Two-day university entrance examinations begin across Japan
TOKYO —
Japan’s National Center Test for University Admissions began across the nation on Saturday.
The standardized exam, being held Saturday and Sunday, is used to grade students applying to public and private universities in Japan. About 555,500 students are taking the exam, which is held annually in mid-January, the Education Ministry said Friday.
On Friday, many shrines were visited by young people and their parents, offering prayers for success on votive tablets.
The test is being held at 709 locations across the country and will be used by 835 public universities, private universities and junior colleges to grade applicants.
The National Center for Univerity Entrance Examinations, the independent administrative institution that oversees the exams, says that the number of applicants this year is down by 3,400 students.
The center also reports that due to the impact of the Tohoku disaster last March, administrative adjustments have been made. According to the center, some venues have been changed and students from families who lack the economic means to pay the application fees will have their charges waived.
This year students are able to combine some subjects, such as Japanese history and world history, in a single sitting. However, to cut administration costs, students were not able to apply to register for specific subject tests on the day of the exams. They had to do so in advance.
Meanwhile, NHK reported that in order to avoid a repeat of the cell phone cheating incident that took place at Kyoto University last year, all students are required to turn off their cell phones and to leave them in their bags for the duration of the test.
The center is also calling for parents and students to be aware of harsh winter conditions. Typically, the test starts and ends at roughly the same time throughout the entire nation, NHK reported. As such, families have been urged to check weather and traffic reports and to ensure that they arrive at test centers in plenty of time.
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38 Comments
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2
tmarie
Such a money making sham - private schools, jukus, tutors, temples, shrines... all make so much money based on these tests it is sickening. I think all unis now have ways of by-passing the exams - "recommendation" process that many, many schools are using. I know many parents who send their kids to private schools or certain jukus because schools have contracts with the unis. Seems so unfair to those without the cash to do so.
These tests are pretty crappy - anyone who has ever seen one will agree, let alone those poor sods who got roped into helping write them. They test memory for the most part - and the English sections are painful to read. I feel for the kids and the parents this weekend that have suffered the past year due to these tests. The system needs to be done away with.
2
tmarie
Should add that this is the first of the tests that students have to write - first the center shiken and then the uni test. Poor things.
4
almostshat
Have to wake the buggers up after two days of tests. Perfect trainng for the four years of zombie hell that beckons. brave new epsilon world. Pointless money making scam churning out clueless fodder for the corporate combine harvester slicing up sad victims of Japan inc.
0
Andrew Matthews
Is there a way for English speaking people to offer help (I will not call it tuition - I speak it - I don't know how to teach it) online for free. Seems a shame to see a system that is apparently flawed ruin a persons future.
3
sakura@70
on Andrew Matthews' comment: "Seems a shame to see a system that is apparently flawed ruin a persons future"
I agree with you. When I ask my elementary students what they want to be in the future, most of them said that they don't know because they have to pass this test before they can decide what course they can pursue.
0
sakura@70
Sad to say that the "recommendation" process is open to arbitrary decisions. I hope that Japan can help their high school students to choose the career they want and not controlled by the result of this center test.
-1
Nicky Washida
Good luck to all of them. Dont like the system here particularly but the UK one is even more ridiculous - there are no uni entrance exams (although that is now changing for courses like law and medicine) but the unis are going to have to implement exam entrance soon because of the "no child left behind policy" of giving EVERYONE top grades for their A levels! When I left school grade A students were the cream of the crop. Now they are the norm. Dont know much about the american system. Is that any better?
0
Nicky Washida
I helped a guy with his prep for the English exam a few years ago. I was blown away by it. Really really obscure grammar and vocabulary, and very ambiguous questions and answers. Sometimes there was more than one correct answer, depending on how the question is viewed (eg "Where is Mike?" A) "At the library" B) "In the library" etc etc
-1
Andrew Matthews
Mike-san was not at/in the library at all. He was apparently at the wrong place but in the right time (Note: see propositions). I'm English-born and would cheerfully strangle the person who wrote this.
2
Blair Herron
Past test [2011]
[English:reading]
http://eigokyousitsu.nomaki.jp/center/question/2011_q.pdf
[English:listening]
http://eigokyousitsu.nomaki.jp/center/question/listening/2011listening_q.pdf
[Math I]
http://www.densu.jp/center/11center1aprob.pdf
[Math II]
http://www.densu.jp/center/11center2bprob.pdf
[Others]
http://school.js88.com/sd_article/dai/dai_center_data/centerEx_exam.asp?y=2011&for=
-1
tmarie
Perfect trainng for the four years of zombie hell that beckons.
Sorry but if you think you is zombie hell, you have no idea how it works here. Or do you mean zombie hell for the teachers?
