something like 30~35% accross the board.

I really appreciate your comment. I chose not to attend NBH and GH in the end due to several reasons apart from what I already mentioned. I personally love my school. I have all my mates at my school and they are absolutely great to be with. Changing school meant new environment where I may need to adjust. This adjustment would probably have negative impacts on my academic life at that school and if I don't fit in, I would defintely sufffer from that. Another reason is that the some subjects of my choice were not offered at NBH (subjects of my choice are basically the ones that Selective Schools do not offer except Sefton High School or Chatswood High School). On top of that, my Acceleration course clashed with the rest of the cohort because my Acceleration program was definitely different from NBH as I was at different topics (some topics I completed were not completed by NBH and vice versa). Another factors such as Scholarship opportunity changed my mind as well.

Basically many reasons worked against it. However, I would have loved to experience what NBH would have been like.

NBH sounds like a good school.