He enrolled at a private high school because his grades were not good enough for him to enter public school.
生活安頓下來之後，他便開始準備參加高中入學考試。但吳炫三的程度實在不好，填報名表時，連「籍貫」是什麼都不知道，所以一所公立學校也沒考上。他繼續報考私立學校，幾乎是有試必到，最後終以倒數第二名的成績，考上私立淡江中學。