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06-20-2007, 12:15 AM
I actually don't know that much about graduating from high school, but if it is anything like junior high everyone graduates regardless of skill or grades.
Note that on the graph, it states that 69% finish high school rather than that same percentage entering college. Which for most Japanese is enough education to make a successful life for themselves. The thing about getting into high school is that in junior high, all the students in a city or area compete for entry into the top high schools in the area. Where as in the US, you finish junior high and then move on to the next school in the system automatically. In order to enter high school, the students take the high school entrance for the particular school they wish to attend. They have basically two to four chances to get into a high school at the end of their three years in junior high. Some will test for a number of school's while others will take two shots at getting in the same one. A lot of them take extra tests for English or math like a student would do in the US to differentiate themselves from other applicants. Following the tests the students have interviews with a prospective school and the result of the interview is, I think, shared between all the schools they apply to because there is only one interview. Its my understanding that there are basically three types of high schools in Japan. Ones that will get you into college based on the school's reputation, ones that will prepare you for a decent career, and the others which are just to show that you kept going to school. High schools are ranked according to the number of graduates accepted into universities. When I talked to my students from last year, in a class of forty kids about five of them were not even going to take the test. Another five or so took the tests twice and couldn't get in so will go to jukyu (cram school) and retake and apply until they find one they can get into. Then there were a good number around 20 to 25 who take the tests and pass on the second time and get into the lower two tiers of schools. Then the last five to ten kids who pass the tests with top marks and got into the best schools in the city. Out of those five to ten if you asked them if they thought college would be in their future, one to two may give you the slight head tilt and "hmm" noise which for Japanese means either "I hope, maybe or probably not." The others simply say, "Oh, no. Not me." Needless to say, education is tough. I forget how many zillion of pages ago on this thread, but there was someone with the same question about getting in as a transfer student. Nyororin had posted something about coming in as a curtural volunteer or something, but I really forget the details. 
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06-20-2007, 02:05 AM
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The 69% (As I understand from the Japanese page) isn`t the rate of entry into university - it`s the rate of graduation from programs that prepare you for university but *aren`t* normal high school. For example, vocational schools with a university prep program, etc. Either way, these figures really mean very little as they are just the figure of graduation for high school students. In other words, it gives absolutely no info as to the percentage of students who actually go on to high school from junior high. As high school in Japan is NOT mandatory, you cannot assume that 100% entered high school. I`m not at home now - using the extremely old PC at the in-laws`so I can`t really hunt down that figure. I would say that in general, most Japanese DO go to high school, and that an overwhelming majority also go on to university. And now on to some other questions.... Quote:
As for an apartment - I think I posted this somewhere back in the thread, but I have never lived alone and currently OWN a home. First I lived with a host family, then in a dorm, then with another host family, then with a friend and then with my boyfriend who later became my husband. We have paid between 50,000 and 100,000 yen a month for rent. Now we make a 120,000 yen loan payment each month. I guess I technically studied here, as I was a "GAP" student at a high school - but it wasn`t any sort of formal study of Japanese. I just basically say around in the classes I wanted and helped out the teachers at other times. I personally think it will be a bit different to get a proper visa to just simply come to Japan to go to high school. Although I sort of doubt that you would have to go through any of the tests like a normal student. However, without a lot of money it`s going to be really hard to be an exchange student....
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06-20-2007, 02:37 AM
No worries on finding numbers, I'll take your word for it.
I am just trying to show just how difficult education in Japan can be and why entering high school as a foreigner is even more difficult than as a Japanese student with nine years of schooling in Japan.
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06-20-2007, 02:55 AM
You might have answered this already but I just registered here today, so I am sorry if you have already stated this.
