《Comprehensive Selection Explained by a University Faculty Member》 Basics #3: How to Choose Between General Selection and Early-Year Admissions?

Hello.
I am the head of the Ritac Youth Academy (commonly known as Rita-Aca), a specialized cram school for comprehensive selection guided by university faculty.

Having been involved in education and research at universities both in Japan and abroad, I have also continued to provide guidance to high school students on comprehensive selection and school recommendation-based selection.
Based on these experiences, this blog will decode early-year admissions from the perspective of a university faculty member.

Now, in the previous article, I explained the differences between general selection and early-year admissions.
This time, we will look at the criteria students should use when they are unsure whether to take the general selection or the early-year admissions.

You can read the previous article here ↓

1. The Basics of Choosing Between General Selection and Early-Year Admissions

When you are unsure whether to take the general selection or the early-year admissions, the basic rule is to choose according to your own characteristics.

As mentioned in the previous article, the evaluation content differs between the two.
And each selection method has clear strengths and weaknesses.

That said, for students who are thinking, "I don't even know which selection method is right for me in the first place," I will explain the types of students suited for each method.

2. Who is Suited for General Selection

First, let's list the characteristics of the type of person suited for general selection.

① Good at subject-based exams
This may go without saying.
Since general selection is based on subject exams, being good at them is a major prerequisite.

② Better at proficiency tests than regular exams
There is no submission of documents like school reports in general selection.
Therefore, even if your GPA is low, if you are the type who can get high scores on proficiency tests, you will have an advantage in the one-shot general selection exam.

③ You have decided on your preferred school, but not what you want to do after enrollment
In early-year admissions, you are required to explain specifically what you plan to do after entering university and your future plans at the time of application.
If this is not solidified, it is safer to take the general selection rather than forcing yourself to create a plan.

④ You chose your preferred school because you "like it," "are good at it," or "are interested in it"
The reasons for applying required in early-year admissions cannot be just anything; they require social significance as well.
If your reason for applying does not include social significance, such as "because I like it," "because I am good at it," or "because I am interested in it," then general selection is more suitable. (*1: Explained at the end of the text)

⑤ You have three or more preferred schools, or multiple fields of interest
Since early-year admissions require a huge amount of time to prepare for one school, it is not realistic to apply to many universities.
Therefore, if you are considering applying to three or more schools, you can prepare with more leeway using general selection.

⑥ You are aiming for a science major
Science departments tend to have larger quotas for general selection compared to humanities, and the number of recruitment spots for comprehensive selection and the like is limited.
Therefore, in science departments, it is often easier to pass through general selection.

3. Who is Suited for Early-Year Admissions

Next, let's list the characteristics of the type of person suited for early-year admissions.

① Good grades in regular exams and a high GPA
Except for some comprehensive selections, early-year admissions require the submission of school reports.
Especially in school recommendation-based selection, the majority of universities require a certain GPA or higher to apply.
Therefore, those with good regular exam grades and a high GPA have a higher acceptance rate.

② Your future hopes and what you want to do at university are specifically decided
In early-year admissions, you are required to explain your future hopes and what you want to master at university for that purpose at the time of application.
Therefore, it is suitable for those who have these things specifically decided.

③ Your reason for applying has social significance
In early-year admissions, you are asked what social significance your reason for applying has.
Those who can explain their reason for applying in the context of society, rather than ending it with personal reasons like "because I like it" or "because I am interested in it," are suited for early-year admissions.
(*1: Explained at the end of the text)

④ You have two or fewer preferred schools
In early-year admissions, you need to spend time thinking about your statement of purpose, etc., tailored to that university.
Also, the exam content varies by university, such as short essays, presentations, and research reports.
Therefore, it is time-consuming to apply to multiple universities, and it is easier for those who have narrowed down their preferred schools to two or fewer to proceed with preparation.

⑤ You are aiming for a humanities major
Compared to science departments, there are many universities that are proactive about early-year admissions in humanities departments, and the recruitment quotas are relatively large.
Therefore, for those aiming for humanities, early-year admissions are an easier option to consider.

4. The Reality of Choosing Between General Selection and Early-Year Admissions

So, while the basic rule is to choose the selection method according to your own characteristics, in reality, this is just an "ideal theory."
Actual entrance exams are not that simple.

Watching from the field, more people are taking both general selection and early-year admissions, considering the competition ratio of their preferred schools.
Roughly, they can be divided into the following groups.

In any case, by taking both selection methods, you can increase your chances.

However, it should be noted that it is very difficult to proceed with preparations for both general selection and early-year admissions at the same time.
Therefore, rather than C. Complete Hybrid Type, it is more realistic to focus on either general selection or early-year admissions while applying to both, like in A. or B.

5. Summary

Whether to choose general selection or early-year admissions, or which one to make your main focus, depends on your aptitude.

In society, general selection is sometimes seen as the royal road, and early-year admissions as something inferior to that.
However, in reality, as I have mentioned so far, the two have different evaluation contents and different students are suited for them, so it cannot be simply discussed in terms of superiority or inferiority.

It is important to choose the entrance exam method that suits you, rather than being swayed by the public image.

Next time, I will consider the "early-year admissions and academic decline" that is also often talked about in society.

You can read the next article here ↓