Should I stay at my selective school?

[sotirod11]

Hey sotirod I don't usually post but I felt compelled to reply to you - I totally get what you mean when you say you used to smash out every subject at your old school, only to become an average student at mhs. I go to Cory (I know, second-tier select entry) and in year 9 and 10 I absolutely hated the place. I went from getting straight A's and A+'s at my old school to barely passing at Cory. And yeah, I agree - people who don't go to select entry schools think they're so prestigious but it's a very different story from an insider's point of view (the amount of kids who do tons of tutoring to get in here only to do zero work once school starts... *sigh*). However, I know it doesn't work for everybody, but in the end it got better for me once VCE came along. For me, the fact that I was surrounded by people aiming for the best also motivated me, and in the end I ended up loving this school. There were of course others at Cory who didn't like the environment, switched schools, and ended up being a lot happier and also doing a lot better, both academically and just in general. I guess in the end it's different for everyone. I agree with what vox said above, maybe seeking professional help w/ people that you know in real life might be something you want to try. But whatever you do, don't feel that you are "pressured" to stay because of your family. It's your own life and your own future after all, not theirs.

Good luck

Thank you for your kinds words
It's quite difficult to not feel pressure because of my family because, like I've mentioned before, pretty much everyone in my family goes to a select school (3 sisters, 2 from macrob and 1 from nossal, as well as some other cousins). All of them got an atar of 95+, except for one that got 90, including my oldest sister (graduated), and judging by my situation, my yr12 sister is destined to get 90+, as well as my younger one (a lot of sisters... lol). I've got no hope because i feel like everyone knows way more than i do, despite me trying my hardest to do well. i know it's stupid for me to compare myself with others but I guess in a way it gives me slight motivation to do better (though i don't think it's working). My family isn't pressuring me to stay, but my dad, who is a mhs alumni, says that I'd be wasting the opportunity as mhs opens doors for every student.
I don't know, you have to be me to understand my feelings.

[sotirod11]

I think there have already been some really good contributions about your predicament with school and the options you have there. It sounds like you're going through a really tough time, and I really admire the fact that you've talked to family, friends and discussed it here too. It shows that you're able to face the difficulties you're having at school and work constructively through them. What you've described here makes it sound as though you're really struggling to hold yourself together at the moment and that pressure is mounting; I wonder whether it might be worth going to see someone professional to chat through these issues so that you can help find some ways to cope a bit better before you can enact whatever decision you're going to make about school. A school counsellor might be a good start, and they'd almost certainly be very experienced with these kind of issues given the student population at MHS, or perhaps even your GP could help you get onto someone (if not also provide some support too...a lot of doctors are prone to feel the same kind of pressure you've described!).

What you're feeling is not uncommon among students in high pressure environments. Certainly, my experience with students from MHS and MacRob would suggest that what you're feeling is actually pretty common. Just because it is common, though, doesn't mean that it is ok to continue on that way, so I'd strongly encourage you to consider the above advice and consider just having a quick chat to someone professional about these issues. Will do you wonders

Thanks brother

[notes3075]

Hey sotirod  member of the MHS class of 2016 here, btw.

And I can say that I went through similar circumstances to you a few years ago. I came from a low-quality school in year 8, where I consistently topped my class in maths tests without trying, and I didn't give schooling much thought because of sporting aspirations - at the time, I didn't even know that MHS existed.

(tangential anecdote here: I didn't prepare for the select-entry exam until a couple of weeks prior to it - my mum gave me a few maths MCQs and I didn't even know why I was doing them, I just did them for the sake of it. At the select-entry exam, I had no idea what I was doing there, I just answered the questions to the best of my ability without knowing the end reward. Then when my mum found out I got into MHS, she woke me up in excitement, and I was still lying in bed thinking huhhhh... Eventually I figured out the magnitude of the result.)

Then when I got into MHS, I went from possibly top-of-the-year-level in my old school to the bottom half in terms of academic ability. My average in maths tests slipped from over 100% (because of bonus marks in my old school) to around 70% in Year 9 Sem 1 to around 60% in Year 9 Sem 2. In English I was in the bottom third of my class for sure. And Science as well, literally couldn't give a damn back then - due to an increased focus on my sporting aspirations. Plus I almost failed the Year 9 Sem 2 History exam. Looking back, I can safely say that I simply did not try anywhere near hard enough at the time, to hold my own against my peers. I'll blame all the iPad games for that year-long mishap.

This poverty of work ethic continued until the middle of Year 11, when I ceased my sporting commitments (due to factors that I will not mention). My 3/4 was Business Management, and I was at the bottom of my class by a long shot - everyone was averaging A/A+, and there I was with a filthy C average. But I threw the kitchen sink at my studies for my last three semesters at the school, and convincingly made it into BCom at UniMelb when my ATAR should have been something below 90 if I kept up the level of work ethic that I had previously.


Being at MHS for 4 years, and UniMelb for 2 years, I have learnt a lot about my peers and institutions:

First, I can whole-heartedly agree with you about the "fabricated and hidden b---s---". Our median ATAR is slipping, and our median study score dropped from 37 to 36, while numerous other schools have shown improvements in their scores; something does need to change in MHS for sure.

