Would you recommend it?
Although there are many things that needs to be considered when selecting IB (ATAR conversions, whether you are planning to study domestic vs international), overall, I would still recommend QA to students if they enjoy working with like minded peers and work well under pressure. The teachers really have a passion for their job, and it shows through their interaction and willingness to help their students. However, I do agree that IB places too much stress on students, so therefore I only recommend the school to students that are up for the long term challenge. Other pros for the school includes the fact that the 80% of the students are also dedicated and hard-working which creates a sort of competitive/encouraging environment that is hard to find in other schools. Furthermore, there is hardly no stigma around being "nerdy" or trying hard, which is also uncommon in most high schools. As for extracurricular activities, QA does not place a huge emphasis on sports as participation for extracurricular activities is less than the average school.
What had the biggest impact
The school environment and constantly being surrounded by people that are also so hard-working and motivated definitely had the largest positive impact on me in terms of encouraging me to achieve my best. IB is an extremely academically demanding program, and as a result, my last final 2 years really tested my ability to time manage, balance my extracurriculars and work efficiently. These skills I feel have allowed me to find strengths and weaknesses in studying which was useful in university. Furthermore, as a result of school's emphasis on STEM, students at SMT often get the opportunity to join many university based programs, listen to specialists and attend seminars, all of which I know has inspired many students to pursue a career in STEM> Overall, my interactions with my teachers, and their willingness to always help, as well as their genuine passion for teaching has left a lasting impact on my view on ability to communicate my problems and seek help. I know the teachers at SMT has not only inspired but also challenged the students to always keep learning.
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Preparing for entry
Although the entrance exam was a academic competitive selection process, the exams for QA are difficult to prepare and get tutoring for. As maths was my strong subject, I did not receive external help on that but rather just focused on refining my ability to write under short times. As for the interview, it was mainly for the school to get to know you as a student, and it is almost impossible to fail the interview stage.
Year 12 subject choices
Biology (HL), Chemistry (HL), english (SL), economics (HL), japanese ab initio. I always liked the 2 sciences bio and chem and would not change any of my subject selections. Overall, these subjects were not too difficult to learn and score high marks in. Scaling for different subjects also does not exist for IB, so high marks in arts scales the same as in chemistry, which might be a plus for some students. Subject offered at SMT is quite limited.
Getting extra help
Very accessible. There are plenty of support systems SMT students had access to. Not only did they run peer tutoring sessions during lunchtime, but also students often visited teachers during the teacher-run tutorials during break times. Along with that teachers often host after school or before school classes to provide additional support to students. THe school also hires alumnis to share study tips, and even to teach students after school.
Readiness for life after school
Very prepared. The academic rigor of the school, along with the stress, and difficulty definitely made me more than capable to face university. Most students have developed good study habits find first year of university very easy. The school also hosted and invited many career expo/experts, so students were very well equipped with career advice.
Subject range and curiosity
There was a greater focus on STEM subjects (sciences maths) over arts and other forms of creative subjects. The subjects offered leaned towards the more objective options, tehrefore there was limited opportunities to engage in creativity.
Bullying and getting to school safely
Overall, bullying rates at the school are quite low due to the large percentage of students being too busy focusing on their academics. However, in the instances when bullying does occur the school has a really good system of house deans/councillors which takes bullying very seriously, and works fast to mitigate the situation. The system that the school employs takes the students concerns very seriously, so bullying is never a big issue. As well as bullying, the school also takes mental health issues very seriously and the house deans/councillors are all very supportive and attentive to student concerns and problems. The Toowong area is also quite safe, as the surrounding areas are just suburban houses. Unless you are crossing illegally on moggil road, the school is not located near any suspicious people/areas and is generally really safe.
Camps and excursions
The school culture is probably the most strict and competitive out of all schools in Queensland. All students that enter have entered via selective entry, and as a result there is a huge emphasise on academic achievement. The school also promotes competitive by having yearly academic rewards and ranking systems, which can get really toxic as most students are competing for the gold/honours. This also meant that students would judge each other based on GPA and grades a lot. It is also very easy to make friends, as everyone is generally really open and supportive.
Something only students would know
Some things unique to the school is that doing QA/IB is a lot different from ATAR curriculum, in that there is a lot of independent learning that needs to be done. Therefore, I would not recommend the school for students who struggles to understand concepts or work off/ search for their own online resources. Furthermore, diversity is really big in QA, so there is a huge emphasise on sharing cultures and celebrating differences, which I really enjoyed. Extracurricular activities such as robotics are also very popular in QA, and students often spend their lunch times either attending the clubs for these activities, or involving themselves in clubs for service, or even beekeeping. The SMT community is also very small and everyone basically knows eachother. Students are also very willing to help others.
Coaching and chances to compete
Coaches hired were usually just alumnis, and there were hardly professional coaches. Students were given the chance to train and develop, however, these opportunities were few.
Chances to take part in the arts
There were no drama clubs. However, the school does encourage art production as they host a popular festival of creativity once a year, which encourages students to submit artwork and to perform dances. The school also has a strings and band ensemble.
- Played sport: No
- Did an arts activity: No
