悉尼选择性高中的学生正承受前所未有的通勤压力。2026年新南威尔士州选择性高中7年级学生来自超过380个邮编区，较去年增加40个[1]。悉尼男生高中的部分学生单程通勤距离达67公里，来自100个不同邮编[1]。今年共有17000名学生参加入学考试，竞争仅4338个名额[1]。
许多学生需要在凌晨5-7时出门[1]。学生Reyansh Shroff每天往返40公里，当参加课外活动时要到晚上10-11点才能回家[1]。另一位学生Aleeza Ahmad的单程通勤时间达90分钟[1]。北悉尼至帕拉玛塔地区约1800名选择性高中学生，构成这类学校最大的学生集中地[1]。
这一现象与特定人口群体的教育选择密切相关。许多学生来自移民家庭，特别是印度和中国背景的家庭，他们重视教育并愿意为进入顶尖公立学校付出巨大代价[1]。Shilpa Trivedi一家甚至从Baulkham Hills搬至Bella Vista，以便靠近地铁线[1]。悉尼大学研究显示，家长选择校外公立学校的主要原因是追求更好或排名更高的学校[1]。
Students attending NSW's selective high schools are undertaking remarkable daily journeys to secure places at the state's most sought-after public institutions. For 2026, more than 17,000 students competed for just 4,338 places across selective high schools, with successful candidates traveling from over 380 different postcodes across Sydney [1]. The geographic spread has expanded significantly, with 40 additional postcodes represented compared to the previous year [1].
The distances involved are striking. Students at Sydney Boys High School commute as far as 67 kilometers, coming from 100 different postcodes [1], while some individual students endure single journeys of up to 90 minutes [1]. Many depart their homes between 5 and 7 in the morning, and those participating in extracurricular activities may not return home until 10 or 11 at night [1]. One student, Reyansh Shroff, travels 40 kilometers daily and regularly arrives home late in the evening after school activities [1]. The North Sydney to Parramatta region represents the largest concentration of selective high school students, with approximately 1,800 enrolled [1].
Families from immigrant backgrounds, particularly from India and China, are significantly represented among these commuting students [1]. Their willingness to undertake such demanding journeys reflects a deep commitment to education and access to high-performing schools. Research from the University of Sydney indicates that parents selecting schools outside their local areas are primarily motivated by the pursuit of higher-ranked or better-performing institutions [1]. Some families have even relocated their homes to improve proximity to transport links; one family moved from Baulkham Hills to Bella Vista to be closer to a train line [1].