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Universities checked the "prejudice" about Olympiad winners and those admitted by the Unified State Exam
Olympiad winners are accepted to universities without taking into account the Unified State Exam, but their knowledge and subsequent academic performance are not inferior to those admitted based on the Unified State Exam results, the university told RBC. They also noted the high creative potential of the Olympiad participants.
Olympiad participants outperform students admitted based on the results of the Unified State Exam in terms of academic performance and extracurricular activities, as well as many psychological characteristics. This is the conclusion reached by the National University of Nuclear Research MEPhI after analyzing the grades of 13,900 students, including 29,000 Olympiad participants, who studied at the university from 2013 to 2023.
In most core subjects (125 out of 140 subjects), the average score of Olympiad participants was higher than the average score in subjects taken in other departments, and it was found that the average score was higher than the average score in specialized subjects such as computers. University studies in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics, physics and chemistry showed.
"The prejudice that applicants neglect the Unified National Exam because of winning the Olympiad was not confirmed. The average Unified State Exam score in specialized subjects among Olympiad participants is higher than that of Unified State Exam students," the authors of the MEPhI study note. Among those admitted to universities over the past 10 years, the highest Unified State Exam scores (174.96) in two specialized subjects were scored by applicants who participated in engineering Olympiads before admission, were winners and laureates of Olympiads.
The debate over whether applicants are admitted based on the results of the Olympiad, and not the Unified State Exam, has been going on for several years now. According to the admission rules, candidates for winners and laureates of the All-Russian Olympiad are admitted on a preferential basis without passing the entrance exam, but must confirm their Olympiad results by scoring at least 75 points. Unified State Exam on the Olympiad topic. Universities do not regulate the exact number of places available to such applicants. First, you will be admitted, and then the rest will become participants in the general competition. Critics of the admission of Olympiad participants believe that they may be inferior in knowledge to those who passed all the Unified State Exams required for admission with high scores.
The best performances of the Olympiad participants were also demonstrated at ITMO University. According to the director of the admissions committee, Alexey Itin, those who were admitted based on the results of the Olympiad study better, receive scholarships longer and are generally more successful. "ITMO has a program under which 80% of students become Olympiad winners. Such people often appear in project activities and participate in various events," Itin told RBC.
There was no direct connection between winning the Olympiad and achieving high academic performance at NUST MISIS. Everything depends on the student's level of motivation and preparation for specific subjects that dominate the curriculum, the university told RBC.
at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. Patrice Lumumba told RBC that the academic performance of Olympiad participants and students who passed the Unified National Exam is at the same level. According to the university's press service, the average score of first-year students admitted without entrance exams based on Olympiad scores for three years (2020-2023) is 84-87 points, while state-funded students based on the Unified State Exam results are 84-85 points. "University data show that among Olympiad winners and excellent students, at least 50% are excellent students, the rest are also excellent students and good students. According to the RUDN University grading system, a student receives a grade of "5" if he or she scores 86 or more points out of 100, while the grade of "excellent" starts at 69.
At Bauman Moscow State Technical University, an entrance exam is held to assess the level of knowledge of first-year students in mathematics and physics. Statistics show that students who took part in the Olympiad did better than those who took the Unified State Exam, the university told RBC. According to admission statistics, the average score of those who passed the entrance exam without admission is similar to those who passed the general entrance exam. The average score on the Unified National Exam for the general competition for admission to technical universities in 2024 was 88.5 points, and for those who entered without a test - 85.5 points.
As for expulsion, the MEPhI study showed that students who did not receive priority admission were more likely to leave the college. The expulsion rate among Olympiad participants was 19.97%, and among students admitted based on the results of the Unified State Exam, it was 26.37%.
The MEPhI study showed that Olympiad participants are characterized by self-sufficiency, high cognitive motivation, a desire for diversity and change, creativity and creative thinking, while non-Olympiad participants are more characterized by an analytical and practical type of thinking.
In addition to good preparation for the Unified State Exam, Olympiad candidates are ready to solve non-standard and creative problems, demonstrating efficiency and curiosity, are ready to master a large volume of new material and practically do not experience difficulties in studying. MSTU reported one university. Bauman.
At the same time, students who entered MEPhI based on the results of the Unified State Exam show better results than Olympiad participants in subjects requiring communication skills, including the study of foreign languages. They also do better in the Unified State Exam in Russian. According to the authors of the study, such students distribute their efforts more evenly across all tests in preparation for admission.
As for employment, the career start trajectories of the two categories of students also tend to differ, the MEPhI study showed. Olympians more often choose tasks that require the ability to achieve fundamentally new results (research, development of new technologies, etc.), while participants in general more often choose tasks that involve solving problems according to specified requirements. Results and order of execution.
This year's admissions campaign has once again sparked a debate about the rules for registering in preferential categories, including Olympiad winners. That is why Sechenov Medical University has no places left after the first registration for those wishing to register based on the results of the Unified State Exam and the entrance exam. After applicants were registered in order of priority, including beneficiaries and target beneficiaries, all remaining budget places were taken by 278 people - Olympiad winners and prize winners. This has caused indignation among other graduates and their parents. The university explained that a unique situation has arisen. There were more such applicants than allocated budget places.
Named after the rector of the Moscow State Technical University. N.E. Bauman Mikhail Gordin stated during the campaign that increasing the number of applicants who can register without entrance exams reduces the number of budget places for the general competition and significantly increases the passing score.
The Ministry of Education and Science responded that they plan to prepare measures to resolve this situation. In particular, the Ministry of Education proposed registering only winners and runners-up of school Olympiads for 11th grades, winners and runners-up of school Olympiads of levels 1 and 2 without entrance exams. The proposal also includes limiting the admission quota to no more than 70% of applicants based on the results of the Olympiad from the total number of budget places for each training and specialty. The Ministry of Defense promised to discuss this issue with the professional community.