Thai School Exams

[johnray]

What exams do Thai students take for primary school and secondary?

 

What do they have to take for top end university entrance acceptance?

[allane]

For private K - 12 schools, there are entrance exams. Public schools accept all comers (as long as they are Thai citizens.)

There is a universal entrance exam for university entrance; written in March, I think, and another sitting in October (?). The latter might not be offered in as many locations as the March one.

[Number 6]

For application to university

M6 final exams*

ONET M6

GAT and/or PAT

9 subjects

TCAS or direct application

Portfolio is required by some faculties even post round one. Usually this is private universities and possibly more arty faculties whether fine arts, applied arts or comm.de.

 

May require for international programs:

SAT, SAT subject, IELTS, university exam eg CU-TEP, TU-GET.

 

Above requirements: private schools may differ eg ABAC, KMUTT, CMU, KKU...

 

Entrance to best universities:

High GPA

High Sci Math

High English*, addl language

Top 25 BKK public

Too 25 provincial school

Special quota - round two

Provincial quota

National merit award/s

High level Extracurriculars

Exchange program*

 

The backdoor

Round 2 quota

Provincial quota

Low demand faculty

Edited December 21, 2019 by Number 6

[Number 6]

The above is for admission to Thai universities. Thai, International programs.

 

For overseas any, all possible depending on country and college, university, country:

A. ACT or SAT, SAT Subject, TOEFL - US

B. IELTS - UK

 

1. HS Diploma (ONET must)

2. University application

3. Statement of purpose / essay

4. Supplemental essays (top schools, may have multiple!)

 

More:

1. Studying in native languages:

HSK 5+ - Chinese universities

N1-3 - Japanese universities

Korea, Taiwan uncertain.

Hong Kong is English*

 

2. HK China, Japan and Korea most students usually enter international programs, almost always save for PRC which are only Chinese. Many Taiwanese universities are Chinese only.

 

Edited December 22, 2019 by Number 6

[FritsSikkink]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 10:09 AM, allane said:

For private K - 12 schools, there are entrance exams. Public schools accept all comers (as long as they are Thai citizens.)

There is a universal entrance exam for university entrance; written in March, I think, and another sitting in October (?). The latter might not be offered in as many locations as the March one.

Not all public schools accept all comers, the better ones you need to do an entrance exam.

[Number 6]

On 12/25/2019 at 1:47 PM, FritsSikkink said:

Not all public schools accept all comers, the better ones you need to do an entrance exam.

This is true for publics and public/privates and especially true of top secondaries. In fact even somewhat mediocre private schools have entrance exams. True at all levels of K12 education, even private kindergarten!

 

Pathumwan Demonstration School, Triam Udom Suksa, Suankularb Wittayalai and Samsen Wittayalai all have entrance exams. The first two are brutal.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Number 6

[puchooay]

On 2/1/2020 at 1:11 AM, Number 6 said:

This is true for publics and public/privates and especially true of top secondaries. In fact even somewhat mediocre private schools have entrance exams. True at all levels of K12 education, even private kindergarten!

 

Pathumwan Demonstration School, Triam Udom Suksa, Suankularb Wittayalai and Samsen Wittayalai all have entrance exams. The first two are brutal.

There is also a percentage of places that have to be reserved for students within the catchment area. When I was a teacher at Suankuarb I was amazed at the different standards of students. I was teaching M4. M4/1 to M4/5 were good. From then on the standard and behaviour dropped and became terrible heading to the lower levels of 4/10 - 4/14.

 

When i questioned this I was informed that 40% of students were admitted to the school based on where they live. No exams required.

[Number 6]

22 hours ago, puchooay said:

There is also a percentage of places that have to be reserved for students within the catchment area. When I was a teacher at Suankuarb I was amazed at the different standards of students. I was teaching M4. M4/1 to M4/5 were good. From then on the standard and behaviour dropped and became terrible heading to the lower levels of 4/10 - 4/14.

 

When i questioned this I was informed that 40% of students were admitted to the school based on where they live. No exams required.

This is common in many of the huge "better" schools. Suankularb being as large as it is I'm not surprised. In general, when schools are this large you are correct you want your child in /1 to /5. The /6 to /9 are ok on a good day. As you have stated /10+ are the throwaway classes. The second school school I taught at known to be the largest feeder hs to Chula after Triam Udom, Pathumwan Demonstration had a identical set up. I taught EP and /1, /2 Intensive but then they gave me a /9 and /14 because the Filipino teacher couldn't manage it. Twas quite a nightmare but I did really learn something about classroom management lol.

 

I'm surprised so many students enter by local quota. I'd have thought 15-20% max.

 

Many of the students at SKL GATE program transfer to Mahidol Wittayasorn and Triam if they can.

 

Suankularb is a big school, not managed especially well imo given its prestige.