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The reformation of entrance exams for universities

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Introduction

Center test National_Center_for_University_Entrance_Examinations is ran by National Center for University Entrance Examinations. At present,almost all students who are eager to go on to universities are supposed to take Center-test in Japan. These days, more than 500,000 people take it on the second or third weekend in January every year (National Center for University Entrance Examination, 2014). Universities can know whether students have enough ability to study at college through this test (“Ministry of Education”, 2014). Actually, universities and departments evaluate the score of it in different ways respectively for the purpose of seeking students they want.



The history of Japanese entrance examination

進学適性検査, an old Japanese entrance examination, astarted in1940s. And 能研テスト was introduced from 1950s to 1960s. After these tests were abolished, a yes-no was decided only by a single test (Kyotū Ichiji Gakuryoku Shiken no Dōnyū).

However, that system contained some bad points so that Japanese entrance examination changed to "共通一次学力試験. This test was the unified test. And every test-taker tackled it at the same time before each university test. Also, this test was composed by basic questions for the test-taker's university continuing to be facilitated. As a result of the introduction if the test, the number of subjects of each university's difficult tests decreased. So, a short article or an oral examination were adopted at some universities. Therefore, the kind of entrance examination had increased. But the rule of the Kyōtū Ichiji was that students must have taken "5 subjects", and this test was the test only for the national universities. Moreover, each university's test didn't become easy as we had expected. So the Kyōtū Ichiji test was a burden for students (Kyotū Ichiji Gakuryoku Shiken no Dōnyū).

In 1990, in order to take away these bad points, a new test, "大学入試センター試験 was started. This test is still used now (in 2014) in the same way just like 共通一次学力試験. However, this new test is different from the Kyōtū Ichiji test in a way of a rule. The rule of the new examination is that students need only some subjects chosen by each university. And it is the test for all Japanese universities. So, the introduction of "大学入試センター試験" has made possible more various ways of entrance examination (Daigaku Nyūshi Center Shiken heno Ikō).


an old Japanese entrance examination, astarted in1940s. And the Nouken test was introduced from 1950s to 1960s. After these tests were abolished, a yes-no was decided only by a single test (Kyotū Ichiji Gakuryoku Shiken no Dōnyū).

However, that system contained some bad points so that Japanese entrance examination changed to "the Kyoutuu Ichiji Gakuryoku Shiken. This test was the unified test. And every test-taker tackled it at the same time before each university test. Also, this test was composed by basic questions for the test-taker's university continuing to be facilitated. As a result of the introduction if the test, the number of subjects of each university's difficult tests decreased. So, a short article or an oral examination were adopted at some universities. Therefore, the kind of entrance examination had increased. But the rule of the Kyōtū Ichiji was that students must have taken "5 subjects", and this test was the test only for the national universities. Moreover, each university's test didn't become easy as we had expected. So the Kyōtū Ichiji test was a burden for students (Kyotū Ichiji Gakuryoku Shiken no Dōnyū).

In 1990, in order to take away these bad points, a new test, "the Daigaku Nyushi Center Shiken was started. This test is still used now (in 2014) in the same way just like the Kyotu Ichiji Gakuryoku Shiken. However, this new test is different from the Kyōtū Ichiji test in a way of a rule. The rule of the new examination is that students need only some subjects chosen by each university. And it is the test for all Japanese universities. So, the introduction of "the Daigaku Nyushi Center Shiken" has made possible more various ways of entrance examination (Daigaku Nyūshi Center Shiken heno Ikō).


Explanation of the current system of entrance examinations for universities in Japan and its problems

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Center Test National_Center_for_University_Entrance_Examinations gives questions on students which ask us fundamental knowledge on several subjects. It involves Japanese, mathematics, English, historical, geographical, chemical, physical and biological tests and later students have to take the tests which the university they want to enter imposes them on [1]

Center Test is held on January only once a year. Although Center Test is ran again after a week for students cannot take the first test, the second test is said to be a little more difficult. Taking it may be disadvantage because whether students can pass entrance examinations is determined by a few scores. [2] Considering necessity of taking the first test, students who fail to take it or make mistakes for some reasons cannot probably succeed in entrance examinations, even if they have performed well. Also, due to the only one given opportunity, it is pointed that some students can manage to get scores by only improving their techniques that help to get scores without really enhancing their performing. there is room for getting answers by analyzing previous questions. [3] 

   Universities also need the reformation of Center Test. According to Nihonkeizaisinbun Nihon_Keizai_Shimbun, private universities do not obtain enough students, these days and they have started to hold an oral examination without examinations to test scholastic ability. [4] It is pointed out that the level of scholastic ability of high school student is decreasing and such system which does not need scholastic test and the fact that the number of students universities allow to enter reaches 92.4% of the number of high school students facilitate this-that is, students can enter a university if they study hard. [5] In addition, recent systems of entrance examinations are different and variable because each of universities needs students based on different criteria. Reconsidering the system of Center Test is requested for the level increasing and corresponding the demand of university. [6]

The reformation of entrance examination

To enhance the educational system,Japanese Education Rebuildung Council 教育作成会議 suggested that they introduce “tasseido” test. The test will be used to measure students’ ability, instead of Center test 大学入試センター試験 . The difference between “tasseido” test and Center test is that students will be able to take “tasseido” test many times, and approximate scores will be told to students, while they can take Center test only once and scores are told to students expricitly. The council also suggested that they regard the experiences of studying abroad 留学 and extracurricular activities クラブ活動 as important. They suggested this, because many Japanese students today do not study hard due to the AO system AO入試 and examinaation for selected candidates 推薦入学 , on the other hand, highly-selective universities require high school students to memorize too many things. According to this reformation, many university will also change the system of entrance exams [7]

