As Alex listened to the rules and regulations for students and the penalties for breaking them, he understood how it mostly revolved around the points system. The point system was what determines a student's standing in his class and year group.
Xex described how the points system for the first years was different from the other year groups. While it was not explicitly stated, points could be earned by behaviour a student put forth in class and in assignments. And points could be lost when the student exhibits behaviours and actions the academy disapproves of.
However, the most points a student can collect come at the end of the academic year when there is a competition for all first years. Students would be tested on various categories and earn points based on their performance. The points requirement for Class As were different from those of Class Bs and below.
If a student in Class A falls below the threshold, they fall to Class B in that order. At the same time, if a student in Class B performs above their required threshold, they have the opportunity to ascend to a higher class. However, the points required for that ascension are higher than the passing grade for a student in Class A.
"I see… So, the system is built to make it difficult to climb up than remain in your current place." Alex muttered with a pondering look.
[Exactly, climbing up would require twice as many points as students in a higher class and it's also easy for those in a higher class to lose points and fall if they fail to meet the threshold.]
"Then what are the advantages those in a higher class have over the others?" Alex wondered if there were special benefits as he hadn't come across anything that showed those advantages.
[Yes. For one, the room you have is better than those in the lower classes. Those in Class C and below do not have VR pods and the mana podium you have is superior to those of lower classes. Of course, there are other benefits depending on the situation and what the said student needs.]
Xex explained, surprising Alex.
Because he was given this room when he arrived and there were other dormitory buildings on the academy grounds, he assumed they would have been the same.
"I see… while we all aspire to be hunters, not everyone is cut out to be one. And to prove them wrong, you'd have to rise from a lower level to show your potential.
Even with this disparity, there is nothing anyone can do since we are not required to pay any fees whatsoever," Alex was gaining a deeper understanding of how the academy worked as none of this information was known to him prior, but he still wondered if his assumptions were correct.
"Is there another reason for the difference in treatment?"
[What you mentioned and while the academy didn't give an explicit reason, I can make an educated guess on their reasoning.] Xex prompted, waiting for Alex to give the go-ahead.
"Oh… Do tell?"
[Statistics show that most hunters quit being hunters after a couple of years and turn to other jobs requiring the use of their strength and abilities. And the data indicates low-level hunters, specifically those without much potential.]
Indeed, the data presented before him showed how many hunters quit after a couple of years. Furthermore, the death rates of most of the hunters in that class were higher than the ones with the most potential.
As Alex learnt all of this, he could see how that could be the reason for such a disparity in treatment. "But shouldn't those with weaker stats after awakening have as many resources as possible to catch up?" Even he could see the reason behind the disparity, if those students are given more resources they might perform better.
[Not quite. The problem is their low potential since a person's physical stats upon awakening reflect their potential. The higher the stat at the beginning, the more powerful the hunter. Additionally, those with higher potential hardly face any bottlenecks in their growth. There's a reason there is a threshold for accepting students into the academy.]
Once again, the insights opened his eyes to the inner workings of the hunter's profession. The reasoning finally settled the questions he had. His mind then went to the other part of the points collection system.
"Did the file detail the competition activities?" Alex asked after thinking for a while. There was no rule that said one could not stay ahead and with a fire lit up their asses, one could only prepare ahead of time.
[Negative. Every year, the competition changes so students can't have an advantage in preparing in advance. The activities involved in the competition are only disclosed once the time draws near.]
Alex nodded in understanding. This to a certain extent eliminates the advantages one could have ahead. But it did not stop one from learning of the previous activities their senior took.
"Too bad. But do well to compile all the activities that had come up in the competition previous first years took.
[Copy that. Do you want to go over the curriculum as well or would you wait till tomorrow?] Xex asked after confirming the order Alex gave it.
He thought with a hand on his chin for a moment. Then, looking at his window showing the darkness of night, Alex finally decided.
"There's nothing else to do besides going over the files." He stated.
With the mana podium and VR pod inactive, there was nothing much to do besides that or sleeping.
[Understood. The first-year curriculum is divided into classroom lessons and combat lessons. As the name suggests, the classroom lessons involve being in the classroom and being lectured while the combat lessons cover how to fight beasts and void creatures. Though there are also elements of fighting suited for fights between people, the focus stays on beasts and void creatures.]
Alex looked at the two categories before him. The combat lessons were pretty much self-explanatory. So, he chose the classroom lessons and asked Xex, "What are covered in the classroom lessons?"