Secondary School Sadness Strikes Saddened Students
By 6th Class reporter, Sophie Talbot
You could sense the fear in the air as Sixth Class pupils anticipated their secondary school acceptance letters. The letters were waiting at home on Friday the 7th November. They arrived at 12pm while pupils were in school. Today could either be Christmas come early, or as bad as a week of double homework! The classrooms were full of nervous students.
I interviewed a few people to see how they felt. Rose McMahon said “I am really nervous because I am the first child and I don’t have any advantages.” John O‘Rourke on the other hand said “I don’t care because I’m already in.” His friend Seth Connolly said “I think I’ll be happy because I’m hoping to go to a different school than John.”
When pupils arrived home on Friday, they found out their results. Students applied at the start of October. Most of the acceptance letters were sent out on Friday morning. Some were happy, others were depressed.
There are 28 students in our class. Only 6 people got the school they really wanted to go to and 15 people got a school they are happy enough with. Upsettingly, 8 people didn’t get any school! As you can imagine, this was extremely difficult for them and their family.
Sophie interviewing classmates about their secondary school offers.
Then came Monday morning. As everyone entered the classroom some were excited, others were less. I asked the same students how they felt about where they’re going, to see how their opinions had changed. Rose McMahon said “I don’t know, I didn’t get into the Marist so I’m going to St.Vincent’s.” John O’Rourke was right about what he said earlier, ”I’ve been in the Marist since 4th class, I already knew it.” Seth Connolly got his wish and ended up in a different school than his friend John, “I got into The Grammar. I’m 248th on the Marist waiting list,68th on The Della and 150th on the CBS. I’m fine with The Grammar, I like the school. ”
There are lots of other pupils in my class like Seth who are on a waiting list, but it all depends on how high you are. If you’re high on the list, like 300, you have no chance of getting in. This is the case for me and a lot of my friends.
However, it can be a lottery and some people just get lucky. One example of this is Luke Lonergan who said “I’ve got so much aura bro, I got into the Marist with no relations.”
Then there are the less fortunate people, like Jack, who still hasn’t gotten into any schools. He said “I understand the system, that siblings get first choice. Right now I’m just waiting for the 2nd or 3rd rounds. I thought I might get into the Marist because all of my mum’s side of the family went or goes there but I’m still like 300 on the waiting list.” As you can imagine this is a difficult time for students like Jack and it probably feels quite unfair.
There are other people similar to Jack who had a lot of family in a school who didn’t get in. Fiadh McDonald didn’t get into the Marist despite her brother, her father and uncles having went there, with all of her cousins currently going there. Fiadh said that she felt disappointed because some people managed to get into the school despite having no relations there.
As you can see this has been a stressful few weeks for those of us in Sixth Class. This is a big crossroads in our lives and will depend where we spend the next 6 years, as well as who we spend it with. There is a mixed feeling as some people are happy and others aren’t. For some, the decision still hasn’t been made and for the most unfortunate, this could go on right up until the summer!
Note: For parents worried about not having got their first place, or any place, in secondary school for their child, the School Office has put together an INFORMATION SHEET FOR PARENTS
