Everyone knows that elite private schools love to torture kids with entrance exams — even the little ones applying to elementary school. Children are asked to sort objects or pictures by category, explain similarities and differences, or find the “umbrella word” like fruits, vegetables, berries, and so on.
This true story took place in one of those schools — and it’s impossible to read it without smiling. Even we at AdmiGram.com would’ve failed this test, because we couldn’t come up with the word that a five-year-old girl answered with. The child brilliantly trolled the entire admission committee — and was accepted on the spot. What an extraordinary kid!
How a Five-Year-Old Outsmarted an Elite American School
Jill’s parents wanted to enroll her in a very good private school. But first — she had to pass a readiness assessment.
— Let’s start with something simple, said the school psychologist as she placed several wax fruits from a vase onto the table.
An apple, a pear, an orange, an apricot. What’s one word that describes all of these?
Jill grew nervous, blushed, and looked down silently.
— Let’s keep going. Here we have a cucumber, a tomato, a radish, a potato, and an onion. What do we call all of these with one word?
Jill nervously bit her lip.
— Strawberry, raspberry, cherry… What do we call this group? No idea?
— I forgot, the girl whispered, holding back tears.
— I think it’s too early for your daughter to attend our school, the psychologist told Jill’s mom.
Give it a year, practice at home. She doesn’t know the most basic things.
The mother looked at her daughter in surprise:
— Jillian, sweetheart, don’t you know what all of these are called with one word?
— Oh! Now I remember! the girl suddenly beamed.
— They’re replicas!
