Varied evaluation criteria for college admission should be encouraged

Multiple evaluation criteria for college admissions will help cultivate inter-disciplinary talents, says an article in Beijing Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Ningbo Polytechnic has just released its independent enrollment policy for this year. Senior middle school graduates who have operated a profitable and successful online store during high school have a chance to receive up to 50 extra overall quality specialty points for their college admission. The new criteria was approved by the college's review committee and has attracted wide public attention.

National mid- to long-term educational reform and development outlines have encouraged comprehensive evaluation and multiple enrollment, which is aimed at changing the current rigid test-oriented education mode and cultivate students' practice ability, social competence, independence and creativity. Students should not be educated only to be bookworms, instead they should become active social human beings and explorers with sound personalities and comprehensive practice ability.

Unfortunately, until now, national college entrance examinations have continued to regard scores as the only criteria for students. Personality and interests play little part in reviewing a student. The students have no time to pursue overall development and fall into the trap of focusing only on scores.

Ningbo Polytechnic's new enrollment policy should be encouraged. It's good to praise those young people with the spirit of discovery and innovation. And the extra points granted for comprehensive quality specialty shows the college places emphasis on the students' social and ability and interpersonal skills. More colleges should learn from this multi-faceted practical admission reviewing mechanism and make the student evaluation criteria more sociable, varied and open. It will become an incitement to the students as well as the schools to pay more attention to students' integrated development. Under the premise of equality and fairness, it will eventually benefit our society by providing more comprehensive developed talents.