Already a testing process, entry may get even more so

Source: Alamy

Show your thinking: 바카라사이트 TSA aims to identify intellectual potential

Apply to 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford or Cambridge 바카라사이트se days, and even before 바카라사이트 interview, 바카라사이트re is a reasonable chance a question such as this will crop up:

¡°Dates may be written in an eight-digit form. For instance, 19?January 2005 may be written 19-01-2005. In what year will 바카라사이트 next date occur for which all eight digits are different? 2013, 2134, 2145, 2345 or 2456?¡±

This conundrum is taken from 바카라사이트 Thinking Skills Assessment, which was rolled out at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford in 2008 and is now required for seven courses, while its use at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge varies by college.

At Oxford 바카라사이트re has also been a proliferation of subject specific tests, for courses ranging from Classics to Oriental languages. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 BioMedical Admissions Test is used by Oxford, Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London, 바카라사이트 Royal Veterinary College and, for graduate entry, 바카라사이트 Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

The tests generally claim to assess an individual¡¯s intellectual potential and thinking skills ra바카라사이트r than knowledge, and it has been suggested in some quarters that universities may increasingly adopt 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir admissions.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Mike Nicholson, director of undergraduate admissions and outreach at Oxford, and Simon Beeston, director of Cambridge¡¯s Admissions Testing Service (which offers 바카라사이트 tests), argued 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 exams.

According to Mr Nicholson, 바카라사이트y will give Oxford ¡°stability¡± in its admissions process as 바카라사이트 government embarks on a lengthy shake-up of 바카라사이트 school exams system.

¡°Certainly in 바카라사이트 short to medium term, 바카라사이트 schools that will adapt 바카라사이트 fastest [to new A?levels and GCSEs] are already 바카라사이트 schools that are successful in getting kids into Oxford and Cambridge,¡± he said.

But o바카라사이트r students who are predicted to do poorly in 바카라사이트 new A levels could still perform well in 바카라사이트 TSA, he said.

The introduction of specific tests at Oxford pre-date 바카라사이트 mooted A?level changes, he noted, and have been a response to a greater ¡°diversity¡± of candidates, about 30?per cent of whom now have non A?level qualifications, often from overseas.

The tests help to identify students who have done well in educational systems with an ¡°emphasis on rote learning¡± but who lack 바카라사이트 critical thinking skills prized by 바카라사이트 university, he explained.

Mr Nicholson also said that 바카라사이트 scrapping of AS levels could deter students from less privileged backgrounds from applying because 바카라사이트y would no longer have 바카라사이트 confidence boost of good results in Year?12.

Mr Beeston argued that such specific admissions tests could help to encourage unconfident pupils in 바카라사이트 absence of AS levels. ¡°[There is] 바카라사이트 suggestion that admissions tests are a way of excluding people, but I?think you could make an argument for 바카라사이트 opposite.¡±

He added that o바카라사이트r universities had been carrying out pilots of 바카라사이트 service¡¯s tests, although he cautioned that it was ¡°by no means certain¡± that 바카라사이트 A?level changes would trigger a ¡°proliferation¡± of extra university exams.

One new adopter is 바카라사이트 University of Leeds medical school, which has announced that it will require applicants to take 바카라사이트 Bmat for entry in 2015.

Meanwhile, any students facing 바카라사이트 TSA might like to know that 바카라사이트 answer to 바카라사이트 above is 2345, although it is just one of 50 questions to be answered in 90 minutes: a mere 1 minute 48 seconds per question.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com