Universities tweak admissions process

Many public and private universities started Wednesday accepting applications for admission based on high school recommendations, but given the recent revelation that hundreds of high schools failed to provide courses required for graduation, many universities are expected to take cautious and varied approaches toward their admissions processes.

Some universities are asking high schools to carefully reexamine their recommendation reports on applicants, after it came to light recently that many high schools falsified such reports to make it appear that students had acquired credits for compulsory subjects, even though courses had not been taught.

Yet despite these revelations, some other universities expressed continued confidence in high schools.

The Education, Science and Technology Ministry, for its part, plans to ask high schools that have already submitted falsified reports to universities to draft new recommendation reports and will request that they leave blank the column for academic records for any subjects not taught.

Yamagata University's medical department has announced a policy of not admitting students whose recommendation reports are found to have been falsified--even if the students get a pass mark. The university denounced the falsification of reports as an act that has undermined trust between high schools and universities.

The department sent a letter to about 140 high schools that have in the past applied for admissions based on recommendations, asking them not to fill in academic credits for the subjects not taught to applicants.

Tottori University has announced that it intends to withdraw places offered to applicants who failed to attend any of the required courses.

Private universities are also exercising caution.

After receiving applications, Sophia University plans to send a letter to applicants' high schools to confirm whether they made false reports on students' academic records.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061102TDY01004.htm