I am planning on going to school at Akita International University next year, as in 2008-2009, and later living in Japan. So I was wondering how big your house is because I am going to be buying the house with, if I remember the right number and if everyone will still move, about five people. And it would be really nice if you could tell me how big your house is since we are going to have to have at least 4 bedrooms since I won't be living there all the time since I am also planning on either getting a house in England or in Egypt. Long story short, I want to be an Archaeologist and those are the two best places to live for that field. So, yeah. Sorry for the rambling. ^_^
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06-20-2007, 05:51 AM
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No I don't regret moving to Japan, but my motives and experiences are different from yours so who can say. Good? I'd say so but again that's me. Finding an appartment...well it can depend on the route you take. Going through the normal channels can be very tough and expensive. Not all landlords will rent to gaijin, I've basically had a mini interview through a real estator with landlords on the phone asking me many questions about my job and education. I've had landlords say they'll rent to me, but that was probably helped big time by the 'elite' reputation of the universites I attended and that I could speak Japanese. Then you have things like the deposite, fire insurence, gurantor fees (if you don't have one), real estate fees, and the lovely tradition of 'gift money'. This adds up to 6 months worth of rent easilly. And this is before you've moved in. If you're in a city though, you can find appartments through agencies that deal with foriegners, and it'll be something like one months rent refundable deposite through them. Rent really depends on where you are, and how big an appartment, and how new it is. I pay 65000yen a month for 1DK (1 room + diner kitchen) in central osaka. The one room appartment I lived in Hyogo was 69000 a month but that was a brand new building. At university my dorm in Tokyo was 8000 a month (this was waaaaay cheaper than usual, but the japanese university subsidied the building). I studied for one year in university. But I do know a few people who've studied in high school or jnr high for one year or so as exchange students.
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06-20-2007, 06:13 AM
Let me also contribute a little
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06-20-2007, 08:26 AM
For some strange reason, I totally neglected to consider my university education when I was talking about studying here.
I think for some reason the "study" only registered as "exchange student" in my mind. I attended university here quite normally, as a regular student. (Not in an international program or exchange program.) Quote:
Japan isn`t the same as a lot of countries when it comes to buying a house. You don`t buy a house then sell it later - homes are NOT an investment. They`re the same as cars - but with far far far less of a used market. After about 3 years, the house is worth less than half of it`s original price, and you`ll be lucky to find someone to buy it then even. Banks do NOT like to give loans for used houses, and the taxes are incredibly high. The Japanese house market is so different from the US that it`s hard to even explain it. So basically you`re confined to buying a new house or building your own. Unless, of course, you have the over $400,000 in CASH that it will cost to get a 4 bedroom. Then you wouldn`t have to worry about the bank at all! And to answer the bit about my house - it`s 100 square meters. Freaking huge compared to the average 80 square meters.... And we only really have 2 bedrooms.
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06-20-2007, 07:06 PM
Thanks for telling me that. I was pretty certain that the Japanese system was different, and now I know. Now all I have to do is convince my friends.
 Which unfortunately for me, is easier said than done. One of them freaks out when it comes to money and one of my friends even said that once we get a house that is the one we are sticking with. So, basicly I have one friend down and four more to go. So thanks again for the tip. Hopefully the money issues won't be a problem because two people are going to be doctors, one a writer/translator, one a linguist/writer/translator, and hopefully I can find some person to back me up in my work as an Archaeologist. So, I hope the money won't be an issue. So I think I am going to look up building expenses and that now. Sorry for rambling because you are probably not interested in this at all. So sorry and thanks. 
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06-21-2007, 06:53 AM
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Mainly due to the loans. Even if you and your friends make a lot of money, $400,000 (really likely more) is not the type of thing normal people come up with in cash. No matter what, you`ll have to get a home loan - unless you`ve just neglected to mention that you`re all already millionaires. Japan doesn`t do joint loans - this means that ONE of you will bear the weight of the loan. ONE of you is going to have to be a permanent resident and qualify for all the conditions the bank requires. That isn`t that easy. The bank will not even so much as look at anyone else planning to live there. It`s the one person who takes out the loan. I don`t doubt the ability of you and your friends coming up with the payments each month - that`s the *easy* part. It`s getting the loan. Oh, and I forgot to mention, if you plan on living in Tokyo, double the house price. I can easily see this sort of thing being done in the US - but it isn`t the type of thing that is done in Japan, and I`m sure you`ll run into all sorts of walls in an attempt.
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06-22-2007, 03:50 AM
After uni, I plan on becoming an ALT for a few years, the eventually going on to open a recording studio, ideally in Yokosuka.
How hard is it to advertise a business, on top of getting it up and running? "Mossad knows what my Aunt Judy eats for breakfast."
Jack West Jr.
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