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Review Would you recommend it?

QASMT is a school where the experience greatly depends on your character. It is fast-paced, competitive and highly academic-focused. If you thrive in these environments and are disciplined and self-motivated, I would highly recommend QA to you. Not only are you surrounded by like-minded students whose focus is all on achieving good grades, which in turn motivates you to work harder, but the school provides an abundance of academic-based opportunities such as clubs and events to increase your knowledge. On the other hand, if you tend to procrastinate or are not very disciplined, QASMT will likely be more harmful than good. It is incredibly easy to fall behind on studies due to the difficult nature of the IB program, and I, along with many others, were burnt out and sleep-deprived, particularly in the senior years. The IB program demands much more than the ATAR system- we have to write an extended essay, do philosophy (TOK) and undergo the CAS (creativity, activity, service) program on top of the six regular subjects. Additionally, the subjects offered at QA are much more restricting than other schools. Ultimately, whether I recommend QASMT depends on the person. If you work well under high pressure and can stay on top of your studies, then I would recommend it as it provides an environment where you can shine. On the other hand, it is incredibly demanding and stressful, so if you struggle with procrastination or do not care much for academics, then QASMT is not for you (and that's okay!).

Review Inclusion and bullying

QASMT is very diverse with students from multiple backgrounds. Many cultural events were also held, including Harmony Week, where students are encouraged to wear their cultural dress and participate in related activities. Bullying, from what I could tell, wasn't a significant issue. In a school where academics is the priority, there's a stereotypical correlation between high-achieving students and good behaviour. This is supported by the fact that I never witnessed any bullying, but it should be noted that bullying is pretty much an inevitable issue, albeit less prominent at QA.

Review School culture

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.

Review School culture

As mentioned previously, QASMT is highly competitive and academics-focused. Students strive for good grades, and this culture is supported by the school itself in the way that award ceremonies are constantly held and students are praised for their achievements. QASMT prides itself in this, additionally expecting students to maintain a high standard of dress and behaviour both in and out of the school with strict rules. Because of this, most students had the same mindset- do well and graduate with a high score. Although it was competitive, it was more the reason for students to band together and support one another. In a program like IB that's incredibly difficult, it was almost impossible for anyone to get through it alone- at least, that was my experience. I found that people were more than happy to help each other, sharing notes and teaching each other concepts. As the IB does not rely on a bell-curve grading system like the ATAR, this means that one person getting a high score does not make it harder for another person to do well. This is one thing that I appreciated- that we competed with ourselves to be constantly better rather than be in competition with others where people would ultimately be more selfish with resources etc. in order to do good.