Talks Needed To Find A Better University Admissions System

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Talks Needed To Find A Better University Admissions System

By Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

Most Mathayom-6 students are now frantically checking admission schedules so as to boost their chance of getting into favoured colleges.

Under the current admission system, students can submit applications directly to several universities and take entrance tests as many times as exam dates and their money allows.

Students from wealthy families have greater opportunities than perhaps more brilliant student rivals.

While the poor see a slim chance of social upgrade via higher education, well-to-do students face an extra burden of cross-checking exam dates and other requirements.

Taking many tests via the direct-admission system means they will have to travel a lot too.

About a decade ago, things were much simpler. All Mathayom-6 students or university applicants knew they had just one place they could go. Therefore, all they had to worry about was that one exam. They attended all Mathayom-6 classes and studied more, knowing that knowledge gathered |during the three years would be useful in the exam.

Relevant authorities, however, felt very difficult entrance exams might put too much stress on students, who felt their future depended on that "once-in-a-lifetime" chance.

The new university admission system has thus been introduced to replace the university entrance examination.

Under the new system, students have had to worry about their grade point average (GPA), their accumulative grade point average (GPAX) for some subjects, and many more tests.

Apart from the Ordinary National Educational Test (Onet), students have also had to deal with the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Professional Aptitude Test (PAT).

Students at famous schools have complained also that peers from the provinces had inflated GPA and GPAX scores. To them, the new system isn't really fair.

Many prestigious universities are not happy either.

The Chulalongkorn University (CU) Faculty |of Science has complained that the system |has left them responsible for less qualified students.

"Our faculty has 800 students. At the end of the past semester, at least 62 have been put on probation," faculty lecturer Dr Patcha Chatraphorn said.

She said the situation was bad even though first year students were given an extra basic-science course.

Relevant authorities have tried to assure that the GAT and PAT will be academically extensive enough to select the right applicants for each faculty.

But universities are not convinced. Many of them - especially the prestigious ones - have already raised the number of seats earmarked for direct-admission system.

Many relevant parties are recommending various solutions to solve the problem related to university applicants today.

Some of them have seriously suggested that the entrance exam - abolished a decade ago - be revived.

But no one knows if universities will be ready to embrace the old system. Even if the entrance exam returns, several universities may be reluctant to reduce the quota for direct admissions.

The problem, therefore, still lies with students.

Mathayom 6 students are struggling with the many exams they have to take to get a place to enter their favourite institutes.

Younger students are worried too, trying to boost their GPA and GPAX. They have also been left wondering if the authorities will change the university admission system again and what new criteria will be used.

If all relevant authorities hold serious discussions and choose a proper solution now, they will save students many headaches and unnecessary worry. Rather than flip-flopping, they should better focus on a single formula and commit to in making it efficient and workable. They may have to admit that no solution is perfect. But everything can be improved with understanding of the inner problems and commitment for improvement. Without that, |our higher education system will remain in a pathetic state, and the burden will be felt by all Thais.

CHULARAT SAENGPASSA

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

[Scott]

It's very difficult to teach G. 12 students when they start taking University tests. They are absent a great deal and they are very stressed out. There must be a more compassionate way of determining students' ability.