Entrance examination
Encyclopedia
An entrance examination is an examination that many educational institutions use to select students for admission. These exams may be administered at any level of education, from primary to higher education, although they are more common at higher levels.
In 2006, a record high of 9.5 million people applied for tertiary education entry in China. 8.8 million of them (93%) are scheduled to take the national entrance exam; 27,600 (0.28%) have been exempted from standardized exams (保送) due to exceptional or special talent. The rest (0.7 million) will take other standardized entrance exams, such as those designed for adult education students.
The overall mark received by the student is generally a weighted sum of their subject marks. The maximum possible mark varies wildly from year to year, and also varies from province to province.
was established in 1857, it introduced the Entrance Examination, primarily to decide as to who was eligible for admission to the University. The examination attained the status of a school leaving examination. Subsequently, the name was changed to Matriculation. After independence of India in 1947, the examination system was further revised: the secondary examination after class X was called the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exam and the examination after class XII was called Higher Secondary Examination
.
Entrance test is considered as a visa to enter into the corridors of elite institutions or admission to professional courses. If a student gets minimum marks in an academic examination, he will pass. But in the Entrance Examinations there is nothing like passing or failing. It is like competitive examination- acts like filters. It selects best among the students. Systematic planning, rigorous training and hard work are needed to crack the Entrance Tests.
Today entrance to most professional courses in Indian universities (both private and government) are based on multiple choice question entrance exams, on the rationale that since school-leaving scores are based on conventional (long-answer) papers a student's marks in them might be subject to a human examiner's errors, which would be unacceptable in a closely competitive environment where even a mark or two could affect a student's career. This subjectivity is eliminated when the "examiner" is an OMR
reading laser. Some of these exams (particularly the IIT-JEE, CAT
and AIPMT) are considered among the toughest in the world, with lakhs of students competing for a few thousand seats.
Engineering
schools in India usually admit 15% of their students through the national-level AIEEE and the remaining 85% based on their scores in the entrance exam conducted by the state in which the college is located. Government-run medical schools use a similar pattern, basing admissions on the candidate's rank at the All India Pre-Medical Test. The prestigious Indian Institutes of Management
conduct a Common Admission Test
for their aspirants. The renowned Indian Institutes of Technology conduct the notoriously competitive IIT-JEE and the famous BITS Pilani conducts an online admission test BITSAT which attracts candidates from as far away as Dubai.
Recently, separate exams have been introduced for courses such as law and hotel management. Some colleges such as AIIMS and AFMC
and many private medical colleges conduct their own entrance tests. However the college admission procedure in India remains somewhat controversial due to the presence of reservation
of seats for "backward" castes.
is a nationally standardized entrance exam for higher education that 3rd year high school students or high school graduates take in an attempt to meet admission requirements of the school or schools of their choice. High school students, especially 3rd year students focus almost solely on preparations for the exam, in an attempt to enter the most prestigious universities in the country. Often students attend a cram school
which is also known as juku
in Japan in order to prepare as much as they can for the exam.
and ACT are considered the examinations of choice for admissions at the undergraduate level. Postsecondary schools do not administer their own entrance exams.
Admissions into certain North American graduate schools are often partly determined by the results of the Medical College Admission Test
(MCAT) or Law School Admission Test
(LSAT). The GRE (Graduate Record Examination
) is one of the most popular admissions tests for general graduate school. The Miller Analogies Test
is waning in popularity but is still used for admission to more language-oriented study.
Some American universities and many colleges have rejected these standardized tests. Instead, they evaluate prospective students solely through other means, such as an original essay or the marks the student received in a previous school. Others make the test optional or require students to take the test but do not consider its results in the admission process.
China
The National Higher Education Entrance Examination (or gaokao) is an academic examination held annually in the mainland of the People's Republic of China. This examination is a prerequisite for entrance into almost all higher education institutions at the undergraduate level. It is usually taken by students in their last year of secondary school, although there has been no age restriction since 2001.In 2006, a record high of 9.5 million people applied for tertiary education entry in China. 8.8 million of them (93%) are scheduled to take the national entrance exam; 27,600 (0.28%) have been exempted from standardized exams (保送) due to exceptional or special talent. The rest (0.7 million) will take other standardized entrance exams, such as those designed for adult education students.
The overall mark received by the student is generally a weighted sum of their subject marks. The maximum possible mark varies wildly from year to year, and also varies from province to province.
India
When the University of CalcuttaUniversity of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
was established in 1857, it introduced the Entrance Examination, primarily to decide as to who was eligible for admission to the University. The examination attained the status of a school leaving examination. Subsequently, the name was changed to Matriculation. After independence of India in 1947, the examination system was further revised: the secondary examination after class X was called the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exam and the examination after class XII was called Higher Secondary Examination
Higher Secondary Examination
Higher Secondary Examination is a centralised examination that students in India take up after class 10 . All the State School Education Boards, CBSE, CISCE and NIOS conducts exams during the period of March-April every year...
.
Entrance test is considered as a visa to enter into the corridors of elite institutions or admission to professional courses. If a student gets minimum marks in an academic examination, he will pass. But in the Entrance Examinations there is nothing like passing or failing. It is like competitive examination- acts like filters. It selects best among the students. Systematic planning, rigorous training and hard work are needed to crack the Entrance Tests.
