5% Rule

[_rohan.r_]

Hi,

Can anyone please explain the 5 percent rule for the selective exams. If my school is less competitive, does this affect me in any way?

Thanks

[jnlfs2010]

Hi,

Can anyone please explain the 5 percent rule for the selective exams. If my school is less competitive, does this affect me in any way?

Thanks

5% rule means a maximum of 5% of your year 8 cohort can enter any selective school during the first round of offers from Macrob, Melbourne High, Nossal and Suzanne Cory given they are in the running. This is for entry into selective schools in year 9.

1. The first round of offers is just by the exam
2. The second round of offers given by the principal's discretion is determined later by interview (not regulated by 5% rule)

For example. Your year level has 200 students. A maximum of 10 people can get into any of the 4 selective schools during the first round of offers. (given they are all in the running)
(continue from the 200 students)
What do I mean by in the running? Let's say all the people from your school who did the exam are all boys (which won't be) and 20 of them do it and all of them want to go to Melbourne High. If only 8 people are in the top 300 applicants after the exam for MHS, then MHS takes all 8 from your school. If 12 people are in the top 300 applicants after the exam for MHS, then MHS can only take 10 people from your school and the other 2 miss out on first-round offers. The 5% rule only cuts people off if there are excess students from your school within the top 300 MHS takes.

[_rohan.r_]

Thank you so much, my school is not very competitive and i hardly doubt it that more than 5 people would apply for a selective school, does this put me at an advantage or disadvantage?

5% rule means a maximum of 5% of your year 8 cohort can enter any selective school during the first round of offers from Macrob, Melbourne High, Nossal and Suzanne Cory given they are in the running. This is for entry into selective schools in year 9.

1. The first round of offers is just by the exam
2. The second round of offers given by the principal's discretion is determined later by interview (not regulated by 5% rule)

For example. Your year level has 200 students. A maximum of 10 people can get into any of the 4 selective schools during the first round of offers. (given they are all in the running)
(continue from the 200 students)
What do I mean by in the running? Let's say all the people from your school who did the exam are all boys (which won't be) and 20 of them do it and all of them want to go to Melbourne High. If only 8 people are in the top 300 applicants after the exam for MHS, then MHS takes all 8 from your school. If 12 people are in the top 300 applicants after the exam for MHS, then MHS can only take 10 people from your school and the other 2 miss out on first-round offers. The 5% rule only cuts people off if there are excess students from your school within the top 300 MHS takes.

[jnlfs2010]

Thank you so much, my school is not very competitive and i hardly doubt it that more than 5 people would apply for a selective school, does this put me at an advantage or disadvantage?

I'm not sure if you are at a disadvantage but you'll have less competition (given on the exam you can be in the top 300 or so in the running for MHS)

[caffinatedloz]

I'd assume it would actually put you at an advantage, as if you were one of the students in the above example who finished within the cutoff to be accepted to Melborune High (one of the top 300), but were the 11th or 12th performing from your school, you would miss out. However, if less people at your school apply, this will not be an issue.

I know that I was at a school so tiny (16 in the year level) that when two people from my school applied to select entry, one missed out on a first-round offer (we believe due to this rule), but got a second round offer.

So I'd assume it's actually a potential advantage.

[interessant]

A bit irrelevant but our school had about 75+ students trying out for the four schools and more than 15 people got in that I know of into three of the schools, so the 5% rule isn't always strictly followed.