Admission Testing?

[pianoman]

My wife's 13 year old niece, who has been #1 in both her school and her district for the past 5 years, last week tested at one of the best high schools in our province, and the list just came out and she did not "qualify" for some reason... The wife and her are at the school now trying to find out what happened / why...

The niece said that the tests were easy compared to all of her other tests at her own school, and even supplied letters from three of her previous teachers recommending her... My wife said that it is not uncommon for school officials to change the names on tests to a student who is not as smart, but who's parents pay to get their kids admitted...

Any comments or suggestions from Teachers who may know about such happenings, and might have an idea how we should deal with the situation.... This girl deserves a better education than the local village schools seem capable of supplying...

Pianoman

[pianoman]

They just returned, and after more than an hour of waiting and talking to three different people, the last took copies of all of the original paperwork, house book, grade book, grade reports and letters from previous teachers and told them to return next Monday....

At this point they have no idea that a Farang is involved and that she will / would be living with us while attending their school...

Should I expect a try for "Tea Money" or some other form of "Thai Justice"???

Piano man

[KhaoNiaw]

'Tea money' is quite normal in school admissions whether a farang is involved or not. If it's a private school, a 'donation' is just part of the process, and somewhere quite openly on the forms it might ask how much you are prepard to donate.

For a government school it may be more discreet, and perhaps just for those kids that otherwise wouldn't make it. In that case, if her grades really are that good, pushing the issue may well get her in as they'd probably prefer to keep things quiet.

[pianoman]

'Tea money' is quite normal in school admissions whether a farang is involved or not. If it's a private school, a 'donation' is just part of the process, and somewhere quite openly on the forms it might ask how much you are prepard to donate.

For a government school it may be more discreet, and perhaps just for those kids that otherwise wouldn't make it. In that case, if her grades really are that good, pushing the issue may well get her in as they'd probably prefer to keep things quiet.

This is indeed a Government School, although everyone considers it the Best School in the area.... From what I was told over 500 students tested for First Year admission, but based upon her past performances in school, she should be ranked in the Top 20 to 30 of those....

I guess we will just have to wait until next Monday's meetings with the School Officials and see what happens.... A neighbor mentioned that there might be a Lottery for extra admissions which "a donation" may affect the out come off..

Pianoman

[aidenai]

Hi pianoman,

You have to take notice of the following.

The number of students for the first year admission is often broken down in three groups. Group 1 are students who are living within the educational area of the school. Group 2 are students who are living somewhere else. Group 3 are students who enroll based on special recommendation and reserved places for government personnel.

In the case of our daughter, the school allowed only 330 students. 160 of the educational area, 144 outside the educational area and 26 special recommendations. At the daughter's school were about 950 test takers. Our daughter passed belonging to the group of 144. She was number 104. Having said this, I hope you understand that our daughter wasn't number 104. She was number 290. This is how it works.

People who can pay for their kids to enroll, belong to the group of 26.

Edited March 23, 2010 by aidenai

[pianoman]

Hi pianoman,

You have to take notice of the following.

The number of students for the first year admission is often broken down in three groups. Group 1 are students who are living within the educational area of the school. Group 2 are students who are living somewhere else. Group 3 are students who enroll based on special recommendation and reserved places for government personnel.

In the case of our daughter, the school allowed only 330 students. 160 of the educational area, 144 outside the educational area and 26 special recommendations. At the daughter's school were about 950 test takers. Our daughter passed belonging to the group of 144. She was number 104. Having said this, I hope you understand that our daughter wasn't number 104. She was number 290. This is how it works.

People who can pay for their kids to enroll, belong to the group of 26.

Aidenai,

Thank you for that bit of information.... She would definitely fall into the "Outside the area" Group based upon her House book, but as I mentioned if accepted she will be living with us and within the school area... Not sure if that was explained, nor if that will make any difference to them....

Also, the Director of her last school told my wife that if there was any problem that he would talk to the Director at the new school on her behalf... I have strongly suggested that my wife go out to the village to talk with him, but she insists on waiting until after the Monday Meeting...

Pianoman

[TerryLH]

"I have strongly suggested that my wife go out to the village to talk with him, but she insists on waiting until after the Monday Meeting..."

There could be a problem if your wife waits until after the meeting.

I assume there could be at least two outcomes to the Monday meeting.

Your niece gets in.

She doesn't.

If she doesn't, and then you try to pull in favors, there will a 'face' issue to deal with.

It might be better to ask for help beforehand, then the school can help your niece and look like the good guy.

Hope it works out for you and your niece.

Terry

[pianoman]

Wife and the Neice just had what should be the last meeting today regarding her getting into this school... The Assistant Director met with her and asked "How much can you help the school if we let your neice go here"?? Wife asked how much would be "right" and he told her between 10,000 and 20,000 baht.... She ended up giving him 12,000 baht and he said that because her grades were so good and her Test so good, that she could get the Best Classes, and asked if she could pay more to make sure that she got the Best Classes?? The wife told him that she could not pay any more and after a short wait he told her that she should still get the Best Classes and that he would see what he could do, and she has to go back on Monday...

