User:MarianaOlivares
Is Passing the STIS Entrance Test Possible for Kids Outside Big Cities? My Experience and Lessons Learned
The moment STIS is mentioned, people often assume it’s only for students in major cities with good tutoring centers, excellent teachers, and endless resources.
I had that same perception at first.
Living in a small town in East Java, study resources felt very limited.
Later, I discovered that being limited in resources is not a valid reason to give up.
Ironically, the scarcity made me more determined to succeed.
What Makes STIS So Attractive?
STIS has long been known as a highly desirable government-affiliated university.
Its direct connection to the Central Statistics Agency ensures strong job prospects after graduation.
Parents trust that being accepted into STIS guarantees long-term career stability.
According to research from the University of Indonesia (Santoso, 2021), government colleges are attractive due to their mix of academic quality and job security.
It’s natural that each year thousands of students fight for a very small number of places.
Challenges of Studying in a Small Town
Truthfully, getting ready for STIS while living outside the city is challenging.
Access to quality test prep is often centered in urban areas.
Library collections in small towns are usually insufficient.
Internet access is inconsistent: fast at times, sluggish most of the time.
My first attempt was using outdated, ripped school books.
The outcome? I struggled to align with the STIS exam format.
Especially with advanced math and quantitative logic sections.
According to Wibowo (2020) at UGM, lack of educational resources is a key barrier for rural students in exams.
I experienced that firsthand.
How to Catch Up?
Fortunately, modern platforms now provide remote study access.
BelajarCPNS.com was my starting point, with its authentic STIS-style tryouts.
It revealed clearly that my weaknesses were in math basics and language skills.
I also enrolled in virtual tutoring at NgajarPrivat.com.
They explained calmly, even breaking things down with simple analogies.
Bloom’s 1984 research proved private sessions are about twice as effective as big classes.
I noticed the effect directly.
Additionally, I registered for focused classes at LapakGuruPrivat.com.
The focus was on solving problems quickly.
During self-study, I easily got trapped overthinking one problem.
But in this class, I was trained to see patterns, not just answers.
What’s the Difference Between Studying Alone and with a Community?
Self-studying often ends in disappointment.
When stuck on certain questions, I became demotivated.
That’s why I joined the learning forum at KoncoSinau.id.
The community gathered learners from various backgrounds.
It was almost like building a new family circle.
They either provided smart solving tips or simply lifted each other’s spirits.
This really boosted me.
Studies at UNY found collaborative learning increases motivation significantly, around 35%.
The improvement was noticeable for me.
What Should You Practice for the STIS Entrance Exam?
Based on my journey, three pillars of practice are non-negotiable.
Math, simple and complex, forms the central requirement.
English – don’t underestimate it, scores here often matter.
Academic potential test (APT) – logic and speed of thinking.
I usually divided time: morning for math, afternoon for English, night for APT.
The schedule wasn’t rigidly smooth, but discipline mattered.
Duckworth (2016, Harvard) proved grit—persistent effort—matters more than pure talent.
That’s why, though tiring, I kept at it consistently.
Are Tryouts Really Important?
Without question.
I wasn’t convinced at first, but experience proved mock exams critical.
They teach not only solving but pacing.
Research by Means et al. (2013) revealed practice tests improve results through adaptation to pressure and format.
In short: theory isn’t enough, keep doing CAT tryouts.
What If You Feel Mentally Down?
It happens all the time.
Particularly after failing in practice tests.
At that point, I nearly quit.
Eventually, I realized I shouldn’t be overly harsh with myself.
Advice from my tutor stuck with me: “Focus on growth, not comparisons.”
The message stayed in my head.
To maintain motivation, I leaned on my KoncoSinau.id community.
Sometimes just venting lightened my heart.
So, Can Rural Students Pass STIS?
The conclusion: definitely yes.
I didn’t live in a city, yet using tutoring, online CAT, and peer forums, I succeeded.
Yes, it takes more work, but it’s not hopeless.
NgajarPrivat.com clarified challenging topics for me.
They taught me speed-solving techniques at LapakGuruPrivat.com.
BelajarCPNS.com gave me authentic tryout practice.
KoncoSinau.id supplied encouragement from peers.
Together, these four resources made my prep solid.
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