The Czech education system is characterised by early tracking and high educational inequalities. The most controversial element of the system is the academic track, which is attended by students after the completion of primary school. The paper focuses on fifth graders' application process and their success in entrance examinations. The process is examined by binary logistic regression and descriptive analyses of the data collected in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study conducted in 2011 in grade 4, and in a survey of students attending grade 5 implemented on the same sample within the Czech Longitudinal Study in Education. The analyses show that students' family background has a significant effect on both application and success during admission procedures. The paper discusses the role of the family in the application process and in preparation for the entrance examinations, and compares the situation in the Czech Republic with that in other countries.