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Playing the Game of Selectivity: The Normalisation of Merit and Invisibilisation of Advantage in Students' Admission into Competitive Schools

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Title: Playing the Game of Selectivity: The Normalisation of Merit and Invisibilisation of Advantage in Students' Admission into Competitive Schools
Language: English
Authors: Melissa Tham (ORCID 0000-0001-7785-6358), Lucas Walsh
Source: Power and Education. 2026 18(1):1-15.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Selective Admission, Private Schools, Foreign Countries, Secondary Schools, Student Attitudes, Educational Opportunities, Tutoring, Test Coaching, School Choice, Secondary School Students, Admission Criteria, Tests, Advantaged
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1177/17577438241297236
ISSN: 1757-7438
Abstract: Students' beliefs in schooling to achieve opportunity have been well documented in the school choice literature. How students make sense of successful entry into competitive and high-demand schools via high-stakes entrance exams is less researched. High-demand schools, including both public and private schools, can utilise entrance exams to enrol their students. This paper aims to contribute empirical and conceptual insights into school selectivity by tracing the experiences of students as they navigate exams into selective and high-fee private schools, to broaden understandings of how competitive school admissions processes can impact students. Interviews reveal that many students are motivated to achieve occupational opportunities through admission into competitive schools. Influenced by their families, all participants undergo private tutoring and exam coaching to prepare for entrance exams, from a few months to 8 years. Long-term tutoring, repetitive test-taking and applying for multiple high-demand schools both simultaneously and consecutively constitute 'playing the game of selectivity', an experience from which students develop conceptions of merit that normalises these processes. Such conceptions of merit include individualistic strategies that render invisible their own sense of economic advantage relative to others.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1497764
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Playing the Game of Selectivity: The Normalisation of Merit and Invisibilisation of Advantage in Students' Admission into Competitive Schools
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melissa+Tham%22">Melissa Tham</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7785-6358">0000-0001-7785-6358</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucas+Walsh%22">Lucas Walsh</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Power+and+Education%22"><i>Power and Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 18(1):1-15.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 15
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Selective+Admission%22">Selective Admission</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Private+Schools%22">Private Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+Schools%22">Secondary Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Opportunities%22">Educational Opportunities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tutoring%22">Tutoring</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Coaching%22">Test Coaching</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Choice%22">School Choice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Admission+Criteria%22">Admission Criteria</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tests%22">Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Advantaged%22">Advantaged</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/17577438241297236
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  Data: 1757-7438
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  Data: Students' beliefs in schooling to achieve opportunity have been well documented in the school choice literature. How students make sense of successful entry into competitive and high-demand schools via high-stakes entrance exams is less researched. High-demand schools, including both public and private schools, can utilise entrance exams to enrol their students. This paper aims to contribute empirical and conceptual insights into school selectivity by tracing the experiences of students as they navigate exams into selective and high-fee private schools, to broaden understandings of how competitive school admissions processes can impact students. Interviews reveal that many students are motivated to achieve occupational opportunities through admission into competitive schools. Influenced by their families, all participants undergo private tutoring and exam coaching to prepare for entrance exams, from a few months to 8 years. Long-term tutoring, repetitive test-taking and applying for multiple high-demand schools both simultaneously and consecutively constitute 'playing the game of selectivity', an experience from which students develop conceptions of merit that normalises these processes. Such conceptions of merit include individualistic strategies that render invisible their own sense of economic advantage relative to others.
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        Value: 10.1177/17577438241297236
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Selective Admission
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Private Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Opportunities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tutoring
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test Coaching
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Choice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Admission Criteria
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Advantaged
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      – SubjectFull: Australia
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Playing the Game of Selectivity: The Normalisation of Merit and Invisibilisation of Advantage in Students' Admission into Competitive Schools
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            NameFull: Lucas Walsh
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              Y: 2026
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