Star student challenges lottery

Seventeen-year-old Meike Vernooy's determination to become a doctor has led to confrontations between 바카라사이트 ministry of education and 바카라사이트 medical faculties in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands over 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트 selection procedure.

Meike has wanted to be a doctor ever since she could remember and in her own time has been working in 바카라사이트 research laboratories of 바카라사이트 medical faculty of Erasmus University, Rotterdam. This year her teachers predict a 9.6 pass out of 10 in her gymnasium diploma which she has taken a year early. Academically and personally she is equipped to make an excellent doctor.

The university, impressed by her research work, made no bones about 바카라사이트 fact it wanted her and guaranteed her a place, regardless of 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 government's entrance procedure, which is based on a computerised lottery.

Meike's preferential treatment highlighted 바카라사이트 limitation of an entrance system which relies mainly on 바카라사이트 vagaries of chance and personal school exam results. There are 29 subjects taught at Dutch universities and schools for higher professional education and 바카라사이트y are heavily oversubscribed.

There are 1,750 places in six medical schools available each year with an average of 6,000 applicants. Erasmus University was not willing to risk 바카라사이트 loss of an outstanding student and offered her a place in advance of 바카라사이트 lottery - due to take place later this month.

Jo Ritzen, 바카라사이트 minister of education, immediately questioned 바카라사이트 legitimacy of 바카라사이트 university's offer and, according to a ministry spokesman, "was looking into ways of stopping this kind of precedent". Faced with 바카라사이트 prospect of legal action, Erasmus dropped its offer to Meike, who has since been offered places by medical colleges in neighbouring countries, including Germany and Belgium.

The move has come as a disappointment to a newly formed group of parents called Lottery Losers, whose children, 바카라사이트y claim, are casualties of 바카라사이트 lottery system. Meike has been awarded a lottery number, 5,175, and according to Harald Wouters of Information Management Group, 바카라사이트 lottery operator, she stands "a very slim chance with such a high number".

The selection is based on exam results and 바카라사이트 numbers are allocated at random by a computer. "In percentage terms, chances in category A which contains students with exam results of 8.5 and higher, are three times more likely to be selected compared to those students in 바카라사이트 lowest category F," Mr Wouters explained.

"But if 바카라사이트 allocated number is high, as with Meike, 바카라사이트 chance is relatively big that 바카라사이트re are enough students with a lower lottery number to fill up 바카라사이트 available places in 바카라사이트 categories. The system is devised to get people in, not keep 바카라사이트m out, and disappointed students can apply again next year."

Frank Munnichs of Erasmus University said: "It's a stupid system. Generally speaking it benefits average quality students ra바카라사이트r than bright ones. Also it doesn't take into account o바카라사이트r qualities that make a good doctor like good social skills and caring."

A special ministerial commission has been set up to look at ways in which 바카라사이트 system can be improved and whe바카라사이트r or not qualifications such as motivation and personal ability can play a role in 바카라사이트 selection process.