National Education > Selective Schools Admissions Tests

Mac.Rob or JMSS?

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Charles12324:

--- Quote from: ummm idk on September 09, 2021, 05:15:06 pm ---hi again. i got into JMSS just a few minutes ago and now I really dont know which school to go to. i can see that macrob has a great reputation in terms of VCE scores, they have a wider co-curricular program, and is flexible in case i decide to change my career path in VCE. however, the travel time in mac.rob will be time consuming (45 mins), and im not sure whether the teachers/students are really great in terms of personality/teaching methods etc. plus im going to be a newbie so idk how im going to fit in. oh also, i can do bio unit 1 in mac.rob whereas in jmss im pretty sure i cant.

in terms of JMSS, it is definitely closer to me (like maybe 15-20 travel time?) and they have better facilities in terms of science labs and resources. i am also aiming for medicine when im older so a science specialist school is better suited to that. however, jmss' vce results/ranking is not as great as mac.rob's, and their curricular is not so wide as mac.rob's (obviously because they're science centred).

im reaaally stumped and would love to hear from current or past JMSS/mac.rob students (or even other selective school students) about their opinion on my situation. thank you!!

--- End quote ---

Hey, I’m a yr12 at JMSS this year and thought I might clear up the subject selection. Although bio 1/2 isn’t offered to yr10’s, they have science electives which are almost equivalent to bio 1/2 and also overlap with some of the 3/4 bio content. I think bio is the only science subject that doesn’t have prerequisite subjects like methods, chemistry or physics.

Methods 1/2 is also offered to yr10’s granted that you sit and pass the methods readiness test.

Chemistry 1/2 is also offered in the form of ‘advanced chemistry’ but is only run during semester 2 so you’re basically going through the relevant 1/2 content for 3/4 only and you can study it by doing a prerequisite electives and get a high enough grade (not sure what it is now, they’ll tell you at info night).

Physics unit 2 is offered as well but to those with a high enough grade (like chemistry) and if you chose it during your subject selection prior to starting at JMSS (also like chemistry).

To do 1 3/4 in yr11 you need around a 60% overall subject average and to do 2 3/4’s in yr11 you’ll need around a 90% overall average but that isn’t fixed, some people can do it with 85%.

I hope that clears some stuff up about the availability of accelerated subjects at JMSS :)

EDIT: JMSS kinda looks down on further maths and only lets people struggling with maths (like 20% avg or below) do it so if you really wanted to do further maths then maybe JMSS isn’t the right choice.

ummm idk:
oh ok, thanks! also i heard the jmss vce english department is kind of weak atm...is this true? apparently teachers dont rlly mark your essays and give general feedback. in contrast mac.rob's eng department would be stronger...so i dont really know which school would be better for my VCE.

m320:

--- Quote from: ummm idk on September 05, 2021, 02:57:09 pm ---hey, i got into mac.rob for year 10 but im not sure if i should go. are there any past/current students at mac.rob? i have heard they have a great atar reputation - but as all public schools are, they have some 'not so good' teachers. if i am considering taking chem and bio in vce is mac.rob generally a strong school in those areas?? i am planning to study medicine after school and i am not sure whether mac.rob or a science specialist school is better for my path. any help is appreciated, thanks!!

--- End quote ---

hey my sister attends mac.rob and she read through yous posts and she also thinks macrob would be better for you to choose, based on the reasoning and points you have given. either way its your choice and I'm sure you'll do well in either school :)

sky0102:

--- Quote from: ummm idk on September 05, 2021, 02:57:09 pm ---hey, i got into mac.rob for year 10 but im not sure if i should go. are there any past/current students at mac.rob? i have heard they have a great atar reputation - but as all public schools are, they have some 'not so good' teachers. if i am considering taking chem and bio in vce is mac.rob generally a strong school in those areas?? i am planning to study medicine after school and i am not sure whether mac.rob or a science specialist school is better for my path. any help is appreciated, thanks!!

--- End quote ---

Hey OP,
Past macrob student here. The way Macrob works and is able to hold its high ATAR ranking is mainly because of the students and their effort ( I think this is applicable to any school honestly). While I acknowledge how supportive the teachers are, as previously mentioned, there's a lot of independent learning. I was quite shocked to know how things especially in year 9 and 10 were a bit unstructured and you have to be internally motivated and self-guided to do well. It got better in VCE, however, almost every student I knew had external help (i.e. tutors) for at least one of their subjects.
As compared to JMSS, I know they're very science focused so even in their English classes, I believe the prescribed text (for non-vce) was science based. If you are super passionate about science, it's a good school. Although, I do believe it limits career options, whereas, in Macrob you're really able to test different subjects that don't evolve around science and develop further interests. For example, many students aiming for med take up eco or accounting, mainly to get a taste for a different field. Also, it's useful if med doesn't work out - since they know what eco/accounting etc is like, they might end up doing commerce.

For bio: The sacs are designed to be difficult, so the exams feels easier. The difficulty of the sacs also allows for a LOT of scaling (scaling sacs) at the end of year. I reckon bio is one of Macrob's best subjects and has a strong cohort (subject to every year).

In terms of school environment, Macrob students are very supportive and you'll find your niche/group somewhere. There are a ton of extracurricular opportunities and there are great academic resources.

Also, please do consider travelling time but don't let it hinder your decision. Just be aware that you will be spending a lot of time travelling (depending on where you live), since it's a city based school, so come prepared with a mindset and plan on how you're going to tackle this challenge! Either way, whichever school you end up in, I wish all the best!

somebody8442:

--- Quote from: sky0102 on September 12, 2021, 05:46:55 pm ---Also, it's useful if med doesn't work out - since they know what eco/accounting etc is like, they might end up doing commerce.

--- End quote ---

This is so true because I have heard of several JMSS students who changed their career plans and switched to commerce and engineering. As mentioned previously, travel time should not really hinder you from going to the school and in most cases, that 45 minutes you spend on the train (or car depending on how you'll travel) can be spent reading, finishing homework or just socialising with friends but you should be fine at either school as both of them have a lot to offer.

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