The Ambition to Enter State Universities: Personal Dream or Social Demand?
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Indonesian students enter an arena considered the gateway to a better future: the selection process for state universities (PTN). The year 2025 recorded a new high with 860,976 applicants for the Computer-Based Written Examination (UTBK-SNBT), the largest number in its history. Behind this massive figure, the chance of success remains limited. The acceptance rate for SNBT in 2025 was only 29.43 per cent, nearly identical to the 29.44 per cent in 2024, and over the past five years, the acceptance rate has never exceeded 30 per cent. This fact indicates that more than two-thirds of participants must face the reality of not securing a place at their desired state university.
The overwhelming enthusiasm for state universities demonstrates that higher education is still viewed as the primary path to success. A university’s name is often seen as a symbol of prestige that can determine a person’s future. Many students are directed from the beginning of senior high school to focus on a single goal: gaining admission to a state university. The school environment, family, and even social media reinforce this view. Consequently, entering a state university is no longer merely an educational choice but has transformed into a social target that must be achieved.
The pressure to reach this target should not be underestimated. Various educational surveys indicate that more than 60 per cent of final-year senior high school students experience high levels of stress ahead of state university selection. This condition is worsened by findings that excessive anxiety can reduce academic performance by up to 25 per cent. Ironically, the greater the pressure students feel to succeed, the more likely their abilities will not emerge optimally during the exam. In this situation, students are not only facing difficult exam questions but also the haunting fear of failure.
Research on student anxiety in facing the SNBT found that lack of self-confidence, worry about competition, and doubt about one’s own abilities are the main factors triggering anxiety. The intense competition makes many students feel their chances of success are too small. These feelings often develop into psychological pressure that drains energy and motivation to study. Many students end up measuring their self-worth based on selection results that have not even been announced yet. When the educational process becomes a source of prolonged anxiety, the primary goal of education—to develop one’s potential—begins to shift.
This problem becomes more complex when personal ambition mixes with the expectations of family and social circles. Many parents hold high hopes for their children to be accepted into state universities, especially those considered prestigious. These hopes are certainly born of good intentions, but in some cases, they can turn into unconscious pressure. Research on perfectionism and academic anxiety finds that individuals with very high standards of success tend to experience more intense anxiety, especially when personal hopes meet family expectations. As a result, success is no longer seen as a personal achievement but as an obligation that must be fulfilled to meet the expectations of others.
On the other hand, society often attaches excessive meaning to the results of state university selection. Students who succeed receive various forms of appreciation and social recognition. Conversely, those who fail are often confronted with questions, comparisons, or even judgmental labels. Research on social labelling in adolescents shows that the labels given by the environment have a significant influence on the formation of self-concept. Teenagers tend to see themselves the way their environment sees them. When failure to enter a state university is considered a sign of being less intelligent or not trying hard enough, this label can affect a person’s self-confidence in the long term.
This phenomenon shows that the issue of entering state universities is not only related to education but also to the social construction of the meaning of success. In many cases, students feel that their future is determined by a single exam and a single selection result. In reality, success is never determined by just one educational path. Many individuals have built successful careers, created innovations, and contributed to society through various different paths. However, this narrative is often overshadowed by the assumption that a state university is the only ticket to a bright future.
The impact of this perspective can be seen when students experience failure. According to psychologists, prolonged stress due to failing the UTBK can trigger anxiety disorders, depression, and various psychosomatic complaints such as gastric problems, hypertension, and other health issues. A failure that should be a normal part of the learning process is instead perceived as a life failure. The psychological burden that arises often does not come from the selection result itself, but from the fear of the social judgement that follows that result.
Aspiring to enter a state university is certainly a good goal and worth striving for. The spirit to learn, compete, and obtain the best education is something to be appreciated. However, amidst the intense competition and accompanying pressure, it is important to re-examine the reasons behind this struggle. Is the ambition to enter a state university truly born from personal dreams and goals, or has it been shaped by social demands that are considered an absolute truth?