Second, academic success in Year 9 and 10 (i.e. the academic merit badges that people walk around with on their blazers) is only weakly linked with VCE success. Some who were in the top 10% in Year 9 have fallen from grace, whereas some who have not received academic merit have gone on to achieve 98+ ATARS, myself included. To add to that, VCE success is not linked with uni success. Some with convincing 99+ ATARs have not made Dean's List (top 3%) in their degree, while others with ATARs below 99 have reached another level.

Now for some advice. Definitely stay at MHS. The sports, extracurriculars, and prestige here is not available in any other high school for a male student (except maybe Nossal and Suzanne Cory, I'll leave that debate for others to engage in). For all its discrepancies, I still feel proud of being an MHS alumni every day, and I will for the rest of my life. In addition, the scaling of assessment grades is beyond belief, mainly due to the cohort as a whole doing exceptionally well on the GAT (my C average in Unit 3 Business Management scaled up to a B+, and my B average in Unit 4 English scaled up to an A+). Just getting into the school puts a hefty premium on one's ATAR - an 80 in a below-average school can become a convincing 90+ at MHS (sure, people complain about the teaching staff every day, but they're better than most in the state).

It's great that you're engaging deeply in sports and extra-curriculars. When you get to VCE, I recommend using the school gym on a regular basis. Definitely helped a ton with my stress management and confidence building.

You also said that your commute to MHS is 2 hours one-way (that's harsh...). The best advice I can give here is to start assignments as soon as you get them instead of procrastinating. In VCE, there will be no assignments (for most subjects); instead, the primary form of assessment will be in-class tests, which I prefer compared to research assignments (typical of geography & history). I feel that it is easier to prepare for a test than grind out a research assignment.

And lastly, MHS may mask things with their "prestigious status", but why not leverage that to your advantage? You'll be a catch at whichever uni you attend in the future (Mr Slocombe's words, not mine; he said something along those lines at the Year 12 final assembly).


Hope that helps, and I hope you find conviction in the decision that you make. All the best for your secondary schooling.

[sotirod11]

Hey sotirod  member of the MHS class of 2016 here, btw.

And I can say that I went through similar circumstances to you a few years ago. I came from a low-quality school in year 8, where I consistently topped my class in maths tests without trying, and I didn't give schooling much thought because of sporting aspirations - at the time, I didn't even know that MHS existed.

(tangential anecdote here: I didn't prepare for the select-entry exam until a couple of weeks prior to it - my mum gave me a few maths MCQs and I didn't even know why I was doing them, I just did them for the sake of it. At the select-entry exam, I had no idea what I was doing there, I just answered the questions to the best of my ability without knowing the end reward. Then when my mum found out I got into MHS, she woke me up in excitement, and I was still lying in bed thinking huhhhh... Eventually I figured out the magnitude of the result.)

Then when I got into MHS, I went from possibly top-of-the-year-level in my old school to the bottom half in terms of academic ability. My average in maths tests slipped from over 100% (because of bonus marks in my old school) to around 70% in Year 9 Sem 1 to around 60% in Year 9 Sem 2. In English I was in the bottom third of my class for sure. And Science as well, literally couldn't give a damn back then - due to an increased focus on my sporting aspirations. Plus I almost failed the Year 9 Sem 2 History exam. Looking back, I can safely say that I simply did not try anywhere near hard enough at the time, to hold my own against my peers. I'll blame all the iPad games for that year-long mishap.

This poverty of work ethic continued until the middle of Year 11, when I ceased my sporting commitments (due to factors that I will not mention). My 3/4 was Business Management, and I was at the bottom of my class by a long shot - everyone was averaging A/A+, and there I was with a filthy C average. But I threw the kitchen sink at my studies for my last three semesters at the school, and convincingly made it into BCom at UniMelb when my ATAR should have been something below 90 if I kept up the level of work ethic that I had previously.


Being at MHS for 4 years, and UniMelb for 2 years, I have learnt a lot about my peers and institutions:

First, I can whole-heartedly agree with you about the "fabricated and hidden b---s---". Our median ATAR is slipping, and our median study score dropped from 37 to 36, while numerous other schools have shown improvements in their scores; something does need to change in MHS for sure.

Second, academic success in Year 9 and 10 (i.e. the academic merit badges that people walk around with on their blazers) is only weakly linked with VCE success. Some who were in the top 10% in Year 9 have fallen from grace, whereas some who have not received academic merit have gone on to achieve 98+ ATARS, myself included. To add to that, VCE success is not linked with uni success. Some with convincing 99+ ATARs have not made Dean's List (top 3%) in their degree, while others with ATARs below 99 have reached another level.

