University is mainly the next option senior high school students will take after graduation and based on their field of interests. Not only the degree influences one’s career, but the independent, real-world practice, as well as other soft skills development are most honed in this level of study. Therefore, many universities set a competitive qualification for entrance. For same people, this is a reasonable approach to select those who are capable and committed to study the program. However, in the perspectives of the other group, the regulation seems to limit those who are eager to study at university but has several limitations due to school performance and ages.
On one hand, university wants to maintain their quality of education through offering places to highest marks students. In general, great marks are associated with discipline, passion, and the subject excellence. This is considered a fair selection process to top universities in the country owing to their limited seats per year. Moreover, certain type of major requires students who have already mastered or at least exposed to the area of knowledge. For instance, engineering demands a sufficient knowledge of physics and mathematics for the students to follow the lecture well at university level. Achieving low marks for both subjects served as an indication to their limited ability to pursue engineering. For this reason, high marks can be a reliable evidence of their passion for those aiming for universities.
On the other hand, school marks are considered poor representation of both person’s ability to survive in the university and the level of dedication they put to the major. School grades should not be the only way to assess student’s passion and motivation to get the degree because people who seem to have lack performance at school may be affected by social or mental disparities. They might have bigger sense of curiosity or innovative ideas that has only been expressed through activities beyond classroom such as creating impactful invention or manage a community service for their surroundings. The other few people might also struggle to have a formal education or merely not suitable for the typical ages to pursue Bachelor or Master degree.
To conclude, the university selection scheme by choosing only students with highest mark hold some positive and negative impacts. Although, exam scores quite represent students’ capability to learn at universities, other aspects must be taken into account such as their real-world impact toward their community.