In many countries, gaining university admission has become more competitive compared to the past. From my perspective, this trend is attributed to the increasing value of higher education and the limited number of places universities offer. Although it places considerable pressure on the students’ shoulders, I believe this development is a positive one as it promotes academic excellence and ensures that highly capable individuals receive quality education.
One of the primary reasons for the growing competition is the knowledge-based labor market requirements. In fact, many reputable companies nowadays tend to ask applicants for their academic qualifications. As a result, an increasing number of high school leavers have to study hard and pursue a university degree in order to hold a university degree. For example, careers such as engineering, medicine, and finance require candidates to have a university degree as a minimum qualification. At the same time, despite the rising demand for higher education, universities have not expanded their capacity, creating the fear of not being chosen among students. Therefore, thousands of students compete for only a few hundred places at top universities every year.
Although such competitiveness may cause stress and anxiety among students, I believe the overall impact is beneficial. Firstly, there is always improvement where competition exists. Thanks to the competitive admission processes, students are encouraged to develop strong academic habits, making them more committed, disciplined, and dedicated to their goals. For instance, seeing high school students spending extra hours studying or attending classes to achieve excellent exam results has become common. Secondly, universities can be able to select the most capable students. Actually, a competitive admission process ensures that only well-prepared and dedicated students are accepted. With such talented students, universities can create an environment where they can maintain high academic standards and produce competitive graduates.
In conclusion, university has become a competitive place, mainly because higher education is regarded as a key factor to better career options and the number of applicants continues to exceed the available places. While this trend causes pressure on students to some extent, I argue that its benefits outweigh the drawbacks, as it encourages academic achievement and helps society to reap benefits from a well-educated population.