International Comparisons of Entrance and Exit Examinations: Japan, United Kingdom, France, and Germany
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 412 289 TM 027 787 AUTHOR Stevenson, Harold W.; Lee, Shin-ying TITLE International Comparisons of Entrance and Exit Examinations: Japan, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. INSTITUTION Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. Media and Information Services. REPORT NO ORAD-97-1110 PUB DATE 1997-09-00 NOTE 58p.; "In collaboration with Solange Carton, Margaret Evans, Samia Meziane, Naoko Moriyoshi, Ian Schmidt." PUB TYPE Reports Evaluative (142) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Achievement; Admission (School); College Bound Students; *College Entrance Examinations; Comparative Analysis; Cross Cultural Studies; Developed Nations; Educational Attainment; Foreign Countries; *High School Students; High Schools; Higher Education; *International Education; *Student Educational Objectives; Test Construction; *Test Use; Vocational Education IDENTIFIERS *Exit Examinations; France; Germany; Japan; United Kingdom ABSTRACT The roles of exit examinations (high school exit) and college entrance examinations in four industrialized countries are described. Information was obtained from reviews of educational systems and interviews with small samples of students (at least seven or eight students), parents, and teachers during 1993. All four countries studied, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, are experiencing a common problem in that their universities, built to educate a moderate percentage of the population, are being asked to accommodate increasing numbers of students. They are left with the alternatives of restricting enrollments to make the universities more elitist or expanding enrollments and watering down the value of the university degree. In all of these countries, entrance and exit examinations are based on a curriculum established by ministries of education. These examinations are closely tied to what students have studied in school. Parents and students expressed satisfaction with the examinations overall, although they noted problems with strong reliance on examinations. They were unable, however, to suggest more desirable procedures. Regardless of the approach taken by governments in these four countries, it seems likely that the number of students selecting a vocational track will continue to lag as long as economic and social advantages of a university degree persist. (Contains 25 references.) (SLD) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made .* from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Asir""Nt F,.1 -gd JN&a.md F, d U S DEPARTMENT Office of Educational OF EDUCATION Research and EDUCATIONAL Improvement RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This documenthas been received from the reproduced as originating it person or organization Minor changes have been made improve reproduction to quality Points of view document do notor opinions statedin this official OERI necessar ly represent position or policy U.S. Office of Department ofEducation EducationalResearch andImprovement EST COPYAVAILABLE International Comparisonsof entranceandwrit examinations Japan, UnitedKingdom, France, and Germany Harold W. Stevenson and Shin-ying Lee in collaboration with Solange Carton Margaret Evans Samia Meziane Naoko Moriyoshi Ian Schmidt University of Michigan U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement 3 U.S. Department of Education Richard W. Riley Secretary Office of Educational Research and Improvement Ramon C. Cortines Acting Assistant Secretary Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination Ron Cartwright Acting Director Media and Information Services Cynthia Hearn Dorfman Director September 1997 4 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Japan 3 Elementary and Secondary Education 3 Junior Colleges and Universities 4 Applying for University Entrance 4 Public and National Universities 5 Private Universities 5 Alternative Methods 6 Juku 6 University Expenses 6 Ronin 7 Reaction to the College Entrance System Need for Entering College 7 General Satisfaction Fairness 9 Factors Associated With Success 10 Stressfulness of the examinations 11 Role of Schools and Teachers 11 Role of Parents 12 Conclusion 12 The United Kingdom 13 The British Educational System 13 Primary and Secondary Education 13 Universities 15 Applying for Entrance 15 Reactions to the Entrance Examination System 16 Desire for Entering the University 16 General Satisfaction 16 Curriculum 17 iii Fairness 18 Difficulty 18 Limited Choices 18 Factors Associated With Success 18 Early Preparation 19 Choice of University and Degree 19 Personal Attributes and Work Experience 19 Stress 20 Role of Parents, Teachers, and Schools 20 Conclusion 20 France 23 Elementary and Primary Systems 23 The Academic Baccalaureat 24 Higher Education 25 Universities 25 Grandes Ecoles 26 Changes in the College Admission Process 26 Reactions to the System 26 Lack of Information 26 General Satisfaction 27 Curriculum 27 Fairness 28 Factors Associated With Success 28 Stress 29 Role of Parents 29 Role of Teachers and Students 30 Conclusion 30 Germany 33 Elementary and Secondary Education 33 Primary School 33 Types of Schools 34 Hauptschule 34 Realschule 34 6 iv Vocational School 35 Gymnasium 36 Gesamtschule 36 Forderstufe 37 University Education 37 Exit Examination 37 The Abitur 37 Preparation for the Examination 39 Reactions to the University Entrance System 39 Need for Entering College 39 General Satisfaction 39 Fairness 41 Factors Associated with Success 42 Stress 43 Role of Parents 44 Conclusion 44 Summary 47 Entrance and Exit Examinations 47 Reactions to Examinations 48 Criticisms of the Examinations 48 Conclusions 49 Endnote 51 References 53 Introduction One of the most difficult questionsfacing students to pursue advanced levels of many contemporary societies is education. Even in these societies, however, deciding how to allocate their expenditures some institutions offer moredemanding for education. Should emphasis be placed on curricula than others. As a result, admission primary and secondary schools, or should to different institutions requiresdifferent colleges and universities receive higher levels qualifications. Other societies, allocating less of support? In a rapidly developing world, funding to higher education, are able to where technology and science play admit only a small percentage of the students increasingly important roles, will a society be seeking admission each year. As a result, in a better competitive position by entrance to colleges and universitiesin these emphasizing the basic primary and secondary societies is extremely competitive. school years, or by expanding the number of The United States is among the societies that students who attain degrees from post are examining the ways inwhich higher secondary institutions? education can yield the greatest benefit, both These decisions occupy a great deal of for the individual and for society in general. attention, but even more formidable One approach that may be helpful in this questions are raised once a decision is self-scrutiny is to find out how other highly reached: How should students be selected for industrialized societies handle these admission to successively more demanding problems. What is the structure of higher levels of education? If access to colleges is education in these societies and on what readily available, how can the quality of basis are students admitted to colleges and education be maintained or improved? On universities? Specifically, what roles do high the other hand, entrance to colleges and school exit examinations or college entrance universities becomes highly competitive if the examinations play in determining college society concentrates its expenditures on admissions? What do students, parents, and education at the elementary and early teachers think about the usefulness and secondary levels. Because the level of fairness of these examinations? Are the education attained by individuals is a critical results of the tests considered to be a variable in determining social and financial reasonable index of the students' knowledge status in all industrialized societies,these and potential for future success? How could questions take on important political, social, the examinations be improved? Do the tests and economic implications. strongly influence the high school curriculum? Information relevant to these The resources provided for education within and other questions is provided in this paper, a society are obviously an importantfactor which describes the role of exit and entrance influencing the ways in which education is examinations in four of the industrialized supported. Some societies are rich enough to countries with leading economies: Japan,the develop a wide array of institutions for the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. pursuit of higher learning, thereby making it possible for large percentages of their 1 The information presented in thispaper was not be indicative of the reaction of the obtained from reviews of the educational general population to the procedures used for systems in the four countries and from college entrance. interviews held with small samples of students, parents, and teachers during the The paper is organized accordingto each country. A general description of the last three months of 1993. Interviewswere educational system is followed by held in two locations in eachcountry and the an outline of