For applicants whose first-choice schools are mid-tier universities such as those in the Nitto-Komasen group, preparation for recommendation and comprehensive admissions using year-end admissions has become increasingly important. General admissions remain the main route at selective universities, but the use of year-end admissions is spreading.
General admissions remain the main route at selective universities, with general-admissions ratios of around 60% at Seikei University, Hosei University, Aoyama Gakuin University, Keio University and Waseda University. Meanwhile, recommendation and comprehensive admissions at selective private universities include many internal recommendations from affiliated schools, and it is said to be difficult to gain admission through open-recruitment year-end admissions. The policy of having applicants to selective universities continue to focus primarily on general admissions is expected to remain in place.
Admissions at mid-tier universities are changing substantially, and at some mid-tier universities, including those in the Nitto-Komasen group, more than half of students enter through routes other than general admissions. The proportions entering through routes other than general admissions are reported to be 54.3% at Toyo University, 55.9% at Nihon University, 66.7% at Tokai University and 71.8% at Teikyo University. Murakami Jun (村上潤) of JOHNAN ACADEMIC PREPARATORY INSTITUTE,INC. says that some schools advise students whose first choice is in the Nitto-Komasen group to secure one admission by the end of the year.