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As a university student preparing to take graduate entrance exams, it is difficult not to feel uneasy in the face of graduate schools changing their admission procedures one after another. Many departments are doing away with written exams entirely, instead evaluating only application materials and oral examinations for their selection process. For students who have already invested a significant amount of time in exam preparation, this is a major and unforeseen shift in their road to postgraduate studies.

National Cheng Kung University’s Department of Material Science and Engineering has announced that it would only review standard application documents for next year’s fall semester intake of graduate students. Likewise, the National Tsing Hua University Department of Computer Science’s Institute of Information Systems and Applications and Institute of Information Security have decided to drop written exams; applicants are instead screened first by application reviews, followed by an oral examination. Schools might feel that they can better assess a student’s research potential and learning record with thorough applications, but for students, graduate exams have long existed as a focus for their studies. Some might not have exceptional undergraduate records or a wealth of specialized experience, but are willing to put in the time and work to prepare well for the next step. For them, graduate exams are a way of demonstrating their abilities and securing admission to their chosen school.

However, many departments that have not done away with written exams already have restricted admission quotas, reducing options further. Academic records, letters of recommendation and evidence of research experience that an application looks at time to amass. Students who have only recently chosen their direction, lack research experience, or are wishing to start fresh in their studies would struggle to meet these requirements in a short period of time, no matter how hard they work.

I by no means oppose application-based reviews, nor do I believe that written exams are always fairer. However, admission reforms must consider not only how schools select talent, but how this affects the opportunities afforded to students of different backgrounds. At the very least, ample warning should be provided and new assessment criteria should be clearly explained whenever admission procedures are altered, allowing students enough lead time to prepare.

By all means, reform the postgraduate system and diversify its selection methods, but do not pull the rug out from under the students who have been working hard to seize their next opportunity. Should there not be a route for students without flawless records to develop and shape their own futures?