On Friday morning, 17,000 year 6 students across New South Wales, Australia, began their selective school entrance exams, marking a significant change from the previous year's chaotic testing environment. Last year, the exams were marred by technical failures and required riot police to manage the crowd. This year, the tests returned to local schools using pen and paper, following recommendations from an inquiry. Parents and students expressed mixed feelings about the pressure of the exams and the fairness of a new quota system set to begin next year, aimed at balancing the gender ratio in co-ed selective schools. Currently, 58% of students in the selective system are boys. While some parents like Bruce Yu are concerned about the implications of the new quota, others like Shabnam Chitchian feel the pressure on students is excessive. Despite these concerns, many students, including 11-year-old Farzad Mahfuz, reported feeling confident as they tackled the various sections of the test. The shift back to local schools and traditional testing methods has provided a calmer atmosphere for students, contrasting sharply with the previous year's experience.