Many of the entrance examinations for the comprehensive selection and school recommendation selection within this year require applicants to take the entrance examination exclusively. This may be natural since the selection method assumes highly aspiring applicants. However, next year, Toyo University plans to introduce a new school recommendation-based selection system for the 2025 entrance exam, which will allow applicants to apply at the same time. Private universities in the Kinki region generally use an open recruitment system that allows applicants to apply at the same time, but this may be the first time a large private university in the Tokyo metropolitan area has introduced this system.
Academic ability-based entrance exams within the year are expanding in the Tokyo metropolitan area
For next year's 2025 entrance exam, Toyo University will introduce a school-recommendation selection system that allows applicants to apply at the same time. It is also possible to apply for the general selection exam at other universities other than Toyo University, and the test subjects are English/Japanese or English/mathematics. When most people hear about school recommendation-based selection, they probably think that it is basically a set of interviews. But that is not imposed here. You might think this is the same as the general selection, but it is not uncommon in the Kinki area.
For example, what impression do you get when you look at the following entrance exam outline? ``There are two test days, and you are free to choose the test date.The test subjects are English and Japanese, or English and mathematics, and depending on the department, mathematics and science.You can choose the test venue from about 20 venues other than our own.'' No matter how you look at it, this is a typical general selection entrance exam outline for a private university. However, this is an outline of the school recommendation-based selection (open recruitment system) entrance exam for a private university in the Kinki area.
In fact, this type of school recommendation-based selection has been widely implemented, especially in the Kinki region, for more than 20 years, and it has become almost common knowledge for applicants in the Kinki region. In most cases, the general selection process for private universities begins in late January or early February. Because it was the first entrance exam, it was formerly called the first-term entrance exam. The second and subsequent entrance exams held in late February or March were called the second period entrance exams. Nowadays, in addition to the XNUMXst term entrance exam, it is sometimes referred to as the XNUMXst term entrance exam or A schedule, but in the past, it was simply called the XNUMXst term and XNUMXnd term. For this reason, the school-recommendation-type selection, which is an academic ability test that allows students to apply for multiple applications, to be held within the year in the Kinki region was called the XNUMX (zero) period entrance examination, which is held before the first period.
Returning to Toyo University's new entrance exam, I think this new entrance exam may be the first time that a large private university in the Tokyo metropolitan area has implemented school recommendation-based selection using a scheme similar to the zero-term entrance exam. Masu. In fact, Toyo University is a university that often conducts first-of-its-kind experiments. I think Toyo University was also the first to abolish paper-based university information and move to online information. I also remember that the high-rise tower buildings that can now be seen at many private universities started at Toyo University.
There are several universities in the Tokyo metropolitan area other than Toyo University that have introduced this academic ability test-type entrance exam that allows multiple applicants. For example, Kanto Gakuin University's comprehensive selection (basic academic ability evaluation type), Kyoritsu Women's University's comprehensive selection (basic academic ability method), Oberlin University's comprehensive selection (basic academic ability evaluation method), etc. However, Kyoritsu Women's University requires preliminary assignments, and Kanto Gakuin University and Oberlin University require interviews (Oberlin University will be held from 2024, and twice in 2025).
Toyo University “Entrance Examination Information/Requirements”https://www.toyo.ac.jp/nyushi/
School recommendation-based selection used to have various regulations.
In the past, there were various regulations regarding school recommendation-based selection. In 1994, based on a report from the University Council (now the University Subcommittee of the Chuo Education Council), applications were accepted after November 11st. The target recruitment ratio is not to exceed XNUMX% for universities and XNUMX% for junior colleges, excluding recommendations from affiliated high schools. No academic ability tests will be conducted. Regulations were established based on three principles that continue to this day. The reason for this is consideration for the impact on high school education.
Around this time, some private universities in the Kinki area were already conducting school-recommendation-based selection, which required an academic ability test and allowed students to apply at the same time.It was unclear what would happen in response to the regulations, but the academic ability test was not required for post-admission studies. It was continued almost as-is, with a different name: an aptitude test to check aptitude (in this case, basic academic ability). Later, in 2000, the regulations on recruitment changed, with universities no longer requiring more than XNUMX% of applicants, including recommendations from affiliated high schools, and no regulations for junior colleges.
During this time, some private universities started offering self-recommendations that do not require school recommendations, and the current comprehensive selection system rapidly expanded under the name AO entrance examination, and the distinction from school recommendation selection became somewhat vague. did. Subsequently, due to the high school/university connection reform, starting from the 2021 entrance exam, applications for comprehensive selection will be from September onwards, results will be announced from November onwards, applications for school recommendation selection will be from November onwards, and results will be announced from December onwards. . However, the regulations regarding the number of recruits remained unchanged: 11% from universities and no junior colleges. In addition, the implementation of another regulated academic ability test will be recommended. At that time, examples of evaluation methods for academic ability include university entrance common tests, essays, presentations, oral examinations, practical skills, tests related to each subject/subject, and results of qualification/certification exams, and academic ability tests are acceptable. became.
However, there are other rules regarding the implementation of this academic ability test. According to the ``University Admission Selection Implementation Guidelines'' notified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology every year, the general selection, which involves an academic ability test (according to the notification, academic ability test), must be conducted between February 25st and March XNUMXth. . Examples of evaluation methods that may be used before February XNUMXst include essays, presentations, oral examinations, and practical skills.
What is difficult to interpret here is what is the difference between the ``tests related to each subject/subject'' that can be conducted during the entrance exam this year and the ``academic ability test'' for the general selection. However, if this is made clear, there is a risk that school recommendation-based selection (open recruitment system), which requires an academic ability test and allows applicants to apply, may no longer be possible. This is not a good thing as it will be a loss of opportunity for the examinees. I think there are many stakeholders who believe that keeping things vague will serve the public interest.
Future of entrance exams within the year that allow multiple applications + academic ability test
In terms of the impact it will have on future trends in entrance exams this year, I think Toyo University's new school recommendation-based selection process is paying more attention to surrounding private universities than prospective students. The exam date is December 12st, and the results will be announced on December 12th. The deadline for the first procedure is December 10th, but cleverly the deadline for the second procedure has been set as February 12th. February 17th will be after almost all the MARCH results have been announced. In other words, applicants to MARCH universities who pass this entrance exam do not need to consider applying to other schools through the general selection process. From a macro perspective, this means a decrease in the total number of applicants due to a decrease in the number of schools to which they apply. The decrease in the number of applicants means that the number of applicants for general selection at private universities in the metropolitan area, including Toyo University, will decrease.
The point of interest going forward is how many successful applicants will be selected through this new school recommendation-based selection process. As mentioned above, the scale of the impact on surrounding private universities is determined by the number of successful applicants. Some private universities in the metropolitan area are probably anticipating this and are considering increasing the number of successful applicants for entrance exams this year. This will further reduce the number of applicants for the general selection.
If Toyo University's new school-recommendation-based selection is successful, similar school-recommendation-based selections (combining applications possible + academic ability test) will likely spread to other universities. The number of applicants for general selection will continue to decline, and there may be an increase in the number of private universities that conduct general selection but do not have a real system.