Juku
The last post focused on one way to get into college - an "escalator school" - in which students move through a unified system. Other admissions systems (depending on the school) include a school recommendation or a personal application (including essays and grade transcripts). However, most Japanese universities still utilize an exam-based entrance system to some extent.
As the last stop for the adminstrators' group, we visited a juku, usually translated as "cram school" in English. A juku is a school for high school students to prepare for the college entrance exam, as well as for high school graduates who did not get into their school of choice. Because of the declining birth rate in Japan, it is now possible for nearly all aspirants to get into a college, but of course, many students (or the parents' hope for the students) still would like to get into a top university. High school instruction is not directly geared to the entrance exam; therefore, many students find themselves in a juku to prepare. (There are also jukus to get into a junior high school or high school, as well as jukus to prepare to get into a better juku!)
The juku we visited was in the Shinjuku area (picture below), a very busy area of Tokyo. Right across the walkway is the Shinjuku subway station, which is one of the central Tokyo transportation hubs.
There are three main juku chains in Japan; we visited one named Kawaijuku (picture below). About 50,000 students across Tokyo attend Kawaijuku. It offers courses Monday - Saturday, and by the third year of high school, most students will attend 3-4 nights/week. The schedule is quite intense: school from 8:30 - 3:30, school clubs from 3:30 - 5:00, and juku from 5:30 - 9:00.
The facilities were lovely. The picture below shows a world history class (covering the beginning of the Thirty Years War in Germany?). The lighting was graduated, brighter away from the windows and less bright toward the side with natural light. Additionally, the director told us that they deliberately placed air conditioning vents over the board, so that the instructors would be animated. It appeared to be mostly a lecture method, but that may have been just the selection of classes we viewed. (For example, they also offer English, math and Japanese classes. The English selection includes "Hyper University of Tokyo English," 180 minutes a week, to get into the most competitive school in Japan, as well as "Waseda University English," 150 minutes, and "Meiji University English," 90 minutes.)
Below is the self-study area, which was nearly full. Tuition is about $1,000/course, with about a $300 entrance fee, so certainly the costs could add up. However, tuition at Japanese universities is usually less expensive than at U.S. universities, so the costs may just be more front-loaded.
Below is the collection of university exam questions from previous years. For national universities, there is a standardized test given on two days in January. Based on this score, you qualify to take specific university tests (you would also apply for specific disciplines within that university, such as medicine) in late February and early March. (Private universities have a different schedule.)
Hours after the tests are given, the questions are released to the public. The next day, the test is published in newspapers, so nearly immediately, students will know where they stand.
In the U.S., jukus are often portrayed negatively. However, many parents we met noted that while some students hate them, others find them to be a very good experience. The positive aspects included: more individualized attention, the opportunity to study at one's own pace (rather than as part of a group as would be emphasized in the school system), a college counselor-type role, and an extra social space to be with friends.
Gambatte kudasai! (Please work hard!)
As the last stop for the adminstrators' group, we visited a juku, usually translated as "cram school" in English. A juku is a school for high school students to prepare for the college entrance exam, as well as for high school graduates who did not get into their school of choice. Because of the declining birth rate in Japan, it is now possible for nearly all aspirants to get into a college, but of course, many students (or the parents' hope for the students) still would like to get into a top university. High school instruction is not directly geared to the entrance exam; therefore, many students find themselves in a juku to prepare. (There are also jukus to get into a junior high school or high school, as well as jukus to prepare to get into a better juku!)
The juku we visited was in the Shinjuku area (picture below), a very busy area of Tokyo. Right across the walkway is the Shinjuku subway station, which is one of the central Tokyo transportation hubs.
There are three main juku chains in Japan; we visited one named Kawaijuku (picture below). About 50,000 students across Tokyo attend Kawaijuku. It offers courses Monday - Saturday, and by the third year of high school, most students will attend 3-4 nights/week. The schedule is quite intense: school from 8:30 - 3:30, school clubs from 3:30 - 5:00, and juku from 5:30 - 9:00.
The facilities were lovely. The picture below shows a world history class (covering the beginning of the Thirty Years War in Germany?). The lighting was graduated, brighter away from the windows and less bright toward the side with natural light. Additionally, the director told us that they deliberately placed air conditioning vents over the board, so that the instructors would be animated. It appeared to be mostly a lecture method, but that may have been just the selection of classes we viewed. (For example, they also offer English, math and Japanese classes. The English selection includes "Hyper University of Tokyo English," 180 minutes a week, to get into the most competitive school in Japan, as well as "Waseda University English," 150 minutes, and "Meiji University English," 90 minutes.)
Below is the self-study area, which was nearly full. Tuition is about $1,000/course, with about a $300 entrance fee, so certainly the costs could add up. However, tuition at Japanese universities is usually less expensive than at U.S. universities, so the costs may just be more front-loaded.
Below is the collection of university exam questions from previous years. For national universities, there is a standardized test given on two days in January. Based on this score, you qualify to take specific university tests (you would also apply for specific disciplines within that university, such as medicine) in late February and early March. (Private universities have a different schedule.)Hours after the tests are given, the questions are released to the public. The next day, the test is published in newspapers, so nearly immediately, students will know where they stand.
In the U.S., jukus are often portrayed negatively. However, many parents we met noted that while some students hate them, others find them to be a very good experience. The positive aspects included: more individualized attention, the opportunity to study at one's own pace (rather than as part of a group as would be emphasized in the school system), a college counselor-type role, and an extra social space to be with friends.
Gambatte kudasai! (Please work hard!)
posted by Russ Olwell at 4:58 AM
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