Current trends in student selection

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Current trends in student selection

• Student selection system
• Recent evaluations and trends

Jussi Piekkala 2004 University of Helsinki,
Faculty of Arts jussi.piekkala_at_helsinki.fi
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Student selection system in Finland

• Universities themselves select their students
  from among those who are qualified to study in
  higher education.
• Numerus clausus at all universities.
• Application system varies from one educational
  field to another.
• Entrance exams are generally an important part of
  the selection process.

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Student selection system at Univ. of
HelsinkiExample 1 Faculty of Arts
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Student selection system at Univ. of
HelsinkiExample 2 Faculty of Social Sciences
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Recent evaluations

• Recent national evaluations has concluded that
  the student
• selection process . . .
• has practical arrangements that are too
  complicated and too demanding,
• has not enough cooperation between comparable
  units at different universities,
• lacks cost-efficiency and universities do not
  perform systematic self-evaluation and follow-up.

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Recent trends

• On the political level there is increased
  emphasis regarding
• the economical impact of student selection.
• Too late Most students enter university at
  the age of 21.
• Too old Approximately 18 of new university
  students are 26 years old or older.
• Too slow Master's degree is stipulated to
  take 5 years but often do take 7 years or more.

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Ministry of Education report proposals

• Student selection must be improved by applying
  central
• selection system or other ways of co-operation.
• Universities have to . . .
• make the selection process more streamlined,
• have the students enter the university at younger
  age and thus graduating younger,
• explore methods to achieve 50 of entering
  students to come from the matriculation
  examination of the same year.