Some families opt not to enroll their children in free public junior high schools, choosing instead those requiring rigorous entrance examinations. Attending selective junior high schools facilitates better education, employment, and higher salaries. To evaluate the significance of junior high school entrance examinations, this study investigated whether attending selective junior high schools was associated with higher educational attainment, perceived standard of living, and personal income. An online survey was conducted with 450 young Japanese individuals aged 25-39. Overall, we found that attending selective junior high schools contributes to a higher standard of living as well as to obtaining higher education; however, its effect on increasing income was found only among women, which might be influenced by sociocultural factors such as prevalence of singlehood and working style in Japan. Additionally, the differences between the effects of attending selective junior high schools and those of higher educational attainment were discussed.