Hey, I transferred from year 10 to year 11 JMSS back in 2011. As near as I can tell, the testing requirements are identical to the year 10 entry. (I can't say for sure, I never sat the year 10 test, and of course, this was
three years ago) Anecdotally, year 11 entry is actually
easier than year 10 entry, because apparently less people sit it. I only say this because I felt sure I absolutely bombed the maths section of the test, but still got asked back for an interview. And because I've heard students say it a lot.
Pointless story about how I made a terrible first impression on the JMSS maths department that set me up for an even worse two years of maths hell with the school
So basically there are two math tests you have to do, tech free and tech active. The tech free one goes for about half an hour and they stress to you at the beginning of the test that you only have to do 'x' number of pages (5 or 6) and that you should
not (they were very earnest about this point) do any questions beyond the particular page. So I started the first maths test, and it went pretty well, finished within the time limit, felt good about the majority of the questions (simple stuff, hardest questions were on ratios and quadratics, you know the kind). Then we started on the tech active. That went similarly well, I wasn't super confident in my use of CAS, being only in year 10, but I managed with most of it. Finished really, really quickly. Sat back, feeling kind of smug considering everyone else was still writing. I literally just sat there for ten - fifteen straight minutes before I realised my multiple choice answer sheet had bubbles that went well beyond whatever question I had stopped writing at: you were only meant to stop after so-and-so many pages for the first test. Started freaking out, tried to catch up, realised there was no chance of me catching up with the amount of time left, shaded 'B' for every other answer on the test, and sat there feeling dejected for the last minute of the test, confident I wasn't getting in.
Long story short (too late) about a month and a half later they called me up and asked me back for an interview.
Supplementary story of how badly I stuffed up my interview (for current/past JMSS students)
I had Mr. Chisolm and Ms. Abels as my interviewers. They asked me what my least favourite subject was. On reflex I answered "geography".
#stillgotin
#y o l o
A good general knowledge of year 10 & 11 science should see you through the science component. I say year 11 because for the essay portion, if you're doing a 1/2 science subject, you will be in a
very good place to absolutely smash it. I remember I sketched a cell and talked about the function of the organelles for the biology themed question, while most other kids picked the chemistry question about the periodic table and wracked their brains to come up with something to talk about for groups and periods haha. Remember this also assesses your communication skills, if you've ever sat the MHS test, it's sort of the analogue of their creative essay. I also say year 11 level because some of the questions address science topics not covered under the VELS curriculum. (I had no idea what 'work' was in physics, nor did I know anything about partial pressure, but there were still questions about them) All that being said, it's not an assessment of how many textbooks you've read - it's your ability to reason scientifically. The answer will either be somewhere in the question, or in the way you should be able to tell that the wrong answers are wrong.
If you've kept up to date with your class in maths, you should be all good. There is absolutely nothing on the test beyond year 10 math. If you're up to quadratics and you grasp them, should be all good. Maybe brush up on surds, pythagoras, ratios, simultaneous equations and financial maths (yes, I was as surprised as anyone that they expected me to remember how to calculate compound interest) if you feel rusty in any of this.
As for the interview, don't try to impress. I mean, do, bring your awesome report and achievments from school, but don't fake a passion for science. When they ask you why you want to come to JMSS or what you want to do in the future, don't say something about global warming or cancer research - unless those are things you really care about and can explain why you're interested in it and what you think going to JMSS is going to do about it. Being genuine is a really good look, as they already know you're a super genius prodigy intellectual (you got the interview from the test, remember?), now they want to know if you're going to fit in at the school.
Good luck and don't push yourself too hard, just keep doing well at school and pay heaps of attention in science and math
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