Hongo and Shiba leapfrog from 0 to 23, while Sugamo and Aiko stagnate… Those accepted to Tokyo University “have changed drastically from their parents’ generation! Ranking by High School

More than 30 years ago, when the reporter attended the school, it was positioned as a stopgap for the second-ranked public school. The public impression was that it was a strong rugby and soccer school. Almost no one was accepted to the University of Tokyo, and about 10 students were accepted to Waseda University and Keio University each year, including ronin (ronin). It is amazing that such a middling school has made such a great leap forward to the point where more than 20 students have been accepted to the University of Tokyo.

This year, too, a ranking of those who have been accepted to Tokyo University by high school was announced (as of March 13, based on a joint survey by Daigaku Tsushin, Sunday Mainichi, and AERA). Although Kaisei (Arakawa-ku, Tokyo) remains strong, topping the list for the 45th consecutive year with 197 successful applicants, there are some schools at the top of the list that may surprise parents of today’s generation, who may wonder, “That school? (Arakawa Ward, Tokyo), which has topped the list for 45 consecutive years with 197 successful applicants. Comparing the results of the past and this year’s results, we would like to introduce some of the schools that have changed dramatically.

The school introduced at the beginning of this report is Hongo (Toshima-ku, Tokyo), a former sports powerhouse. 30 years ago, in 1996, no students were accepted to the University of Tokyo, 16 to Waseda, and 4 to Keio, but this year, the number of students accepted to the University of Tokyo has rapidly increased. This year, however, the number of students accepted to Tokyo University, Waseda University, and Keio University has increased rapidly, with 23, 171, and 128 students accepted to Tokyo University, Waseda University, and Keio University, respectively (the numbers below compare 1996 and this year, respectively). Nobuyasu Morigami, director of the Morigami Education Research Institute and an expert on entrance examinations for junior high and high schools, explains.

Hongo takes very good care of its students. Not only the teachers, but also the seniors who are one grade above the students teach the younger students as ‘teachers. The school’s popularity is growing as word of mouth spreads among parents, and they are very good at promoting themselves through SNS.

The location of the school near Komagome and Sugamo stations (both in Toshima Ward) is also a plus: not only the JR line, but also the Namboku and Mita subway lines, which pass through both stations, have been extended to Urawa and Yokohama, respectively, making it easier for students from Saitama and Kanagawa to get to the school. Shiba has established a position as a dual-college choice for top-ranked schools such as Kaisei and Azabu (Minato-ku, Tokyo).

An up-and-coming school called “Shiba Onsen

Next is Shiba (Minato-ku, Tokyo). Shiba (Minato-ku, Tokyo) has more than tripled the number of students accepted to Tokyo University, from 6 to 21.

The school has more than tripled the number of students who have been accepted to Tokyo University, from 6 to 21. The school’s calm school culture is sometimes derided as ‘Shiba Onsen,’ but the friendly atmosphere has been well received by parents, who say their children can let their minds run wild. Because the principal is frank, jokes are made and laughter is constant at school information sessions. Perhaps this friendliness is the reason for the school’s resurgence as an old powerhouse.

On the other hand, Aiko (Matsuyama City, Ehime) and Todaiji Gakuen (Nara City, Nara), prestigious schools in western Japan, are in the doldrums. The number of students who passed the entrance exam for Tokyo University decreased from 27 to 7 and from 35 to 17, respectively. In Tokyo, Sugamo (Toshima-ku, Tokyo) is also struggling, with 53 to 13 students.

Both schools have shifted their focus to medical schools rather than the University of Tokyo. Sugamo has lost popularity to Hongo, which is located nearby. Sugamo, which used to have a spartan image, has lost ground, and Hongo, which has a more laid-back atmosphere, has taken away the number of students taking its entrance exams. Last year, only one Sugamo student was accepted to Tokyo University. This year, we managed to get back into the double digits.

Other schools that are unfamiliar to parents are also growing, such as Senzoku Gakuen (Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture), which accepted 27 students to Tokyo University, and Kaichi (Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture), which accepted 12 students to the same university. It is interesting to look at the rankings anew, without the image and preconceptions of the past.