I was looking for information on the selection process for overseas high schools. Around the spring of my third year in middle school, the announcement for selection was made. I submitted an application form, and if I passed the selection process, an interview would be scheduled around the summer. Along with the application form, I submitted my grades from ISN. ISN has portfolios for preschool and elementary school, and in elementary and middle school, in addition to the IB learning evaluation report, a numerical report card for each subject is also included. The pre-interview selection is entirely based on middle school grades. A letter of recommendation is also attached.
I started studying seriously for exams in the fall. Inspired by trying out a summer course offered by a cram school, I began attending the cram school twice a week. At the same time, the amount of study materials, such as workbooks and textbooks, increased significantly. Initially, I was learning how to use these materials and getting the hang of the pace. Eventually, I started taking regular mock exams. To focus, I sometimes shifted my English classes to focus entirely on studying for exams in Japanese.
The entrance exams for public high schools are almost entirely based on the final exam scores, in contrast to the selection process for overseas schools. We consulted with various stakeholders, including the board of education and high school principals, about how the absence of internal assessments at a free school would affect my application. We repeatedly received explanations that the lack of internal assessments would not be a disadvantage, and after experiencing the exams, this proved to be true. Instead of internal assessments, we listed my achievements on a report card. As long as the report indicated that I could handle a regular school life without issues, it did not heavily influence the entrance exam results. It was all about the exam scores on the day. Incidentally, I ranked 67th in the entrance exam.
Every day at high school with my friends is very enjoyable. I am purely enjoying the new environment, which is different from what I have experienced so far. Although the content of the classes has increased, making it challenging, I ranked 11th out of about 300 students in the June exams. At ISN, studies rarely focused on scores; instead, awareness, behavior, and skills were valued more than knowledge. Being evaluated by scores is refreshing. While I expected my English and math scores, I was surprised and delighted by my perfect score in science and high deviation scores in subjects like geography.
In summary, good grades during the two years of middle school are advantageous if you plan to advance to overseas schools or Japanese international schools. Some schools may ask questions in interviews such as “What is your dream?” “What are recent social issues?” “Do you agree or disagree? Why?” They might want to hear how the student’s interests connect with their values and societal contributions, and how these connections can make an impact through school life. The words spoken during the interview might be evaluated to gauge how much the student is aware of their potential as a leader in the school or society.
When I was in my second year of middle school, at the age of 14, I started thinking about my future high school. Australia, the UK, and Canada came to mind. Since I have a dream of becoming a pilot, I was considering high schools that would facilitate that path.
Australia came to mind because of its mild climate, the image of kangaroos, wombats, koalas, and also because my homeroom teacher from senior kindergarten to about fourth grade was from Australia.
I visited a boarding school in the UK. Having been to the country before, I found it easy to imagine living there. Additionally, both my parents graduated from universities in the UK, which gave me a sense of familiarity through their stories. The presence of several world-renowned universities in the UK also influenced my interest.
Practically speaking, economic reasons were also a consideration. Upon researching, I found that most boarding schools charge about 6 million yen per year for tuition and boarding fees, with some costing up to 12 million yen, which ruled out private schools and those with high pound costs. I began considering public and state high schools. Most boarding schools that actively accept students from overseas or outside the local area are private. Public high schools are generally cheaper than private ones, but the tuition fees for international students are higher than for local students. Additionally, there are boarding fees to consider.
Prioritizing safety, I discovered state high schools in Canada. The natural beauty and proximity to nearby cities piqued my interest. The University of British Columbia is one of the universities I am interested in, and its location within a similar cultural area heightened my awareness. During my preparations, I remembered that one of the ISN summer camp instructors was Canadian. When I asked him about it, I was surprised to learn that he was from a city near the region where the high school is located.
After the interview, I was required to submit an essay titled “My Motivation for the Application” I received a conditional offer notification, and after paying the tuition fees, I officially enrolled in a Canadian state high school as a Grade 10 student. There were various tasks to handle, such as confirming the orientation day for the first day of school, booking flights, and managing the ten-month program schedule up until the subsequent vacation, which is the time for advancing to the next grade in the following school year.
