Psychological tests aim to unearth talent

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.