Preparation long-term gymnasium

Long-term Gymnasium Exam Preparation Courses

Almost all children in the 6th grade of primary school have small knowledge gaps in their subject material. In the entrance examination they have to fight for every point and should avoid losing points unnecessarily.

In our long-term preparatory courses for gymnasium, each topic is thoroughly reviewed and consolidated, so that the students can master the school material from scratch and easily recall it in the exam. In the exam, the material is examined in a mixed form. The students must be able to immediately assign the task to the correct topic. The child's intelligence plays an important role, but diligence in preparation is also an important element that can lead to a successful entrance examination.

It is often claimed that the material was poorly covered or not covered at all at school. Sometimes it is possible, that the students may have forgotten some topics. Essay writing is neglected in primary school, to the point that the students are unfamiliar with the construction, structure and style of an essay. In the entrance examination, a text on a specific topic must be written and the essay is evaluated based on whether the student has dealt with the topic and whether they can express themselves in the written form using the German language. Writing an essay is not a talent but can be practised and trained through targeted-essay-teaching. In our courses that run parallel to the regular school program, the essays are corrected and reviewed with a comprehensive report and graded according to the scale of the entrance examination.

In our preparation courses, each topic is dealt with in small groups using specific exercises. Each child can ask questions directly and the task will be explained individually. This way it is possible to respond to each child and to encourage them. If they understand the material, the motivation to learn more increases. The child gains self-confidence and school grades improve. Good students are rightfully proud of their achievements.

And even if they narrowly fail the entrance examination for the long-term gymnasium, the students will still start high school with good qualifications. It is then up to them whether they want to try and take the entrance examination again after the second or third grade of high school. It is important to maintain a consistent performance and to avoid knowledge gaps. That is why many students book our pre-course for the first grade of high school after primary school. The better the grades, the easier it is for the children.

Why decide for the long-term gymnasium?

The long-term gymnasium has a long tradition in the canton of Zurich. Particularly inquisitive and bright children are encouraged to enter the long-term gymnasium directly after the 6th grade of primary school, without the detour via high school.

Once the child has passed the gymnasium examination, nothing stands in the way of their university education. It is actually pointless to plan the child's life and education so early on because already in puberty they develop their own desires and make their own decisions, so that while they can still be influenced, they can no longer be controlled.

Nevertheless, most parents want to give their child the best education possible, because they believe that an excellent education offers freedom in choosing a career and a financially secure future. Continuous learning in adult life opens new doors in other professional fields.

Recognizing the importance of a solid education, more and more private schools are offering expensive Matura courses that not all parents can afford.

The main advantage of the cantonal long-term gymnasiums is that they are free of charge for parents. This is also the reason why there is a great demand for Zurich's gymnasiums every year. Seats are limited and not all students who want to attend the gymnasium will be admitted.

Entrance examination for the long-term gymnasium

The entrance examination for the long-term gymnasium is a hurdle that not all children can pass. The first selection takes place. In the subject of German, text comprehension, grammar and essay writing including orthography are tested and in the subject of mathematics, complex text tasks are tested. Children of academic parents are clearly at an advantage here, since in these families the vocabulary of everyday conversations is more varied and complex topics are discussed at the table. Academic parents know about the privileges of a university education.

Insight into our course material