Numbersaremything, I think you may be slightly confused in relating high achievements with stress and pressure. Whatever gives you the idea the two are connected is beyond me. OK, we all know the Eton KS exams are about the very toughest for 13-year-olds anywhere but that does not mean no 13-year-olds are capable of acing these exams. The KS exams are designed to seek out the naturally born truly gifted child; he would be one who’s performing well above his chronological age (by at least 5 or more years) and would have had a photographic memory to boot. He would grasps (new) knowledge with stunning speeds and enjoy more of the same challenges. So, stress and pressure don’t really come into their vocabulary.
Please also understand that nobody is obliged to take the Eton KS exams. On the same token, there are no hard and fast rules as to the eligibility in attempting them – other than being of the correct age. Boys are usually recommended by their prep school heads who in turn would be conscious not to make a fool of themselves in the eyes of Eton by recommending any –old—young Johnnys who are obviously not up to scratch, forward. Chances are, they would be writing many, many more such reports on their other boys hoping to enter Eton on the normal entry route in future years and they like Eton to see their reports as being credible.
Until about 15 or so years ago, the number of boys attempting the KS exams was around 130-ish annually including a few who would travel to the UK from overseas. In my son’s successful cohort, there was one who came from Thailand who managed to get on The Roll – the nephew of the then Thai prime minister, an Old Etonian himself.
KS exams today seem to have developed into a worldwide phenomenon amongst the very brightest boys as well as home grown ones. The average total number invited to compete for a place today is around 150-ish. Unlike previously, many of them especially the overseas ones, would have been filtered for competence in their own country before being invited due to increased numbers applying each year.
As for “stress and pressure” at prep school, I honestly did not detect any of those during DS’s time. True, there were ‘Scholarhip’ classes where all the scholarship hopefuls (to all schools) were taught together and for the rest of the time, the boys mixed together with other pupils like any other school.
To further illustrate my point about the absence of stress and pressure, Collegers at Eton take it among themselves to compete for everything both inside and outside of the classroom on top of the already heavy regular academic work. Talking of which, their “regular academic work” is no more and no less stressful or pressurised than the other 1250 boys living outside College. Like said above, they even take on extra “burdens” by taking on other voluntary tasks. For example, DS found himself to be House Captain of Sports. In almost all my visits to his room, I found him doing nothing but preparing/arranging sporting fixtures, not only for College but the entire school! Many a time I did wonder when does he ever get himself to do some real work – he was hoping to apply to do Medicine, for Pete’s sake!
So I think DS did have a fantastic time both at prep school and at Eton. No need to feel “pity” for these boys as clearly I know DS’s enjoyment and quality of life in his youth and teenage years far exceed that of mine – e.g. by the time he entered university he would have visited (and enjoyed) more countries in the world than possobly you have fingers and toes - certainly more than both his parents put together in their life times.