Today entrance to most professional courses in Indian universities (both private and government) are based on multiple choice question entrance exams, on the rationale that since school-leaving scores are based on conventional (long-answer) papers a student's marks in them might be subject to a human examiner's errors, which would be unacceptable in a closely competitive environment where even a mark or two could affect a student's career. This subjectivity is eliminated when the "examiner" is an OMR
OMR
OMR can stand for:* Galería OMR, a gallery in Mexico City* Old Mahabalipuram Road, a transport corridor in Tamil Nadu* Omani rial, the ISO 4217 code for the currency of Oman* Optical Mark Recognition, a data-capture technology...
reading laser. Some of these exams (particularly the IIT-JEE, CAT
Common Admission Test
The Common Admission Test is a Computer Based Test in Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning. The Indian Institutes of Management use the test as an important component in selecting students for the business administration programs. The test is conducted...
and AIPMT) are considered among the toughest in the world, with lakhs of students competing for a few thousand seats.
Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
schools in India usually admit 15% of their students through the national-level AIEEE and the remaining 85% based on their scores in the entrance exam conducted by the state in which the college is located. Government-run medical schools use a similar pattern, basing admissions on the candidate's rank at the All India Pre-Medical Test. The prestigious Indian Institutes of Management
IIM
IIM may refer to:*Indian Institutes of Management, a group of business schools in India*Alternative name for Mexican pop group Flans for 2002 revival, from initials of names Ivonne, Ilse and Mimí...
conduct a Common Admission Test
Common Admission Test
The Common Admission Test is a Computer Based Test in Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning. The Indian Institutes of Management use the test as an important component in selecting students for the business administration programs. The test is conducted...
for their aspirants. The renowned Indian Institutes of Technology conduct the notoriously competitive IIT-JEE and the famous BITS Pilani conducts an online admission test BITSAT which attracts candidates from as far away as Dubai.
Recently, separate exams have been introduced for courses such as law and hotel management. Some colleges such as AIIMS and AFMC
AFMC
AFMC can stand for any of the following names:* Adirondack Farmers' Market Cooperative, Inc.,USA.* Air Force Materiel Command, United States* Armed Forces Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh* Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, India...
and many private medical colleges conduct their own entrance tests. However the college admission procedure in India remains somewhat controversial due to the presence of reservation
Reservation in India
Reservation in India is a form of affirmative action designed to improve the well being of socially backward and underrepresented communities of citizens in India. There are laws in place, wherein a certain percentage of total available slots in Jobs and Education are set aside for people from...
of seats for "backward" castes.
Japan
In Japan the National Center Test for University AdmissionsNational Center Test for University Admissions
The is a type of standardized test used by public and some private universities in Japan. It is held annually during a weekend in mid-January over a period of two days....
is a nationally standardized entrance exam for higher education that 3rd year high school students or high school graduates take in an attempt to meet admission requirements of the school or schools of their choice. High school students, especially 3rd year students focus almost solely on preparations for the exam, in an attempt to enter the most prestigious universities in the country. Often students attend a cram school
Cram school
Cram schools are specialized schools that train their students to meet particular goals, most commonly to pass the entrance examinations of high schools or universities...
which is also known as juku
Juku
Gakushū juku are special private schools that offer lessons conducted after regular school hours and on the weekends....
in Japan in order to prepare as much as they can for the exam.
South Korea
The College Scholastic Ability Test also known as Suneung (수능) is a type of standardized test accepted by all South Korean universities. Suneung is managed by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation. The test is offered on the second Thursday of November. Often, students are escorted by police, especially if students don't think they will arrive at the test centre on time. Since the test is used as an entrance examination for all universities in South Korea, the preparation for it is so secure and strict that since its beginnings from 1993, Suneung questions were never leaked. Questions are made by chosen professors and teachers, who are locked in a hotel with blacked windows, no communication and a full library of questions until the end of Suneung.United States
For most colleges and universities in the United States, the SAT Reasoning TestSAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
and ACT are considered the examinations of choice for admissions at the undergraduate level. Postsecondary schools do not administer their own entrance exams.
Admissions into certain North American graduate schools are often partly determined by the results of the Medical College Admission Test
Medical College Admission Test
The Medical College Admission Test is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students in the United States and Canada. It is designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis, and writing skills in addition to knowledge of scientific concepts and...
(MCAT) or Law School Admission Test
Law School Admission Test
The Law School Admission Test is a half-day standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. Administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates, the LSAT is designed to assess Reading Comprehension,...
(LSAT). The GRE (Graduate Record Examination
Graduate Record Examination
The Graduate Record Examinations is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the United States, in other English-speaking countries and for English-taught graduate and business programs world-wide...
) is one of the most popular admissions tests for general graduate school. The Miller Analogies Test
Miller Analogies Test
The Miller Analogies Test is a standardized test used primarily for graduate school admissions in the USA. Created and still published by Harcourt Assessment, the MAT consists of 120 questions in 60 minutes ....
is waning in popularity but is still used for admission to more language-oriented study.
Some American universities and many colleges have rejected these standardized tests. Instead, they evaluate prospective students solely through other means, such as an original essay or the marks the student received in a previous school. Others make the test optional or require students to take the test but do not consider its results in the admission process.
See also
- Selective education
- VestibularVestibularThe Vestibular is a competitive examination and is the primary and widespread system used by Brazilian universities to select their students. The Vestibular usually takes place from November to January, right before the start of school year in February or March, although certain universities hold...
, the entrance exams in Brazil - Competitive examinationCompetitive examinationA competitive examination is an examination angwhere candidates are ranked according to their grades. If the examination is open for n positions, then the first n candidates in ranks pass, the others are rejected...
- Standardized testStandardized testA standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a...
- Aptitude test
- High-stakes test
- List of admission tests to colleges and universities