Central University Admission System: Advantages and Disadvantages

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: (1) to study the opinion of stakeholders towards the Central University Admissions System (CUAS); (2) to determine the correlations among various scores used by CUAS and university grade point averages; (3) to synthesize documentation on admissions systems used abroad; and (4) to propose a tentative approach for the future development of CUAS. Data involved documents collected from websites, and the scores and grade point averages (GPAs) of 13,516 second-year students from nine public universities who were admitted through CUAS in 2006. Document synthesis and multiple regression methods were employed. It was found that the admissions system reduced the gaps between rural and urban students by leading students to concentrate on the whole curriculum. The main disadvantages found related to insufficient research information on which factors should be used in what proportion, and differing procedures used to calibrate grade point averages. Variables having a statistically significant relationship with second-year university GPAs were: ordinary national educational test (O-NET) scores; advanced national educational test (A-NET) scores; and grade point averages from subject learning strands; and GPAX. These variables accounted for from 11.3% to 50.7% of university GPA variance. The study found that admission factors commonly used abroad are high school GPA, high school class rank, general aptitude, special requirements tests, essay writing, letters of recommendation, public awareness practice, social activities, portfolios, and interviews. It was suggested that consideration be given to employing more predictors, providing more than one approach to admissions, having user-friendly procedures, increasing the number of exam centers, and calibrating GPA on the same standard.