The end of  school  year 2005-2006 is only a few weeks away. At this point, those who are graduating in high school are already  contemplating on their choices of schools and courses for their college education.

Most results of entrance examinations given by leading universities and colleges in the country must be out by now. I heard that Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University have already released theirs last week.

It seems college entrance examinations nowadays have evolved into a ‘good business’. Schools appear to have set aside their policy of selectivity in administering these tests. Whereas before,  only those who belonged to the top 20 percent of the graduating class could qualify to take the University of the Philippines College Admissions Test (UPCAT), now, any fourth year high school student eligible for graduation, regardless of his or her general weighted average and rank in class - can take said exam, as long as they submit the required documents and application forms and pay the testing fees. Now, if we look at statistics to find out how many eager students all over the country take this annual test, we can have an idea how much revenue is generated.

I don’t think this is good at all.

At another vantage, I am not saying that this ‘laxity’ in screening examinees downgrades the schools’ academic standards. My point is - why allow students to take the entrance exams when they have nary a chance to pass? It is giving false hopes to those who are unqualified. I don’t buy the argument that it is an exercise of freedom, that when a student who barely passes his high school is allowed to take  UPCAT or Ateneo entrance test - it is only in adherence  with democratic process. That is foolish.

Democracy is not about foolishness. It is about giving a person the right to exercise his free will, but only when it is in accordance with what is lawfully, rightfully and justly due him.

The aforementioned schools are known for their high academic standards. UP for instance, have been cited many times as one of the leading state universities in Asia. Therefore, to belong to these schools should be a matter of privilege, not of right. If one did good - he has the privilege to seek admission but another one who did not, has no right to attempt for such.