State universities are still the favorite choices due to their relatively affordable cost and better quality when compared to private ones despite a change in intake procedures starting this year.

At least 1.2 million students sat computer-based exams (UTBK) which were held during weekends in two batches on April 13 to May 4 and May 11 to 26. A student’s UTBK score determines which university and major he or she can apply to.

Admission through the SBMPTN itself is not an easy feat. In 2018, there were some 2.9 million senior high school graduates, of which 860,001 took part in SBMPTN and only 165,831 were admitted into state universities.

The SBMPTN is the second chance for senior high school graduates who did not make the cut in a previous process, the SNMPTN, which based its decision on academic records during high school.

This year, only 92,331 students were pre-admitted into state universities through the SNMPTN from 478,608 applicants.

Narendra, an 18-year-old senior high school graduate from Surabaya, has high hopes to enter the medical school at Airlangga University through the SBMPTN.

Dreaming to become a doctor, he said he had no other choice than going to a state university as it was relatively affordable for his family.

“Although it [medical school] is expensive, at least it would not be at a private university,” he told The Jakarta Post.

“I have three siblings and all of them are currently in school.”

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Yudha from Jakarta was also aiming to get into a state university to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher.

“I want to major in sports education,” he said, “I have been dreaming about [getting into state university] for a long time.”

Yudha acknowledged that the reason why he was sure he would get a seat at a state university was because he did not want to be a loser among his peers.

He was confident enough not to look at private universities because his UTBK score was above average.

Both Narendra and Yudha failed to make the cut in the SNMPTN, which only grants places for enough applicants to fill 20 percent of all seats at state universities.

They have a bigger chance in the SBMPTN, which provides a minimum quota of 40 percent.

Education expert Totok Soefijanto said students should not put the priority on the university choice, private or state-run, but more into the majors they were aspiring to enter.

“Students should focus on which competency they could get into and the specialization of each university,” he told the Post on Wednesday.

“The most important thing is whether a university can accommodate a student’s aspiration, regardless of whether it is a state or private university.”

Totok, however, did not elaborate on how to finance studying at a private university, which can be more expensive than a state one.

He acknowledged that state universities were a safe choice as they carried some degree of prestige and were less costly.

Students who fail both the SNMPTN and the SBMPTN still have a third chance to enter the state university of their choice through an entrance test administered by each university, providing a maximum of 30 percent of the total available seats.

The so-called independent program, however, calls for hefty tuition fees.

.“Yes [it is more costly], but I plan to do a part time job so I can pay my own [boarding house] rent and daily needs,” said Narendra, who said he would take a gap year before trying for another year if he failed to enter state university this year from the three channels.

The independently administered university entrance test is allowed once a state university assumes the state university legal entity (PTN-BH) status, allowing it to manage its finance independently and seek extra funding to develop the university.

However, Totok saw a misconception of how PTN-BH universities in Indonesia were operated. He said there was a slight difference between Indonesian stated-owned legal entity (BHMN) universities and universities abroad.

“Many universities in the world grew amid a limited budget from the state, so they are urged to find ways to seek funding,” he said.

“That’s why they try to boost non-traditional income, for example from research, patents and partnership with industries.”

Although he believed that the various admission channels and PTN-BH status could not directly affect the quality of the university, he believed that Indonesian universities should shift from dependence on tuition fees.

By increasing nontraditional income, universities could lower tuition and should be able to reach education inclusion, Totok said. (asp)

Popular

Kadin urges stability after Constitutional Court ruling

Jokowi says transition to new government to begi

BCA loan disbursement surges 17.1 percent yoy in first quarter