FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Top students spill success secrets

Top students spill success secrets

Nine students, who shared their secrets on how to score top marks in the Thai University Central Admission System (TCAS), also said that the newly implemented TCAS was stressful and suggested that the Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT) should make adjustments.

Bangkok’s Triam Udom Suksa Pattanakarn School student Chayanit Sriwiroj topped the TCAS fourth round with 91.29 points and has been admitted to Chulalongkorn University (CU)’s Faculty of Communication Arts. “I am so happy to make it and with the highest score too,” said the teen. 
Her parents – both doctors – want her to study the subject that makes her happy so that she can do her best, she said. 
She admitted the multiple-round TCAS, with many timetables to follow, was confusing so she joined only the fourth round, assuming she wouldn’t make it in the first to third rounds, as her General Aptitude Test and Professional Aptitude Test scores were not high. 
She urged the CUPT to cut down the waiting time in each round to lessen the pressure and stress on students. 
Chayanit has chosen the popular field of communication arts just like other topscorers in the old central university admission system over the two previous years, said CUPT president Suchatvee Suwansawat. 
Suchatwee said this field was attractive, despite many saying that the media profession has been hit hard and many print publications were folding because the media has transformed into the digital format, offering more challenging job opportunities. Suchatvee gave this comment as he congratulated Chayanit and eight other top scorers in the TCAS fourth round.
Wisarut Kongsuk from Samut Prakan’s Ratwinit Bangkaeo School missed the third round – despite three months of preparations – only to make a big comeback with the country’s second-highest score of 87.19 to get into the CU Faculty of Psychology. 
Chutikarn Kavivorakan from Sakolraj Wittaya Nukul School in Sakhon Nakhon province, who scored 85.85 and got into the CU Faculty of Political Science, said she paid attention in the classroom and then took tutoring lessons.
Wisarut and Chutikarn echoed the sentiments of the others that the waiting time between the rounds was too long which made it stressful for students and parents.
Film-lover Thitaporn Chuto from Bangkok’s Satriwitthaya 2 School, who scored 85.63 and got into Thammasat University’s Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, concurred. Thitaporn said she had joined the TCAS 1-3 rounds but did not get the desired faculty so she applied in the fourth round and finally succeeded. “The wait was stressful because all my friends by that time had seats.” 
Chayapong Suwannachat of Lop Buri’s Demonstration School of Thepsatri Rajabhat University, who scored 84.64 and got into Mahidol University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts, declined to comment on TCAS issues as he said he did not know enough about them.
Nithinan Leethanakul of Nakhon Pathom’s Mahidol Wittayanusorn School, who scored 84.22 and got into the CU Faculty of Law, said she had finished Mathayom 6 three years ago and went to study the Chinese language in China before returning to take the TCAS fourth-round exam. 
She said the TCAS should have been tested first before full implementation rather than solving ongoing problems “because the future of children is not a child’s play”.
Sopon Phithirat of Bangkok’s Triam Udom Suksa School scored 83.91 and got into the CU Faculty of Economics. He laid his success on paying attention in classes and proper planning. 
Panida Phetchpai-rin from Chum Phae Suksa School in Khon Kaen province scored 82.80 and got into Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Humanities. Panida advised test-takers to focus on the subjects they are weak in and study hard. 
Panida had dropped out of the pharmacy faculty to pursue her passion for languages. She said the TCAS had tried to solve problems but it ended up creating an even bigger issue.
Chatchapol Pongyen from Pathum Thani’s Princess Chulabhorn Science High School scored 82.48 and got into the CU Faculty of Engineering. He said he paid attention in classes, reviewed class lessons before starting to practice on old exam papers and taking tutoring classes. “TCAS made me stressed too. I didn’t get a place in the third round. I’m so happy to get it in this round,” he added. 
More than 52,000 students applied for the TCAS fourth round test, with more than 44,000 making it to the interview and physical examination. The fifth TCAS test will admit over 35,000 students.

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