Graduates wrote better essays, one asked to postpone the math exam because of the match

Vinko Filipovi, director of the NCVVO, reported on the early results of the state matriculation exam, which show that applicants are increasingly choosing the basic instead of the higher level exams (mathematics, English and German). For example, 63% of applicants took the basic level of mathematics.

This year, the most applicants, 36.2 percent of them, failed the computer science elective. Although the drop in electives does not mean a drop in the entire high school graduation, electives bring additional points for college admission. Informatics is scored for technical faculties, and those with informatics and computer majors, which are usually enrolled by students with the best grades, therefore this result of the matriculation is somewhat surprising.

In total, there were 16,164 negatively graded exams, and the majority of units were taken by students of vocational schools, 12,701. High school students had 2476 negatively graded exams, and other applicants had 987. This is slightly more than last year, but significantly less than the year 2023/2024.

Filipović is, on the other hand, satisfied with the result of the Croatian language essay.

– I was pleasantly surprised that the essay was not a nightmare for the graduates this year. 13.1% of applicants were below the passing threshold, and last year 16.6%. 10.3% of applicants received a zero on the essay. Pupils solved mathematics a little less well this year, 20.6% did not pass the higher level, and 17.9% of the pupils did not pass the elementary level – he reported.

The absolute best result was obtained by the graduates from the higher level of English, which was passed by 99% of applicants. About 10% of applicants failed the basic level. The German graduates wrote something better than last year.

Apart from informatics, a lot of negative grades in optional subjects were from physics, 29.7%, psychology, 20.4%, and biology, 12.4%.

There were fewer units than last year in Croatian, English, German, biology, chemistry, geography, fine arts and sociology. It was mostly from English – basic level, mathematics, physics, informatics, history, politics and economics, and psychology.

Filipović also singled out one interesting thing. One high school graduate requested that the mathematics exam, which was taken on Thursday, June 25, be moved from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., due to – patriotic reasons. Namely, he stated that noć before the exam, Croatia will play a match with Panama, so that applicants can have a nap after the match. He was rejected, because the math was written the day after.

– There were 10 canceled exams this year. It is interesting that there were no canceled exams this year due to offensive messages, drawings, etc., etc. only because of illegal means in the exam – pointed out Filipović.

When asked by a journalist what happened to the investigation into the exams that two students in two schools took photos of during the exam itself and sent via Whatsapp, he said that the schools were satisfied that there were no irregularities and that remains the case.

– For me, it is important that the exams did not come out the day before, so there was absolutely no compression of the exams. We ourselves published the entire exam with the results a few hours later – he said.

The publication of the final results is on July 15, when the summer enrollment period for colleges ends.