The 17-year-old Werribee Secondary College student is now in "lock down" in a Sydney house she is sharing with other contestants in Channel Seven's Make Me a Supermodel.

Her younger brother Shah, 14, admits the competition, which is also open to males, was never his thing.

However, he said he was proud his sister had gone away to try and fulfil her dreams.

Shah, also a student at Werribee Secondary College, said there was plenty of curiosity about Shanina's big move to Sydney and how she was doing in the house.

"Everyone approaches me about it at school, so that's pretty cool," he said.

"She's a 'straight A' student and in the accelerated program [at school], but I thought she'd do really well."