Typology of abilities tested in university entrance examinations: Comparisons of the United States, Japan, Iran and France

Abstract

This study proposes a typology of abilities tested by university entrance examinations with types of knowledge (experiential versus academic) and objective (instrumental versus value) as indices. Four types of abilities are extracted: generic, communal, nomothetic, and political. The proposed typology is examined by past questions on literature subject exams in four countries. The analysis reveals that the SAT in the United States measures effective reasoning for versatile application, whereas the National Center Test in Japan examines the ability to infer human emotions for the creation of innercommunity. The Iranian konkur tests the understanding of universal laws for guiding principle in life and French baccalaureat tests the mastery of dialectical procedure for innovation. Entrance examinations reveal the types of abilities and attitude each society values. The proposed typology aids in understanding their qualitative differences, which past studies were unable to elucidate.