Is there a way for English speaking people to offer help (I will not call it tuition - I speak it - I don't know how to teach it) online for free. Seems a shame to see a system that is apparently flawed ruin a persons future. I have no idea about the center shikan and who writes it - from my understanding it is the higher ranking uni profs that do it but I know for JHS/HS and uni plenty of foreigners have a hand in it - I suffered the fate for two years. Thing is, is doesn't matter if the foreigners try and correct the mistakes, ask what the point of questions are, point out illogical thinking when it comes to testing methods. They'll be told "This is always how we do it". The ones I suffered through were based on the previous years and would not change their format. Full of mistakes, unfair questions, pathetic testing methods... Why? Because the jukus that suggested students go to my former school had been teaching for the test for a year or two and changing the style/question type would mess their students up and well, there goes the recommendations for next year from those jukus.. That leads to student numbers dropping which means less money for the private school, a crappy rep for the jukus as it didn't have students pass the test... The schools and jukus are all in on this together. Like I said, huge money making scam.
I also blame these tests on taking away any power or control the teachers might have had on what to teach. Head to any 3rd year class for JHS/HS and they are ALL teaching for the test - same as the jukus. No one cares about "education", just passing the damn tests.
Obscure English - and in some cases, made up English grammar that only Japan "has". There were a few articles on this a few years back about how some grammar "points" were only used on these tests in Japan. Guess the profs had to save face. No oral component though at least a few years ago they did start to include a listening section - which meant ALL the high schools started to add listening to their class instead of just the boring grammar translation...
No idea about the US. In Canada they take your average marks for the year. If you can't get in, you go back to high school and do a "victory" lap of the courses you need to improve on. Certainly not a perfect system - don't think one exists - but seems to give teachers more room on actually teaching instead of focusing on testing.
The UK system isn't great but from my experience with it, it is better than here! Kids don't off themselves like they do here when failing - their also isn't the desperation I see here with the students. Thing is, unless a students really wants to get into a top ranking uni, they'll get in somewhere. With the birthrate declining and standards dropping, schools will pretty much let anyone in these days. I teach at a uni that I think lets anyone in - as long as they can pay for it. And they get pushed through in the end as they are well, customers. Certainly not seen as students these days. Most of my students ended up at this school based on recommendation - and they will admit to me that they failed the exams at other schools but since it was an easy in... They are now at my school. Sadly, not uncommon here at all with those that are not top ranked.
0
tmarie
Blair, the links don't work - or at least they don't for me!!
0
Blair Herron
hmmm... try this link.
[English exam from 1999-2011]
http://eigokyousitsu.nomaki.jp/center/kakomon.html
0
sakura@70
Based on my experience here in Japan, education is a business. When you enter university whether private or public/national you don't need your high school grades except if through the "recommendation" process where schools include your grades and extra-curricular activities in the screening process.
I said business because students who want to enter university should go to cram schools to prepare for the Center test as early as 5th grade and this cost a lot!
1
sakura@70
thanks for the link Blair!
1
lostrune2
"Harder to get in, but easier to get out (with a degree)."
Though it should be a bit easier to get in more and more, as youth population decreases.
0
dharmadan
"This year students are able to combine some subjects, such as Japanese history and world history, in a single sitting."
If there's a Japanese university that doesn't lay much stock in knowing much about Japanese history, I'd consider it as a worthy candidate for my daughter.
-1
sakura@70
I overheard from the test-takers today that unlike the previous test in English, this afternoon's test was very difficult - with very long paragraphs and out of the world questions and answers. The listening part was also not clear.
lostrune2, your first observation is right and I wish that the second one, will also be true in behalf of those students that I met today.
-1
iceshoecream
Don't bring your iPhones to the exams this year.
0
dharmadan
Universities have no purpose other than to foster cohorts of leaders/contributers to a better, even marginally so, future for the body politic. To that end, the success of universities in Japan cannot hinge upon parochially nationalistic entrance exams.
0
NeoJamal
Remember those days when top Japanese firms would take in any Tokyo & Kyoto grad unless HE was clinically insane/only one parent listed in HIS koseki/burakumin? and now they are getting their ass kicked by foreign firms that take in 3rd tier public uni grads with the right stuff? So what did they introduce to raise Japanese competitiveness: SPI? what a joke.
-1
dharmadan
That's a simplification that has no weight in actual recruitment practices, which I aver from an insider's viewpoint.
-1
dharmadan
The brunt of criticism of the woes of the nation is rightly to be borne by Japanese companies, universities and parents (and their charges). But would-be critics, if they are to be taken seriously, must be held to standards that mirror that reality.
1
LH10
students in japan: ganbatte!! do your best!