Now for some advice. Definitely stay at MHS. The sports, extracurriculars, and prestige here is not available in any other high school for a male student (except maybe Nossal and Suzanne Cory, I'll leave that debate for others to engage in). For all its discrepancies, I still feel proud of being an MHS alumni every day, and I will for the rest of my life. In addition, the scaling of assessment grades is beyond belief, mainly due to the cohort as a whole doing exceptionally well on the GAT (my C average in Unit 3 Business Management scaled up to a B+, and my B average in Unit 4 English scaled up to an A+). Just getting into the school puts a hefty premium on one's ATAR - an 80 in a below-average school can become a convincing 90+ at MHS (sure, people complain about the teaching staff every day, but they're better than most in the state).

It's great that you're engaging deeply in sports and extra-curriculars. When you get to VCE, I recommend using the school gym on a regular basis. Definitely helped a ton with my stress management and confidence building.

You also said that your commute to MHS is 2 hours one-way (that's harsh...). The best advice I can give here is to start assignments as soon as you get them instead of procrastinating. In VCE, there will be no assignments (for most subjects); instead, the primary form of assessment will be in-class tests, which I prefer compared to research assignments (typical of geography & history). I feel that it is easier to prepare for a test than grind out a research assignment.

And lastly, MHS may mask things with their "prestigious status", but why not leverage that to your advantage? You'll be a catch at whichever uni you attend in the future (Mr Slocombe's words, not mine; he said something along those lines at the Year 12 final assembly).


Hope that helps, and I hope you find conviction in the decision that you make. All the best for your secondary schooling.

Thank you so much for your kind words <3
I think I'll be staying here next year (if it's really not too late to change), and yes, I do agree about the teachers. I swear every class, everyone just fks around on their phone and the teachers don't even care. I'll definitely try harder and get assignments done as well.
By "You'll be a catch at whichever uni you attend in the future", what do you mean by this? I don't really think universities care about what high school you go to, they only care about a number.

Hmmm class of 2016, you say? On my previous post I said that I talked with some alumni, and one of them was my childhood friend tht also graduated in 2016. Unfortunately, he didn't have any good things to say about the school/cohort either lol - he also said that the speech a fellow guy made in 2016 (which i was unaware about) should have changed the principal's perspective, but apparently not (though this might be out of context).

[HamConspiracy]

Not much to say from me, other people have given some great advice. But I would say a great thing to do, and it might sound counter-productive, but get involved in some great hobbies, something you find really enjoyable. You said you were doing some extracurriculars/sports -- that's great, keep it up but also, find new things to enjoy and learn and it might make life a little easier.

[notes3075]

Thank you so much for your kind words <3
I think I'll be staying here next year (if it's really not too late to change), and yes, I do agree about the teachers. I swear every class, everyone just fks around on their phone and the teachers don't even care. I'll definitely try harder and get assignments done as well.
By "You'll be a catch at whichever uni you attend in the future", what do you mean by this? I don't really think universities care about what high school you go to, they only care about a number.

Hmmm class of 2016, you say? On my previous post I said that I talked with some alumni, and one of them was my childhood friend tht also graduated in 2016. Unfortunately, he didn't have any good things to say about the school/cohort either lol - he also said that the speech a fellow guy made in 2016 (which i was unaware about) should have changed the principal's perspective, but apparently not (though this might be out of context).

By "catch", Slocombe's talking about attracting members of the opposite gender (yeah ikr bit cringe but he means well tho haha). And yeah it was the SRC vice-president who made a 10-min speech in the Year 12 final assembly (it's on youtube btw, 7.5k views) attacking the staff, especially the principal. Sounds like things have not changed much, if at all (however, I am surprised by the lack of care by the teachers, which you mentioned. I got my iPad confiscated a few times and witnessed 4 friends get theirs confiscated - I even saw a certain geography teacher throw someone's iPad in the paper bin). But don't let staff policies ruin your experience at MHS. Attack your studies, sports, and extra-curriculars with all you've got, and you'll leave MHS with no regrets.

**Endnote: the current principal's had that position for a while now...the end of his term might be around the corner. Maybe a new principal with new policies and new energy can restore the students' faith in the school - time will tell.

[sotirod11]

By "catch", Slocombe's talking about attracting members of the opposite gender (yeah ikr bit cringe but he means well tho haha). And yeah it was the SRC vice-president who made a 10-min speech in the Year 12 final assembly (it's on youtube btw, 7.5k views) attacking the staff, especially the principal. Sounds like things have not changed much, if at all (however, I am surprised by the lack of care by the teachers, which you mentioned. I got my iPad confiscated a few times and witnessed 4 friends get theirs confiscated - I even saw a certain geography teacher throw someone's iPad in the paper bin). But don't let staff policies ruin your experience at MHS. Attack your studies, sports, and extra-curriculars with all you've got, and you'll leave MHS with no regrets.

**Endnote: the current principal's had that position for a while now...the end of his term might be around the corner. Maybe a new principal with new policies and new energy can restore the students' faith in the school - time will tell.

haha i think i know this teacher
Definitely won't let the staff policies get to me, i mean i'm not in VCe yet so i guess i have a bit of time to fk around.
would have been mad if i was at that speech assembly, it must have been wild to be in that standing ovation :O
Again, cheers for ur inputs brother <3