First, some national universities will change it. For example, students can take the exam of University of Tokyo 東京大学 twice, now. However, University of Tokyo decleared that students will be able to take the exam of the university only once and the university will introduce examination for selected candidates from 2016. And about 100 students will be admitted by this system[8] Kyoto University 京都大学 will also change the system in 2016. They will introduce “characteristics test”, which is very different from typical types of Japanese entrance exams. However, not all departments introduce the test and the contents of the test vary from department to department. This is because this university introduce this system to find students who are really appropriate to the departments which they applied for [9]

Second, some privates universities change the system of entrance examination, too. For example, Keio University 慶應義塾大学 says that students who have International Baccalaureate will be able to take the entrance exam of the university from this year [10]

Not only universities but also high schools are making efforts to find talented students. There are high schools that are trying to bring up their students to be very good at science, such as Yokohama City Municipal Yokohama Science Frontier High school 横浜市立横浜サイエンスフロンティア高等学校. This school wants their students to be specialists of science, because they think that Japan need them to survive the competence between other countries [11]




The comparison of collage entrance exam between Japan and Korea and French.

There is an entrance exam named baccalaureat in France. Like that of Japanese, students can take this exam only one time. On the other hand, unlike that of Japanese one, the question of this is so complex and difficult that the question have several answers. In addition to this, at this stage, French students have to decide what kind of job they are going to do because baccalaureat have several kind and the exam students have to take depends on what they want to do in the future. At this point French students have to study hard.

Next in America, there are a lot of entrance examination system. SATI(Scholastic Assessment Test I) is one of them. A lot of American university request to take this exam. However, unlike to Japanese center exam, students can take this exam many times.At this point , students feel less pressure than Japanese students. On the other hand this system has disadvantage. Students can take this exam early so they study hard even when they are first grade of high school. As result they can not enjoy their school life.

Compareing to an other country, there are a lot of style of entrance exam , and there is no best system because If there were such a system, all the countries would use it. Of course, there can not be such a system. In order to find perfect-like system, we have to try and error for many time. From this view point, this Japanese system reformation can regard positive action.

Refarence

  1. ^ Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and technology - Japan. (2000). Daigaku nyūshi no kaizen ni tsuite (About the reform of university entrance examinations). Retrieved: http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/old_chukyo/old_daigaku_index/toushin/1315956.htm [July 13, 2014].
  2. ^ Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and technology - Japan. (2000). Daigaku nyūshi no kaizen ni tsuite (About the reform of university entrance examinations). Retrieved: http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/old_chukyo/old_daigaku_index/toushin/1315956.htm [July 13, 2014].
  3. ^ Ōno, K. (2013, July 5). Gonengo haishi? Daigaku sentā shiken minaoshi no uragawa. (Will Center Test be abolished in five years? The background of reformation of Center Test), Tōyōkeizai. Retrieved: http://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/14613 [December 3, 2014].
  4. ^ Kōkōsei no manabu iyoku kōzyō nerau. Sentā shiken haishi he. (Promotion of will to study. Center Test can be abolished). (2013, June 6). Nihonkeizaisinbun. Retrieved: http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNZO55896720W3A600C1CR8000/ [December 3, 2014].
  5. ^ Ōno, K. (2013, July 5). Gonengo haishi? Daigaku sentā shiken minaoshi no uragawa. (Will Center Test be abolished in five years? The background of reformation of Center Test), Tōyōkeizai. Retrieved: http://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/14613 [December 3, 2014].
  6. ^ Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and technology - Japan. (2000). Daigaku nyūshi no kaizen ni tsuite (About the reform of university entrance examinations). Retrieved: http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/old_chukyo/old_daigaku_index/toushin/1315956.htm [July 13, 2014].
  7. ^ Kyō no kotoba daigaku nyūshi kaikaku tasseido tesuto nado teigen. (today’s comment The reformation of entrance exams for universities.). (2014, April 6). NIKKEI. Retrieved: http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXDASDG05028_V00C14A4NN1000/ [May 16, 2014].
  8. ^ Heisei 28 nenndo suisenn nyūshi ni tsuite. (yokoku). (About examinaation for selected candidates in Heisei 28.). (2014, January 29). University of Tokyo. Retrieved: http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/stu03/pdf/20140129kishahappyo.pdf [July 13, 2014].
  9. ^ Heisei 28 nenndo kyōto daigaku tokusyoku nyūshi sennbatsu yōkō. (gaiyō). (About characteristics test in Heisei 28). (2014, April 11). Kyoto University. Retrieved: http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/contentarea/ja/news_data/h/h1/news5/2013_1/documents/140326_1/01.pdf [July 13, 2014].
  10. ^ Keiō gijuku daigaku 2014/2015 (Heisei 26/27) nenndo kikokusei oyobi kokusai bakarorea sikaku syutokusya taisyō nyūgakushikenn bosyū yōkō. (Keio University 2014/2015 the gist of entrance exam of returnee children and students who have International Baccalaureate. ). Keio University. Retrieved: http://www.admissions.keio.ac.jp/exam/l6j2qm00000060yr-att/l6j2qm000000619i.pdf [July 16, 2014].
  11. ^ Hirogaru rikei no eisai kyōiku tyūkō de daigaku reberu chōsen rikei jinnzai ikaseruka.(jyō) (Special education for brilliant children who are good at math and science). [2014, May 2]. NIKKEI. Retrieved: http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXDASGG15020_R00C14A5EA2001/ [May 16, 2014].
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