Ned's group belongs to the fifth team, the last out of five. And so, they were grouped at the far corner of the training ground. Behind them was the half-crescent wall of the manor, and the rest was equal-sided in three. Forming a square with a bent edge.
All were determined to join the House Tarragon, none looked awful. Being only fourteen, Ned was the youngest out of his team, perhaps out of all. According to the other hunters, one of the convenient ways to become a hunter was to graduate from an academy. By then, one could simply apply to Hunter's guild to become a hunter, without doing Hunter's exam.
Otherwise, if one wanted to join Hunter's guild without having to graduate from any academy. Then, they have to do the exam and prove to the association that they were worthy to become a hunter.