Farewell to Exam Hell - Pt. 2

What's the easiest way to describe what “juken” means in English?

It means to study for the entrance exam that, if you pass, you’re admitted to the high school or university you want to go to. They also have tests as well for kids to enter elementary school, but usually those are private schools.

When you were living outside Japan what was your image of entrance exams? What did people tell you about it?
That it was hard. I thought it was just gonna be like a little bit of studying for a big test but it wasn't.

In the end, how long did you study for your high school entrance exams?
I don't know, a lot. Maybe 5 months plus cram school classes.

Tell me in your own words about the application process. For example, for the three high schools that you applied to? When did you start studying? How did you decide what schools to apply to?
You can only apply to a limited number of public schools. Usually, people apply to about three schools. My first exam was in early December. I started studying for that first and I did a lot of essays. Then practice interviews for the first school, then after that I started focusing on math. In the winter break I studied for like 10 hours a day. And then when I had regular school days I studied an extra three hours at home, every day.

Did you go to cram school to help you study? How many how many nights a week did you go?
I went about once a week for three or four months starting in the fall. Then almost every day for two weeks before the exam. It helps you focus on what they will test you on.

How did your school teachers help?
My homeroom teacher helped. But teachers in Japan are always super busy. Teachers at my school helped us with some advice and a few study tips. But they focused on their school tests and that kind of stuff. Not so much for the juken exams.

I think your mom helped you, right?
She helped my studying and then she practiced interviews with me. And then she did all the forms. She was a coach and did all the paperwork. She really helped a lot.

Did you ever fight because of the pressure or study workload?
Yes, sometimes. A few bad ones.

Was juken exam hell worth it?
Yeah.

Tell me how you felt before you wrote your first exam.
I remember feeling a bit afraid. I don't really remember details, though, because I was too busy. I had to start preparing for the second exam right after the first. I also recall that the post-exam interview for the first school was really hard and I was nervous.

Was the second exam easier because you could at least understand what you needed to know?
Not really. Each school has its own, different, exam system. The private schools and the public schools have very different systems.

Do you think you will keep in touch with your middle school friends after you go to high school? You will all go to different schools, right?
I hope so, because I want to still get together with my close friends. But I don’t know.

Anything else that comes to mind about your experience? How about repeating the exams in the future as you think about what comes after high school?
I will try to get good grades in high school so I can go to a good uni. And, no, I am not looking forward to studying like this all over again. It will be harder and more stress.

How did you feel when you when you were informed you passed the exam for the school you wanted to get into?
Well, there were 20 people they were going to accept and most were going to get in because of fewer competing applications. I knew my chances were good, so it wasn't super surprising. Still, I worked hard for it and I was VERY happy when I got the notice I was accepted. We watched the announcement online. Plus, I already knew I was accepted by the third school, so I had already had a secure spot. That helped.

Now that you've just finished junior high school, and soon heading into high school, how do you feel?
I'm excited, but not crazy-excited because I'm sad that I must leave junior high school and it was so fun and I loved it so much. So, I'm kind of sad yet excited.

What is one thing about that you know about your high school that is different from junior high?
You get to pick another language to study that's not English or Japanese.

Do you have to wear a school uniform at your high school?
You can wear a uniform if you want to, but you don't have to. You can pierce your ears and color your hair, too. There’s more freedom to choose how you look. In most of the other high schools out there you must wear a uniform.

Congratulations—we are very happy for you and proud of you.
Thanks!

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Farewell to Exam Hell - Pt. 1

Credit: icla.ygu.edu.ac.jp

Imagine you take one test that determines your life’s direction. Starting with the high school you go to, the subjects you study, whether you go to university or not, and if so, where. A handful of academic exams near the end of middle school start this process for ninth graders like Lady E. (Ed. notes: In Japan, middle school is from grades 7-9, high school is from 10-12th grade. Even some elementary schoolkids take exams for admission to good middle schools.) Zoinks!

Based on their exam results, students are either accepted or rejected from their choice of high school(s), the academic level of which is defined in Japan and establishes if you go to a "good" post-secondary school (or not). Now, imagine taking those incredibly stressful exams – at the age of 14 or 15 – after several months of relentless study and social pressure. Daunting, isn't it? That’s why Japanese adults call it “juken” (school entrance exams) while the students often dub it “exam hell.”

Could you, even unwittingly, decide your life path at 14? At that age, I couldn’t choose whether to eat my carrots or peas first. Or focus long enough to watch an entire episode of the A-Team on TV. Having experienced how grueling exam hell is for them and their families, I empathize with these kids.

That said, this post is not an appraisal of Japanese testing methods nor a comparison with other countries’ approaches. Education systems reflect local cultures and long-established social norms. Exam hell is part of growing up in Japan and unavoidable unless you can pay for international schools. Plus, there are numerous benefits to a Japanese-style education. So, my view has always been (paraphrasing Dale Carnegie) to accept the things you cannot change and cooperate with the inevitable.

Elena took on the high school juken exams and we are proud to say she succeeded. She studied hard, was thwarted by one exam, yet ultimately was accepted into the school she wanted. It took hundreds of hours of study, plenty of anguish, and her going to cram school. More than 70% of Japanese kids go for private tutoring at for-profit cram schools called "juku” during some point of their school life. Often, normal school education is perceived as insufficient for success, especially before the big entrance exams. Parents thus dispatch their kids to a juku after school and on weekends. All this amounts to a significant load of psychological pressure. It’s also a frequent topic among parents fretting about their kid’s future and bitching about the cost. In short, juken often trumps family interaction and social life for months.

Yet Lady E. achieved her goal. I wanted to mark the milestone with this backgrounder on examination hell. The next post will be a Q&A about her thoughts about it all.

To be continued.