PERCEPTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY REGARDING ADMISSION TO HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH MEDALS IN SCIENTIFIC OLYMPIADS

Vazzoler-Mendonça, Adriana; Rondini, Carina Alexandra; Costa-Lobo, Cristina

doi:10.1590/1982-57652025v30id27931612

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Article • Avaliação (Campinas) 30 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-57652025v30id27931612 linkcopy

PERCEPTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY REGARDING ADMISSION TO HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH MEDALS IN SCIENTIFIC OLYMPIADS

Percepción de la comunidad universitaria acerca de la admisión a la educación superior mediante medallas de olimpiadas científicas

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

This study focuses on the Scientific Olympiad admission program at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil, which offers access to higher education through awards obtained in academic competitions. The article explores the perceptions of incoming students, professors, and program coordinators regarding this admission pathway. To this end, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews, analyzed through the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD) method. The findings indicate a favorable evaluation of both the program and its participants, suggesting promising prospects in this direction. The originality of this study lies in the contemporaneity of the investigated facts, which is what makes the results relevant for planning institutional actions.

Keywords:
affirmative action; diversity; giftedness.

Year	Applicants			Seats			Applicant to seat ratio
Year	Entrance exam	Scientific Olympiad Admission Seats	% of en- trance exam	Entrance exam	Scientific Olympiad Admission Seats	% of en- trance exam	Entrance exam	Annual variation	Scientific Olympiad Admission Seats	Annual variation
2022	63,297	852	1.35	2,540	122	4.80	24,90	0.90	7,00	2.97
2021	77,653	468	0.60	3,237	116	3.58	24,00	-4.30	4,03	0.43
2020	72,859	407	0.56	2,570	114	4.44	28,30	-1.20	3,60	0.50
2019	76,327	283	0.37	2,589	90	3.48	29,50	--	3,10	--

Field	Year of admission	Gender		Status
Field	Year of admission	Male	Female	Enrolled	Graduated
Biological	2021	1	0	0	1
Biological	2022	0	1	1	0
Exact sciences	2019	17	4	15	6
Exact sciences	2020	16	6	16	6
Exact sciences	2021	21	4	17	8
Exact sciences	2022	12	6	16	2
Humanities	2019	1	0	0	1
Humanities	2021	0	1	1	0
Humanities	2022	1	2	2	1
Biological	2019	10	4	11	3
Technological	2020	24	5	26	3
Technological	2021	29	3	20	12
Technological	2022	30	7	35	2
Total		162	43	160	45
%		79.02	20.98	78.05	21.95

CSD students (n = 7)	CSD professors (n = 6)	CSD coordinators (n = 7)
I learned about the Unicamp admission pathway through medals in Scientific Olympiads from my high school. There, in addition to preparing us for traditional entrance exams and the Enem*, they encouraged participation in Olympiads. Teachers and classmates frequently shared information on the topic and cele-	As a teacher, I knew that there were students at Unicamp who were medalists in Scientific Olympiads because of the PICME*** program, which is aimed at olympiad medalists. But I became aware of the Scientific Olympiad Admission program through different means: while working at IMECC, which initiated the project; through my role as	I became aware of the Scientific Olympiad Admission program mainly because I serve as Associate Coordinator of a degree program, representing my unit at Comvest. At Comvest, we discuss all forms of admission, including Scientific Olympiad Admission. I also learned about the pro-
brated when a student was admitted to Unicamp through Scientific Olympiad Admission program. We also heard about it within the Olympiad community. The official information, calls for applications and program guidelines, is easy to find on the Comvest** website.	course coordinator; by attending faculty meetings; by talking with students admitted through the program; and by being invited to participate in this research.	gram through my involvement in organizing olympiads and as a member of the Unit’s Academic Board, where this topic is often addressed.

