92% Say They Have No Regrets: Satisfaction with Junior High Entrance Exams Depends More on Conviction Than Admission Results

DeltaX Inc., operator of the cram school selection service Jukusen, released findings from a survey on junior high school entrance exams. The survey asked 100 parents whose children completed the 2026 entrance exam process, and 92% said they had no regrets about pursuing junior high school admissions. Junior high entrance exams often involve high cram school costs, long study hours, parent-child conflict, and stress, making them a major decision for families. Yet the survey shows that satisfaction was not determined simply by whether a child passed. Instead, the key factor was whether parents and children felt convinced by the process and choices they made. When asked whether they had regrets, 48% answered “none at all” and 44% answered “not much,” meaning 92% reported no regrets. The most common reason was “being able to respect the child’s wishes,” cited by 75.0% of respondents. This was followed by “gathering information and visiting schools early” at 32.6%, and “parents not becoming overly anxious” at 28.3%. Many parents said they did not choose schools based only on academic rankings or deviation scores. Instead, they attended school information sessions and festivals with their children, allowing the child to choose a school where they genuinely wanted to study. This process of self-determination helped maintain motivation during difficult study periods and contributed to a positive attitude after admission. Even among families who said they had no regrets, several points of reflection emerged. The five most common were insufficient school visits, starting preparation too late, lack of planning for past exam practice, not enough breaks, and disrupted daily routines. Parents commonly wished they had gathered information earlier, compared more schools, planned past exam practice before the final stretch, and protected sleep and daily rhythm more carefully. For families preparing for junior high entrance exams in 2027 and beyond, the article identifies three key principles. First, remember that the child is the central actor, and let them feel that the exam and school choice are their own decision. Second, expand the information base early through school visits and research. Third, parents should focus on support, especially daily life, environment, and emotional care, rather than excessive intervention in studying itself. In summary, there is no single correct answer for junior high entrance exams. What most strongly shapes satisfaction is whether children can approach the process with agency and whether parents can support that motivation. Regardless of the admission outcome, families are more likely to feel that the experience was worthwhile when both parent and child can accept the path they chose.