6 ms·

This is a very generalizing argument. Universities are free (paid by taxes obviously) in Finland, but there is no such thing like what you describe. In here the

This is a very generalizing argument. Universities are free (paid by taxes obviously) in Finland, but there is no such thing like what you describe. In here the only prerequisite is that you have finished high school, then you can take the entry exams.. It's also not uncommon for someone to go into a university later in their life. My cs courses had a good bunch of people in their fifties re-educating themselves.

hk__2 11y ago
In France you don’t even have any entry exams for universities.
- jkot 11y ago
  And what is drop out rate in first semester?
  - agumonkey 11y ago
    It's incredibly bad. ~40% after first semester. 60%+ will fail the first year. That first year is basically a post high-school buffer. Netherlands have a one year gap for kids to cool off and find what motivates them. France should really adopt that.
    - roel_v 11y ago
      "Netherlands have a one year gap for kids to cool off and find what motivates them." What? No we don't.
      - vram22 11y ago
        He's probably confusing what he said with students taking a gap year between high school and college.
        roel_v 11y ago
        But that too is a small minority. To be exact, in 2013, 9% of all first year students in tertiary education took a gap year. About 1/3rd of them traveled during that time, most of the rest had a job. And although the data doesn't explicitly say, it does seem like that includes those work for a few months between the end of the school year of high school (in May/June) and the start of the year at university, in September/October or in January, depending on the specifics. I'm not claiming they included everyone with a summer job, just that what is claimed to be a 'gap year' isn't really in many cases, but more a 'I have a few months time and I need to pay for my studies, let's make some money'. A far cry from the GP's suggestion that there is some formal structure to go soul searching or whatever.
  - S4M 11y ago
    Don't know about the drop out rate in first semester, but the percentage of students passing the first year can be pretty low. In medicine, I think it's aroung 10%, in maths maybe 30%.
- anigbrowl 11y ago
  Yes, but everyone takes the baccalaureate exam and that limits the schools to which you can get admission.
- dorfsmay 11y ago
  Space is not infinite, they check your 'file' and admission is based on your grades. Also, priority is (or at least was years ago) given to people who come out of high school, making it impossible to get into university if you didn't go directly from high school.

hk__2 11y ago

In France you don’t even have any entry exams for universities.

jkot 11y ago
And what is drop out rate in first semester?
- agumonkey 11y ago
  It's incredibly bad. ~40% after first semester. 60%+ will fail the first year. That first year is basically a post high-school buffer. Netherlands have a one year gap for kids to cool off and find what motivates them. France should really adopt that.
  - roel_v 11y ago
    "Netherlands have a one year gap for kids to cool off and find what motivates them." What? No we don't.
    - vram22 11y ago
      He's probably confusing what he said with students taking a gap year between high school and college.
      - roel_v 11y ago
        But that too is a small minority. To be exact, in 2013, 9% of all first year students in tertiary education took a gap year. About 1/3rd of them traveled during that time, most of the rest had a job. And although the data doesn't explicitly say, it does seem like that includes those work for a few months between the end of the school year of high school (in May/June) and the start of the year at university, in September/October or in January, depending on the specifics. I'm not claiming they included everyone with a summer job, just that what is claimed to be a 'gap year' isn't really in many cases, but more a 'I have a few months time and I need to pay for my studies, let's make some money'. A far cry from the GP's suggestion that there is some formal structure to go soul searching or whatever.
- S4M 11y ago
  Don't know about the drop out rate in first semester, but the percentage of students passing the first year can be pretty low. In medicine, I think it's aroung 10%, in maths maybe 30%.
anigbrowl 11y ago
Yes, but everyone takes the baccalaureate exam and that limits the schools to which you can get admission.
dorfsmay 11y ago
Space is not infinite, they check your 'file' and admission is based on your grades. Also, priority is (or at least was years ago) given to people who come out of high school, making it impossible to get into university if you didn't go directly from high school.