Four prestigious private universities in the Kansai region earned a total of 1.28 billion yen from entrance examination fees from applicants who only submitted their results of the national unified entrance examination for the 2007 academic year.
Although the universities each have independent entrance examinations, they have adapted their systems to judge applicants solely by results achieved in the National Center Test for University Admissions. Students can choose to sit exams under either system.
The four are Kwansei Gakuin University based in Hyogo Prefecture, Kansai University in Osaka Prefecture, and Doshisha University and Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto Prefecture. The quartet is known as "Kan-kan-do-ritsu," based on the first Chinese character of the institutions' names.
This entrance examination system has encouraged many high schools to exaggerate the number of their students who achieve success in the exams.
The figure shows that the system is of huge financial benefit to the universities.
However, less then 10 percent of successful applicants who used the system have entered the four universities, indicating that the high schools might have urged many--possibly reluctant--students to sit the exams in a bid to pad the schools' purported success rate.
If an applicant has a high score in the national center test, he or she will likely be accepted by multiple universities. However, several high schools across the nation were found to have abused this system, including Osaka Gakugei High School in Osaka, which urged one student to apply to 73 of the universities' departments and faculties in 2006. The student received 50,000 yen and an expensive wristwatch from the school after passing all the exams.
For the 2007 exams, the four universities received 74,845 applications for 2,572 places. Although the universities approved 22,827 applications, only 2,082 students actually entered the universities--an entry rate of 9.1 percent.
Ritsumeikan University received the most applications, with 33,742 applications for 1,565 places. The university approved 12,286 students, but only 1,250 entered the educational establishment.
Kansai University received 19,653 applications, Kwansei Gakuin University, 16,766, and Doshisha University, 4,684. Entry rates were 5.7 percent, 10.6 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively.
Students who take exams at the four universities likely also sit examinations for national and public universities, and other famous private universities. Judging from independent examination figures, many students decline acceptance offers, but the entry rate is steady at more than 20 percent.
Under the national test system, students benefit from being able to apply to multiple universities by sitting only one test. Universities also benefit by securing students without incurring costs associated with organizing tests and marking scores.
Moreover, large profits are derived from the examination fees: The four universities collected between 15,000 yen to 18,000 yen from each student, totaling a hefty 1.28 billion yen.
However, the universities are obliged to pay commission to the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, which conducts the national test, of just 570 yen per student--totaling 42.6 million yen. The universities thus pocket a profit of more than 1.2 billion yen.
(Aug. 24, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070824TDY02011.htm
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