Psychological tests aim to unearth talent
By K. Basrie
JAKARTA (JP): Most high school students are gripped by anxiety in the final months of senior year as they grapple with the quandary of deciding on their future.
Foremost among their concerns is whether their parents can afford to pay for college. Students also find themselves competing against thousands of others for the choice places at top universities.
There is the additional headache of choosing the right major. Many students cannot decide which school or department is suited to their particular talents and interests.
In many cases, nonplused high school graduates blindly take the advice of either friends or parents without first seeking to gauge their particular talents.
The Institute of Applied Psychology of the University of Indonesia, better known as LPT-UI, goes some way to putting confused students on the right track through its vocational counseling service started six years ago.
Located at the university's Salemba campus in Central Jakarta, the Warid Belajar clinic counsels final-year students of both junior and senior high schools.
The service, held every Thursday, uses tests and interviews to help students identify their skills to determine the appropriate subject or profession for their future.
"The fees range between Rp 35,000 (US$14.40) and Rp 135,000 per student, depending on the kind of tests and interviews they take," Dwiana Budiarti of LPT-UI told The Jakarta Post early this week.
Dwiana, the administrator of the program, said the first test was a thorough written exam lasting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a 45-minute break.
The psychological test, which features yes-no questions, multiple choice and creative drawings, reveals a student's intelligence quotient (IQ) level, attitude, personality and interests, she said.
Registration
All students are welcome to sign up for the service, and "there are no requirements except filling out the registration forms and paying the fees," Dwiana said.
Results and recommendations from LPT-UI staff on appropriate majors and careers are released about a week after testing.
"Due to its confidential nature, we never mail test results," she said. "We either deliver them by hand, or we allow students themselves or their principals to collect them."
Some students need further evaluation and in-depth consultation with the LPT-UI counseling staff.
"At this stage, each participant has a personal interview with one of the staff here," Dwiana said.
Students with low IQ scores or unusual personal characteristics will be advised to take a short intensive course on important subjects, such as English and computer training, she said.
"Usually, we discuss their situation with their parents before the development of more serious problems in the future," said Dwiana.
The institution also offers a special discount to groups. "Out of 11 participants, one will get free enrollment."
Brochures and posters about the program are sent to many high schools in town to spread the word about the service, Dwiana said.
"The number of participants has increased rapidly since early this year to between 15 and 50 students per week, compared to between one and three participants per week in previous years," she said.
The value of the service is being recognized by companies outside of Jakarta. Last year, several staff members were hired by Yayasan Pupuk Kaltim, an educational foundation owned by the fertilizer producing firm in Bontang, East Kalimantan, to evaluate students at its school.
Students interested in the service may register on their own or under the guidance of their teachers or parents at Lembaga Psikologi Terapan UI, Jl. Salemba Raya No. 4. Telephone 314 5078, 390 7408, or 390 8995.