COLLEGE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 289 



tion is by no means so extended as it is in the case of the University of 

 Chicago. 



The average entrance requirements of the state universities are 

 three units of English, one of science, one of history, and two and a 

 half of mathematics. These correspond rather closely to the provisions 

 set forth by the committee of the National Education Association, but 

 that committee adds additional academic units in order to make a sec- 

 ond major of three units. The vocational subjects permitted by the 

 state universities amount on the average to two units, leaving the re- 

 maining units to be selected from foreign languages, mathematics, civics 

 and history. The University of Minnesota has gone farther than any 

 other state university in the larger freedom of election given in the 

 prescribed English requirements. Two units of mathematics are de- 

 manded, and four units of English, while vocational subjects may make 

 up the remaining number of units, if desired. Universities like Ari- 

 zona, Kansas, California, Cornell, Georgia, Iowa and others do not 

 accept vocational subjects for entrance requirements. 



Most of the state universities have a system of courses based upon 

 prescribed and free electives, prescribed limited electives and free elect- 

 ives, or upon the group system. The question of majors is left to take 

 care of itself in most instances, the idea being that if the student is 

 forced to take certain prescribed subjects, he will follow them up in his 

 choice of electives. A study of the situation, however, shows that in 

 the majority of instances where no majors are required the student 

 scatters his free electives over a large number of subjects. Entrance to 

 state universities is based upon the idea of the need of general knowl- 

 edge and certain requirements for specific courses. That is, for the 

 purpose of pursuing the social sciences, the student in the high school 

 should have had elementary mathematics, foreign language and the be- 

 ginnings of civics. This is merely an example of the point of view, and 

 in support of this position it may be said that the student's preparation 

 is materially limited from the college side if he enters upon his fresh- 

 man year without some elementary training in science or mathematics. 

 The movement to carry down into the high school the elementary work 

 in these subjects is materially retarded, and the colleges are forced to 

 establish courses of study in beginning languages and mathematics. 

 Whether this is a calamity or not remains to be seen. The old Scotch 

 university way of looking at it permitted any boy who thought he had 

 in him the ability to carry on higher studies to go up to the university. 

 No restriction was placed upon his entrance. The searching power of 

 examinations was relied upon to determine his ability to maintain a 

 standard sufficient for the granting of a degree. If, however, there can 

 be aroused in the secondary period of the student's education a larger 

 appreciation of his relation to society, some understanding of the forces 



TOL. LXXXIII. — 20. 



