There has been a rise in competition amongst students to study in universities worldwide. There are several possible reasons for this increase, including the improvements in the country’s education system which can raise standards during the selection process. However, although this development can positively impact society as there may be greater advancements, I believe that it can be disadvantageous for individuals brought up in low income families.
As countries become more developed, the improvement of educational systems can facilitate students in their journey to reach their goal, studying at a university of their preference. Through factors, such as greater economic development, schools and learning centres will be able to provide better opportunities for their students, including better facilities and teachers. For example, hired teachers may have greater teaching experience, aiding pupils to maximise their knowledge and enhance individuals’ learning experiences. As a result, as the population becomes more educated, the standard of students for universities rises. This means there would be higher expectations and criteria set for individuals to be accepted, so it would be necessary for students to work harder. Additional skills, aside from academic grades, may need to be achieved by students, including work experiences, which many people can acquire from family connections. Subsequently, many essential experiences gained by individuals can increase the competition in university applications.
In my opinion, I believe that the consequences of rising competitions for university studies outweigh the advantages, particularly for students from lower income families who have less opportunities. With the work experiences and special tutoring that less fortunate individuals may not be able to afford, this may induce more stress upon them as they would be disadvantaged in terms of university applications. In addition, rejections from learning institutes can decrease future job opportunities, where they may not be able to support their loved ones with enough income. As they may be depended on by their families, this can consequently lead to worsened standards of living and possibly poverty for multiple families. Although it can be argued that through greater competition, people are more hardworking and educated which can encourage developments, such as technological advancements, students may have lower determination after they get accepted into colleges.
In conclusion, even though higher competition for university studies can potentially encourage advancements, the detrimental effects of this outweighs this. As lower income families are already less fortunate in terms of their financial state, they become even more disadvantaged with less opportunities. As a result, this can cause a chain of negative outcomes to the families, potentially reducing their quality of life.