Passing the Gymnasium Trial Period – How Your Child Can Succeed
If your child has passed the entrance exam for either the long-term or short-term Gymnasium, the next step is to successfully complete the trial period at Gymnasium. This next challenge can be overcome with the help of various resources. In this guide, you will learn what parents can do to give their child a better chance of passing the Gymnasium trial period, including information on preparation and support through Gymnasium trial period courses.
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Table of Contents
1. What is the trial period at Gymnasium?
2. Tips for passing the Gymnasium trial period:
- Concentration in class and during studying
- Independent organization
- Studying in advance
- Taking breaks
- Overcoming setbacks
- Gymnasium trial period courses
3. Failed the Gymnasium trial period: What are the next steps?
What is the Probationary Period at the Gymnasium?
When a child passes the entrance exam for the Gymnasium, it does not guarantee a permanent place at the school. Rather, the young student must first pass the probationary period at the Gymnasium. This Gymnasium probationary period lasts six months, or one semester, at both the long-term Gymnasium (Langgymnasium) and the short-term Gymnasium (Kurzgymnasium).
The purpose of the probationary period is for the Gymnasium to determine whether the student is truly suited to complete the academic program and can consistently meet the necessary performance requirements. About one in five students fails the probationary period at the Gymnasium. Therefore, both parents and students should take the probationary period seriously.
Strategies for Successfully Completing the Gymnasium Trial Period
What can be done to help the teenager succeed during the trial period at Gymnasium? The level of effort required during the Gymnasium trial period is, in principle, the same as that needed for the entrance exam. If the child attended preparation courses for the entrance exam, similar courses should also be considered for the Gymnasium trial period. Additionally, it is advisable to book support courses throughout the trial period.
Besides additional courses before and during the trial period, there are other helpful tips for succeeding in the Gymnasium trial period, which we will present below.
Concentration in Class and During Study
Since the material is usually explained only once, it’s even more important that students consistently focus during class in the probationary period at the Gymnasium.
But even those who want to succeed in studying should avoid distractions. It is therefore advisable to turn off or place the smartphone, smartwatch, computer, and similar devices with communication functions in another room to concentrate fully on studying. Additionally, the student's home workspace should be quiet, ideally in their own room.
Self-Organization
At the Gymnasium, the material becomes more complex, and new subjects are added. This also means there are more and more challenging homework assignments to complete. At the same time, the exams become harder, and students are no longer told what, when, and how to study. To master these new challenges, Gymnasium students must now organize themselves, for example, by using a wall calendar where they can precisely record when each exam will take place. Other important dates during the probationary period, such as deadlines for projects or school trips, should also be noted.
It's also crucial that students keep their materials for both lessons and homework well-organized and complete to not lose track and prepare optimally for exams. If your child has to miss classes temporarily due to illness, accident, or any other reason, it’s recommended to borrow and copy notes from high-performing classmates.
Advance Study
The student should already schedule times over several days in their wall calendar to study for the respective exams. These times should be chosen so that they start studying early, several weeks before the exam. This is the only way to ensure the material is fully mastered and ready for the exam. Only through repeated review does the material move into long-term memory. Such advance studying also has the advantage that the large amount of material across all subjects can be better managed, especially since most exams generally take place after the autumn break, making them relatively close together.
Take Breaks
Hard work pays off, but one shouldn’t overdo it. That means students should take breaks while studying and doing homework. It has proven helpful to move during breaks, such as going for a walk or exercising. Playing music or pursuing other hobbies can also be beneficial between study and homework phases.
Handling Setbacks
Your child should not despair over bad grades during the probationary period. If the student was among the best in class before the Gymnasium, they are now confronted with much more demanding material and surrounded by many high-performing classmates. This can lead a young Gymnasium student to panic after receiving a poor grade, affecting their confidence and lowering their motivation. It’s essential to counter this decisively and encourage the child. They should understand that one of the challenges at the Gymnasium is dealing with setbacks and persevering. There are simply subjects and teachers that suit them better than others, which is entirely normal and no reason to give up. The student should be encouraged to approach the situation with determination.
It's also important to remember that the child is adjusting to a completely new environment at the Gymnasium: new school routes, new classmates and teachers, a new school building, including a new cafeteria. It may help to show the child that maintaining social contacts alongside academic performance is also important, such as finding like-minded classmates who may become friends and provide support.
Gymi Probationary Courses
Another measure parents can take to support their children is enrolling them in so-called Gymi probationary courses. Both pre-Gymi courses before the transition to Gymnasium and courses during the probationary period are available. Therefore, a distinction is made between pre-Gymi courses for preparation and accompanying Gymi courses during the probationary period.
Pre-courses have the advantage of familiarizing students with the Gymnasium material in advance, making it easier for them to follow along in class during the probationary period. This strengthens self-confidence and increases enjoyment in the subject. For accompanying courses, it is advisable to take them during the holidays of the probationary period to avoid overwhelming the student during regular class time.
In the Gymi probationary courses, children are taught individual learning and study techniques that enable independent and efficient learning. Additionally, new material taught and tested during the Gymi probationary period is worked on. Another goal of the courses is to reinforce the material already learned through repetition.
More information about the Gymnasium probationary courses in Zurich or online here
Failed Gymi Probationary Period: What’s Next? Final Note
If a student does not pass the Gymi probationary period in Canton Zurich, for example, they are allowed to try again the following year. However, since 2024, for the second attempt at the probationary period, the entrance exam must be retaken and passed.
Even for repeaters of the entrance exam and the Gymi probationary period, attending one or more preparation courses and, depending on need, one or more accompanying courses during the probationary period should be considered.
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