Can Students from Rural Areas Really Pass the STIS Entrance Exam? My Experience and Lessons Learned When people talk about the STIS entrance exam, many immediately think, “Oh, that’s just for city kids who have easy access to tutoring, plenty of teachers, and abundant books." 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. Those limitations turned into motivation to work twice as much. What Makes STIS So Attractive? For years, STIS has remained a favorite institution among students across Indonesia. Because it is run by the Statistics Bureau (BPS), its graduates enjoy guaranteed employment opportunities. Parents—mine included—see STIS as a pathway to guaranteed success. Research shows that career assurance plus solid academics makes government institutions like STIS highly competitive. It’s natural that each year thousands of students fight for a very small number of places. Challenges of Studying in a Small Town To be frank, studying for the STIS exam in a small town is really tough. Famous prep courses are usually only available in big cities. Library collections in small towns are usually insufficient. The internet connection is unstable—sometimes fine, sometimes very slow. Initially, I relied on my worn-out high school books to prepare. The effect? It was very difficult to adapt to STIS problem styles. The hardest parts were higher-level math and quantitative logic. According to Wibowo (2020) at UGM, lack of educational resources is a key barrier for rural students in exams. That was exactly what I encountered. How to Catch Up? Fortunately, now there are many online platforms. I came across BelajarCPNS.com, offering CAT-like STIS simulations. That’s when I learned my weak spots—elementary mathematics and English. Eventually, I sought online tutoring help through NgajarPrivat.com. Tutors taught patiently, sometimes using daily analogies. Bloom highlighted that individual tutoring yields double the results of traditional classrooms. I noticed the effect directly. As reinforcement, I attended intensive prep from LapakGuruPrivat.com. The classes trained us to answer questions efficiently. During self-study, I easily got trapped overthinking one problem. These courses taught me to recognize problem patterns instead of focusing only on results. What’s the Difference Between Studying Alone and with a Community? Learning by yourself can be very discouraging. Some problems remain unsolved, and in the end, I lost motivation. Because of that, I sought out a peer-learning group on KoncoSinau.id. There, I met peers from different regions. It felt as if I had gained a whole new family. At times they exchanged shortcut methods, at other times motivating words. That support was extremely useful. Peer learning, according to Rahmawati’s 2019 study, raises motivation as high as 35%. The effect was real in my case. What Should You Practice for the STIS Entrance Exam? Based on my journey, three pillars of practice are non-negotiable. Core and advanced math—it’s the backbone of STIS. English – don’t underestimate it, scores here often matter. TPA/aptitude section—logic combined with time pressure. My schedule was split: mornings mathematics, afternoons English, evenings aptitude. The pattern wasn’t always smooth, but consistency paid off. Harvard studies emphasize grit, not talent, as the biggest predictor of achievement. That’s why, though tiring, I kept at it consistently. Are Tryouts Really Important? Definitely. I wasn’t convinced at first, but experience proved mock exams critical. Tryouts aren’t only about content but also time control. Means et al. (2013) showed simulations boost performance by making students familiar with time pressure and exam format. So don’t just study theory, practice CAT regularly. What If You Feel Mentally Down? This happens often. Especially after scoring low on tryouts. I almost gave up then. Eventually, I realized I shouldn’t be overly harsh with myself. Advice from my tutor stuck with me: “Focus on growth, not comparisons." Those words kept echoing. For encouragement, I went back to peers at KoncoSinau.id. Talking to them made me feel relieved. So, Can Rural Students Pass STIS? The truth: it’s very possible. 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. LapakGuruPrivat.com provided special strategies for problem solving. BelajarCPNS.com gave me authentic tryout practice. Support came from KoncoSinau.id’s community. The combination of these four factors built my confidence. |
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