CSD students (n = 7)	CSD professors (n = 6)	CSD coordinators (n = 7)
I know that the Scientific Olympiad Admission program began in 2018, during rector Marcelo Knobel’s tenure, and that Unicamp was the first university to adopt this admission pathway. Later, other institutions such as USP* and Unesp** also offered it. I find it interesting	I know little about the Scientific Olympiad Admission program; most of what I have heard is anecdotal. I understand that Unicamp offers this pathway to students who excelled in olympiads, letting them bypass the standard entrance exam. It seems a good ini- tiative to reward strong high-school performance with a	I do not know many details, but I am aware the rules are on the Comvest website, and I believe the program needs wider dissemination. It targets students who excel in scientific olympiads and provides seats reserved for medalists, which benefits both the university, by attracting strong candidates, and the students, by
because it allows medalists to enter Unicamp without taking the regular entrance exam, focusing on the subjects they enjoy most. The entire process is online, which makes it accessible to candidates from different regions. Selection is based on the medals submitted, with scores assigned according to each program’s criteria. The best part is that these seats are extra, so they do not take places from entrance-exam applicants. For me, it is an excellent way to attract talent and further encourage participation in olympiads.	chance at higher education. I also know that the number of seats is limited, each institute has its own rules, and not every olympiad is accepted, so it is important to consult official channels.	avoiding fierce competition. Each program decides whether to participate, which Olympiads and medals count, and assigns a score accordingly. Candidates are ranked by their score. In my institute, we do not always fill all seats and would like more applicants; we aim precisely for these students. The idea is to reward their sustained effort, an olympiad requires continuous dedication, unlike the one-shot entrance exam. Registration is free, the process is entirely online, and candidates can apply to other selection processes at the same time. Importantly, they do not need to be “the best of the best” to secure a seat, the medal itself proves their competence.
	I know everything about the program because I took part in the meetings that shaped it when I was a course coordinator at IMECC, where the idea originated. The proposal started at Unicamp and was later adopted by other public universities in São Paulo. If a talented student achieves a strong olympiad result, they can enter without sitting the entrance exam. In my institute, these students have performed excellently, just as we expected, so we would like to expand the number of seats.

CSD students (n = 7)	CSD professors (n = 6)	CSD coordinators (n = 7)
I believe the Scientific Olympiad Admission program is an excellent initiative. It gave me another opportunity to enter the program I wanted and attracts students with great potential. I think the program should be expanded, with more seats, more participating universities, and more accepted medals. The act of earning a medal already demonstrates dedication and competence, so it serves as a way to assess students. Olympiads offer a different way of showcasing knowledge, which benefits those who do not adapt well to traditional entrance exams. In public schools, olympiads were not highly valued, but now they are gaining more attention since they can open doors to higher education. Instead of preparing for entrance exams, students can focus on olympiads aligned with their interests. Still, I think post-admission support is lacking. I felt somewhat lost at the beginning because I was already familiar with part of the content and expected more challenges. We need to better discuss how this type of admission can truly democratize university access, because currently, about 80% of medalists still come from private schools, which sustains a certain level of elitism. Many of these students eventually pursue opportunities abroad and leave Unicamp.	I am fully supportive of the Scientific Olympiad Admission program. I believe any initiative that encourages young people to study is valid and welcome. Although some say it is a privilege or a type of quota, I understand that becoming a medalist in olympiads re- quires years of dedication. It is not a simple achievement or limited to a specific talent. That is why I believe alternative admission routes are essential to recognize and select students with distinct academic paths. These alternative pathways bring diversity and valuable experiences to the university. Being a medalist is a clear sign that the student fits the profile sought by Unicamp. Even if it does not guarantee future success, it demon- strates interest and effort. In my view, this program has no downside, and I hope the number of seats will be increased.	In my view, the Scientific Olympiad Admission program has been a very positive experience. We have never had issues with students admitted through this route, and I consider it excellent for expanding access to the university and recognizing students’ efforts starting in high school. I would like to offer more seats, since medalists clearly demonstrate their capabilities and, for that reason, I see no need for them to take the entrance exam. They tend to stand out in their first year, and many participate in the PICME program, showing strong performance. Over time, they usually reach the same level as their peers. Nevertheless, I do have some concerns. Some of these students may have a less comprehensive academic background than those who entered through the entrance exam. Additionally, the program is still small and underpublicized. I believe it should be better promoted to attract more talented students. I also feel there is a need for improved follow-up and data collection on these students’ academic paths, as we have yet to accurately assess the real impact of the program. This is essential to determine whether it is truly achieving its objectives.

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[1] Legend:

[TFN1] ^*
Enem = National High School Exam;

[TFN2] ^**
Comvest = Permanent Commission for University Entrance Examinations;

[TFN3] ^***
PICME = Scientific Initiation and Master’s Program

[5] Source: Data collected through field research