Many parents ask why should one prepare for selective school test. In this blog post, we have tried to answer it by discussing the pros and cons of selective schools.
The aim is not to glorify selective schools and the tone of the article is kept neutral. These are just a few random thoughts that come to mind and may or may not be entirely true hence the reader’s judgment is required.
If we see the journey of a common person, life revolves around reducing the risk and increasing the probability of success. It usually starts from birth, when the parents try to find the best doctor or the birth delivery hospital where the risk is less, and the probability of a safe birth is more. Then the different types of vaccination programs are administrated, the purpose is to reduce the risk of catching a virus and to increase the probability of a healthy life. Next is to choose a good primary and high school for the kids to reduce the risk and increase the probability of a successful career ahead. Then do a good academic degree to decrease the chances of failure. Then find a good stable job. Next is to marry a good stable partner and then this cycle continues.
There are several variations to it. Why not do a business rather than a job? Why not go to a normal suburban school, do a normal degree, etc? Why not excel in sports, music, non-academics, etc? The answer is as human beings we always tend to reduce the risk and increase the probability. Chances of becoming a good earning sports person maybe 1 in 1000’s, a good musician 1 in 10000’s, etc. We are afraid to take the non-conventional path. Hence this whole topic is highly debatable and there can be several different thoughts on it.
Coming back to the topic “Why should one prepare for selective school test”.
Here are a few pros of being in selective: –
- Being in a selective school means that the kid is among the bright kids and due to being in the company of bright people, it may positively challenge the kid to do more.
- It is about the cohort and the network that they create in these schools.
- Going back to the start of this article, it may reduce the risk of failure and increase the chances of success in life. Off course success may mean different things to different people.
- The tag or brand of selective will remain with the kid throughout their life so there is a “Reputation to protect” throughout life.
- Being in a good cohort may motivate them to perform better and get a good ATAR which may help them get into a good university or a good course in a better university, which may open further doors in their lives.
- Being among bright kids will give them a sense of confidence which may help them later in life, maybe in an academic job or business.
- Some of the selective schools have good curriculum for sports, music, physical education, and technology subjects which are sometimes at par with the private schools and that may open more doors for them, and they may get experiences that are otherwise not available in normal schools.
- As selective schools are not in the catchment, they involve travel and that may make a kid more independent.
- Preparing for the selective school test is itself a tough job which may give an early taste to the kid that nothing worthwhile can happen without hard work, resilience, and the result of consistent work over a period of success. There are “no shortcuts to success” and that is even true in business, sports, music, and other fields.
- If the right match is done of the kid with a good selective school, that may give lifelong self-confidence which they can utilize in a job or a business later in life.
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Here are a few cons of being selective: –
- If a kid was unnecessarily pushed into it, then they may feel pressured in these schools.
- The selective school may not be the right choice if the kid has different types of abilities and may not get time for these activities.
- The level of academic studies and the expectations may be more in these schools and the child may not be able to handle these expectations.
- If the kid is not able to perform then that may lower the self-confidence of the kid.
- Selective schools are usually not in the catchment and may involve travel and may waste a lot of time in commuting.
- If instead of selective, the kid goes to a normal school, something that is closer to their home, they may get more time to study and do non-academic stuff and may excel more in life.
- Preparing for selective school test can itself be a horrific experience for the kid and the family and may demotivate them.
- A kid can develop a similar network by going to a good private or catholic school.
- Kids may get more time for other activities like sports, music, and trying out a business and may excel in the academic and non-academic fields.
- There may be other non-selective, private, or catholic schools that may be more suitable for a kid.
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Disclaimer: Articles in this blog are just the author’s or authors’ personal opinions.
It may or may not be correct. Please do your own due diligence and seek professional advice according to your own personal circumstances. The author or authors cannot be held responsible/liable for any content in this blog.
*all images are for illustration purposes only
