The selective school entrance exam is really hard. Like really hard. And not just for year 6 students. Most adults would struggle with many of the questions in the exam.
They do this on purpose; to make it hard for even the brightest of students so that they essentially create outliers.
The exam is also very clever in how it is written. They intentionally write questions that are virtually impossible for a year 6 student to answer, but it then becomes about how they can determine the most appropriate answer to the question.
Let me give you an example from a recent exam paper:
Three of the following words have similar meanings. Which word has a different meaning?
A. SCORN
B. RIDICULE
C. CONTEMPT
D. RECOGNITION
I feel like I didn’t even know the difference between contempt and content until after High School!
Whilst you may be able to work this one out (D is the right answer), there is no denying that it is super challenging for a 12/13 year old student – and I think this is an easy example!
The selective school exam tests a students ability to think logically – so that even when they don’t know the correct answer, they can use their skills of deduction to determine the best answer.
One of the greatest challenges for students attempting the selective school test is that they are very unlikely to receive help from their classroom teacher. Teachers are so busy trying to keep 30 students engaged that they can’t redirect attention for the 1 or 2 students that have a shot at the exam.
They also can’t go it alone. There are too many challenges in the preparation process – they need someone to guide them through.
That is why I really like the term Selective School Coaching – because like any good coach, we take the natural talent that is already there and we refine it. We show them how to best utilise the skills they have and when to use different parts of their brains.
If you are considering a selective high school for your child, they need an experienced coach for the selective school exam. It is hard. Really hard. Natural talent won’t get them through it alone. Get in touch today to start the conversation about how I can get them prepared for the selective school test – I maintain a 100% success record with my students since 2005! Learn more or book your child’s first session
