Schooling generally begins before grade one in preschool and is free and compulsory for elementary and junior high school. More than 99 percent of elementary school-aged children attend school. Most students who finish junior high school continue on to senior high school. Approximately one-third of senior high school graduates then continue on for higher education. Most high schools and universities admit students on the basis of difficult entrance examinations. Competition to get into the best high schools and universities is fierce because Japan’s most prestigious jobs typically go to graduates of elite universities.