Finding the Best Possible Students: Student selection and its problems in the field of business

The emphasis of current higher education policy on quality and efficiency has brought pressure on Finland's admission system, which - in contrast to many other European countries - is based on quite heavy and expensive entrance examinations. The government is pushing universities towards mutual collaboration, and is calling for a simpler, more transparent and equitable admission system. This paper draws on a survey of students seeking admission to courses in the field of economics and business administration. In this field, the majority of institutions have been collaborating in student selection since the 1970s. This collaboration is under pressure from intensifying competition between the universities, and the quest to find the 'best possible students'. Applicants, on the other hand, are using various strategies to gain access to higher education. In light of the ongoing harmonisation of the European higher education scene, we have attempted to assess the feasibility of the present application system in the long term.