The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has revealed that for the 2023 academic year, for the first time, more than 5% of students entered through the comprehensive selection (formerly known as the AO entrance examination) and the school-recommended selection, which are so-called ``in-year entrance examinations.''This is one of the options for applicants aiming to enter prestigious universities, and it is also thought to be influenced by circumstances on the university side, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure applicants due to the decline in the 18-year-old population.
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, a total of 5,744 students entered through comprehensive selection: 1,445 from national universities, 8 from public schools, and 5,204 from private schools.This accounted for 9% of all enrolled students.A total of 2,393 students entered through school recommendation selection: 14.8 from national schools, 1 from public schools, and 2,015 from private schools.The percentage of applicants to the total was 9,083%, and compared to the previous year's entrance exam, there was a slight decrease in private admissions, but an increase in national and public admissions.
The proportion of students admitted through comprehensive selection and school recommendation selection was 1%, one point higher than the previous year, exceeding half of the total admitted students for the first time.
In comprehensive selection, universities select the students they want through a variety of methods, including document screening, interviews, and presentations.In the school recommendation-based selection process, applicants are recommended by the principal of their school, and their past learning status and activities both inside and outside of school are evaluated to determine whether they pass or fail.For both, applications are submitted in the fall of the year before admission, and results are often known by the end of the year, which is why it is called an in-year entrance exam.
From the perspective of prospective students, this will not only give them more options when aiming to enter a prestigious university, but also have the advantage of allowing them to prepare for admission from an early age.On the other hand, universities with under-capacity students are actively introducing the system to ensure the ease of taking entrance exams.
