The initiative assesses applicants on the basis of nontested skillsets, extracurricular activities and interview performances rather than examination results. It is a supplement to such college entrance programs as Advanced Subjects Test, General Scholastic Ability Test and Multi-Star—a student selection program based on GSAT results.
According to the MOE, the program is best suited for students who excel in a single subject, possess experiences like studying abroad or come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The initiative also offers tertiary institutions an opportunity to recruit candidates matching their respective specialties and strengths. National Taiwan Normal University, for example, seeks students with strong artistic or language potential, while National Yang-Ming University canvasses those with an affinity for bio-medical science.
Of the dozen participating colleges, only NYMU and National Tsing Hua University allow applicants admitted through the program to decide their majors later. The latter is the sole school to ignore test scores in its tailored admissions process.
Inspired by a similar undertaking at Stanford University, the three-stage NTHU Gleaning Project sees applications screened by several senior commissioners before being reviewed by a panel of more than 10 professors. The 30 finalists are then invited for interviews.
The 10 successful project candidates include competition winners in aerobics, chess, geography, ice-skating, leadership and programming, as well as those with outstanding abilities in English, mathematics, physics and writing.
Tu Yi-ting, home-schooled since the second grade, was recommended by Professor Emeritus Liu Yuan-tsun of Soochow University’s Department of Physics, while Guo Pei-jun, raised in a financially challenged family by her maternal grandmother, was admitted for strong scholastic performances and excellence in essay writing.
According to Chou Hwai-pwu, senior vice president of operations at NTHU, the project is of great benefit to the university and the students will be given every chance to succeed. “We have assigned advisors who will assist in selecting courses, majors and even help them entertain a wider range of possibilities when it comes to setting life goals,” he said.
“Promoting diversity is more than just a trend. It is an effective way of broadening student horizons, enhancing mutual respect and triggering innovative thinking.” (VS-JSM)
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