-1
astrogaijin
The American system is not similar. For us we have to take a test called the ACT or SAT depending where you live and you take that you take your junior year of highschool. With that score plus your GPA during all 4 years of highschool you can apply to any college or university but the schools only accept people who meet their requirements.
2
Samantha Ueno
Another 15-20 years we won't even need the exams except for a few prestigious universities in Tokyo....schools will be begging for students.
1
sf2k
"Meanwhile, NHK reported that in order to avoid a repeat of the cell phone cheating incident that took place at Kyoto University last year, all students are required to turn off their cell phones and to leave them in their bags for the duration of the test."
what on earth has been the policy beforehand??? This isn't standard practice everywhere?
2
sf2k
No university entrance exam in Canada. Your last year of highschool marks are the barometer of general application plus consideration for extra-curricular activities.
1
proxy
@sf2k
And Canadian universities are ranked as high or higher that Japanese universities. Japan undergoes a lot of pain for no gain.
I believe in Canada the general thinking is to try and remove barriers for students wanting to study and in Japan they put up as many barriers as possible.
It always strikes me as ridiculous that prefectural universities in Japan force students who attend prefectural high schools in the same prefecture to jump through the entrance exam hoop when they are overseen by the same board of education.
0
tmarie
Another 15-20 years we won't even need the exams except for a few prestigious universities in Tokyo....schools will be begging for students.
They already are which is why jukus, high schools and uni are working hand in hand to get more students. The number of uni students in Japan hasn't dropped in line with the population. More people going to uni - who years ago would not be able to get in. It fosters the mentality that they are above doing certain jobs. Plenty of companies have been complaining about the quality of their new staff. No wonder, they get passed as long as they pay their money for the most part. Huge money making scheme and in the end, Japan is only hurting itself with these mediocre graduates that will find employment in companies that were one decent but now just hanging on.
Not surprised to hear the English was more difficult - the munkasho needs a reality check with what is going on in the classrooms. They raise the number of vocab and grammar points teachers must teach but with teachers unable to teach it all, the students "fall" behind. English ed now is a joke compared to what it was 30 years ago. They can blame themselves for yutorikoiku - and continuing to baby students. This year uni teachers aren't even allowed to write "Test" on their syllabus! Pathetic.
0
sf2k
proxy
Yes, I went back to school as a mature student and there was lots of help available. Not totally unusual here to go back but next to impossible in Japan. Sometimes you have to make your own future and Japanese should be allowed to chart their own direction, regardless of age.
0
sf2k
To be fair I never had to write entrance exams for high school either. Or any entrance exams. Ever.
However in Canada unlike Japan it isn't really until university that students get serious and are really challenged to learn whereas university in Japan is when they can take a break at the end of a very hard road. Hence the clubs.
Note as well the Canadian companies don't really train you, your education is your ticket, and hence has to be upgraded from time to time (hence my own return to school). In Japan the company builds you up and you never have a reason to go back.
So the systems are respondent to the different societal norms and perhaps are not appropriate to be compared. However entrance exams alone as an issue should be considered so that capable people can do what they want to do.
0
sf2k
... isn't that in the public interest?
2
Blair Herron
In Japan, education is compulsory from grade 1 to grade 9 (G7-9 are middle school). High school is not compulsory, but 98% of all students go to high school. In order to get into high school, students have to take entrance exam. (If you are at private school, the system is a bit different) The level of high schools are ranked by 偏差値(hensachi) roughly from 20-80. In order to get into prestigious university, you need to get into high ranked high school because they have more advanced curriculum. Except "recommendation process", high school GPA is not considered to get into college. For public universities, only those entrance examination scores decide whether you are accepted or not.
Personally, American university system is a lot better than Japanese. In the U.S., even if you don't have a good SAT score (TOEFL score for foreign students) and your GPA is low, you can start from community college. If you get good GPA on freshman/sophomore years, you could transfer to junior year at prestigious university. There is a transfer system in Japan, but not working well.
-2
Disillusioned
Will they be able to take their mobile phones into the tests and then go to the toilet with them to check their answers on Yahoo?
Blair Herron - I think you will find that school is compulsory up to and including grade one of senior high.
1
Blair Herron
I'm sorry but I don't think high school grade one is compulsory in Japan. The Japanese educational system is 6-3-3-4 system (6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high school, 3 years of senior high school and 4 years of University) Gimukyoiku (compulsory education) time period is 9 years, 6 in shougakkou (elementary school) and 3 in chuugakkou (junior high school).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Japan
1
tmarie
I thought it was mandatory until they graduated from JHS. I had former students who started work once they were done JHS. No plans to go to high school - orphans who couldn't pay the HS fees nor have a roof over their head once they finished JHS. Work was the only option for them. There is talk of making HS fee free which I 100% support.
0
littlebear
@ Proxy & sf2k: Ditto!
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