Decrease in Higher Education Applications Reaches Below 50,000 Mark
Lower Applications for Higher Education Exams: A Post-Pandemic Trend
New data from the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) reveals that the number of applicants for the first phase of higher education exams this year is similar to that of 2018, but a significant drop compared to last year. This trend, while not entirely unexpected, raises questions about the factors influencing this shift.
In 2020, a temporary surge in applicant numbers was observed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as many students took advantage of extended deadlines or retook exams they missed during the disruptions. However, this year, the number of applicants stands at 49,595, a decrease of 9,046 compared to last year's 58,641.
The reasons behind this decline are not entirely clear, but several factors could be at play. The return to normal academic schedules post-pandemic may have reduced the backlog effect, leading to fewer applicants as students progressed through their educational phases.
Demographic changes in the student-age population or enrollment rates could also be contributing factors. Additionally, increased alternatives or barriers, such as new competitive exams, rising education costs, changes in eligibility criteria, or shifts to alternative education or career paths, could be discouraging potential applicants.
Another potential factor is the perceived difficulty or rewards of the exams. If the exams are perceived as more challenging or less rewarding in recent years, this may deter applicants. However, specific exam difficulty data is more related to professional exams rather than general higher education.
Student associations have expressed concerns about the lack of affordable housing for students and the financial difficulties faced by families in supporting a child studying away from home. These concerns, while not directly related to the decline in applications, could potentially dissuade young people from pursuing higher education.
It's important to note that the data about the impact of these concerns on student enrollment is not provided in the paragraph. The source of the information about the concerns raised by student associations is not specified in the provided paragraph.
In recent years, some rules for accessing higher education, such as the requirement to take several national exams, have been reinstated. The data about the application numbers for the first phase of the exam is from the DGES, while the data about the financial difficulties faced by families in supporting a child studying away from home has not been previously mentioned in the provided facts.
While the search results don't directly address this particular trend or provide exact statistical analysis of applicant numbers for general higher education phases over these years, the known pattern of exam application increases in 2020 due to COVID-19 disruptions, followed by decreases afterward, is consistent with common educational dynamics during and after the pandemic.
[2] Data source: National Health Department [4] Data source: Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES)
- The decreasing trend in application numbers for general higher education exams could be connected to the return to normal academic schedules post-pandemic, reducing the backlog effect and causing fewer applicants to progress through their educational phases.
- Increased alternatives or barriers, such as new competitive exams, rising education costs, changes in eligibility criteria, or shifts to alternative education or career paths, could be discouraging potential applicants in the field of education and self-development, as documented in the general news.
