CAIRO: The Suez School of Petroleum and Minerals is college applicants' top choice this year, and will be accepting students with a score of 99.4 percent and above, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced. The faculties of medicine and engineering, which were traditionally the most sought after, took a back seat to the petroleum and minerals school, with admission scores set at 98.9-97.56 percent and 95.48 percent, respectively. "The Suez School of Petroleum and Minerals is the only school offering this major in the whole country, it has always been receiving the highest scores since it only accepts a limited number of students, explained a source at the University Registration Office at the Ministry of Higher Education. Nationwide, 19 medical schools are accepting scores ranging from 98.9 percent to 97.56 percent. The faculty of economics and political science at Cairo University ranked 36, with a minimum admission score set at 95.6 percent. Engineering schools ranked 38, accepting a score of 95.48 percent. The University Registration Office source, who preferred to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak to the media, explained that reducing the number of students admitted eligible for medical school has forced people to consider alternative career options. Earlier this month the Ministry of Higher Education issued a decree reducing the quota of students applying to faculties of medicine this year by 12.5 percent. Minster of Higher Education Hany Helal, said the move is meant to encourage students to enroll in faculties that are in high demand on the job market, instead of the majors often chosen by students who receive high scores in their thanaweya amma exams, namely medicine and engineering. The same decree stipulated that faculties of engineering and computer science at public universities as well as higher institutes for technology accept 5 to 9 percent more students next year. The cut in the number of students accepted into medical school is in line with last year's decisions, after a court ruled in favor of the Doctors' Syndicate's plea to reduce the number of prospective medical school students by 15 percent. The syndicate last year filed a lawsuit against the Supreme Council of Universities, headed by Helal, demanding a reduction in the number of students accepted in medical school by some 12 to 15 percent. Fatma El-Hout, principal of Sheraton Heliopolis School, said students and parents alike previously opted for medical and engineering schools because of the social perception they are associated with. "Being a doctor or an engineer automatically puts you in this high standard in society, however they are not considering the demands of the labor market right now. "The point is not what people perceive as the best profession but to choose a career where you can use of your strengths and talents so you can excel in it, said Noha Fathi, a thanaweya amma student at Yehia El Rafie School. El Rafie scored a 97 percent and plans to apply to the faculty of arts, whose admission score is set at 85 percent.