They still have no idea that a Farang is involved in any way... But my wife thinks that the 12K baht will be enough to get her the Best Classes and that she won't have to pay any more... Plus a lady who teaches at the school told her that once she is going there that as long as she keeps her Grades in the upper 10% that she should not have to pay any more as the school really wants Smart Students with really good grades... It helps to make the school look better to both the Goverment and the Public...

Pianoman

[elkangorito]

Pianoman, not that I wish to put a 'dampener' on things BUT I feel that you are aiding & abetting fraudulence withing the already corruption infested Thai education system.

I realise that you only want 'something good' for your child but considering the 'talks' that have occured, do you really think that your child will be the recipient of anything that closely resembles 'good'? I don't think that there is any guarantee & as a result, there is no chance of 'redress of grievance' should you, your wife or your child become unhappy about this 'institution'.

To me, it's very simple...if they want 'donations' to ensure 'good classes/grades etc', they have no interest in teaching. Their key interest is in MONEY!!!!

Keep your child out of this place at all costs. 'Gifted' doesn't mean anything to a child who cannot be a child...they are too busy 'learning' everything & quite often end up as misfits in society. At least let your child have a 'normal' life with other children. I'm sure this won't cost you any more than anybody else.

As a parent, I'm sure you are more than aware of the importance of your input into your childs development.

I reckon that children are more prone to learn from what happens 'at home' & with their parents, than at school. (This was my case & it wasn't until much later in life that some fool told me that I was 'gifted'). It means nothing. What is more important is the 'quality of life'. If somebody is truly 'smart', they will always be smart, disregarding education.

[Scott]

I agree with Elkangarito, but I'd send her to the school. You do have to play the game here (and everywhere) and she won't go far without an education. Your job will be to negate and bring understanding to some of the not-so-good parts of education.

[phetaroi]

One question and one comment.

First the question, why do you keep mentioning that they don't know there is a farang involved. You seem to be implying something...but I'm not sure what.

Second, as a retired principal of a school back in the States that had a school population of about 35% gifted, you do sound a lot like the parents whose brilliant students didn't get into the gifted program because something was "fixed"...even though it wasn't. Let's forget about what the school says for a minute. By what standards can you compare your child to all those who got in through testing?

[lioness]

I should imagine that if a Farang is involved the Tea money willbe considerably more.

As an aside, I took in a girl from a village, she had done very well at school and was in the top 5%. I decided to send her to a private school in the area, she was tested and found that she was way behind the other students. ended up sending her to a local school in the area and she was well behind them too. Village schools it seems don't push the kids when it comes to learning. Being top in a village school is equivalent to being bottom in a private school I'm told.

The other thought is why not have her put into your house book now, that solves the problem of location. She can be transferred out again when required.

[thunder30101]

Just pay the money and make your wife happy, dont listen to anyone that claims this is corruption, it aint my friend it is the thai education system which is a business that has nothing to do with education. You will pay more later, the way it works here is you pay a large upfront cost and then each year the regular fees are set to continue her time spent there. You are paying for her to be able to tell everyone when she graduates that she went to a really good school, i.e. chula, thammasat, blah blah blah, not an education. Honestly my advice is to send your child to a good gov school and spend your money on quality private tutoring until she is old enough to go overseas and get a degree that is worth something.

[Daffy D]

I should imagine that if a Farang is involved the Tea money willbe considerably more.

As an aside, I took in a girl from a village, she had done very well at school and was in the top 5%. I decided to send her to a private school in the area, she was tested and found that she was way behind the other students. ended up sending her to a local school in the area and she was well behind them too. Village schools it seems don't push the kids when it comes to learning. Being top in a village school is equivalent to being bottom in a private school I'm told.

The other thought is why not have her put into your house book now, that solves the problem of location. She can be transferred out again when required.

Agree. Some Friends who moved recently who's kid was top in the local school was so far behind at the new place that the parents had to try several schools and literally beg before finding a school that would take the kid.

These were government schools and no money was involved, except the regular term fees.

[pianoman]

One question and one comment.

First the question, why do you keep mentioning that they don't know there is a farang involved. You seem to be implying something...but I'm not sure what.

Second, as a retired principal of a school back in the States that had a school population of about 35% gifted, you do sound a lot like the parents whose brilliant students didn't get into the gifted program because something was "fixed"...even though it wasn't. Let's forget about what the school says for a minute. By what standards can you compare your child to all those who got in through testing?

As others have mentioned, I think that if they know that a Farang is involved in any way that the "Fee" expected would go up considerably....

This girl has been the #1 in her grade for the past 5 years, and not just in her school, but in the area of about 15-20 schools... From what my wife was told by the Asst. Director, she scored in the top 10% in the admission testing, but was not "Passed thru" due to coming from outside the schools area...

Pianoman