With the final exams over and the results announced, high school graduates remain in a sober mood as admissions tests for universities, and the exorbitant fees demanded, loom large.
“We have to be firing on all cylinders with both our brains and money to get admitted to a state university,” said R.M. Norman, a graduate of state high school SMUN 6 in South Jakarta.
Norman failed a special admissions test held by a state university before his final exams, and is now preparing to take the upcoming general admissions tests for state universities, scheduled for July 1 and 2.
He expects tough competition, with high school graduates from across the country vying for limited seats at the universities.
But the stiff competition and tests are not his only worries. The entrance fees are equally daunting.
Norman lamented the university where he had taken the previous test required him to state how much money he would pay the university if accepted.
Another high school graduate had to drop his dream of studying at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), despite passing the admissions test, due to a lack of money.
“One of our students was accepted at ITB [after passing the special test],” said SMUN 6 deputy principal I Wayan Nurada.
“However, he decided to take the general admissions tests for state universities because he couldn’t afford the entrance fee demanded by ITB.”
ITB requires all students passing its special test to pay a so-called academic improvement fee (SDPA) of at least Rp 55 million (US$5,500) to be accepted by the university.
Faradila, from state high school SMUN 12 in East Jakarta, said he had to pay Rp 800,000 just to take the ITB test.
Other hopefuls have had to dig deeper into their pockets for a series of admission tests.
Leonita Irianti, from state high school SMUN 68, said she planned to take several tests to ensure she was accepted at a state university.
“If you only take one test, there’s no second chances if you fail,” she explained, adding the higher fees were not a big problem for her.
Students must pay from Rp 100,000 to Rp 175,000 to take the general admission tests, depending on the programs being pursued. Successful candidates must then pay at least Rp 3 million to be accepted at the state university.
With most high school graduates busy preparing for admission tests, 1,010 of the 57,770 students in Banten will have to repeat their final year after failing their exams.
Banten Education Agency head Eko Koswara said those who failed were spread out across the four regencies of Serang (126 students), Pandeglang (120), Lebak (86) and Tangerang (133), and the three municipalities of Tangerang (28), Cilegon (39) and Serang (41).
He added the number of students who passed had risen slightly, from 98.68 percent last year to 98.74 percent this year.
Multa Fidrus contributed to this story from Tangerang, Banten.
