The difference between the WRS score and the APS score system is quite obvious. The APS system is clearly more frequently used due to being much simpler and easier to conduct. Whereas, the WRS score system is definitely more complex and hence more reliable.
People usually confuse these two kinds of scoring systems mainly due to a lack of proper knowledge and ignorance. However, you should know the major differences that set them apart, for further details, keep on reading down below.
WRS and APS are both scoring systems widely used in educational institutes across South Africa during the admission process. On the basis of the results, the students are given admission to prestigious institutes.
Of course, the two systems are completely different from one another. In fact, the only similarity between the two is that they are both used to test the intelligence and eligibility of the applicants. On the other hand, the differences are many.
Once you calculate the APS score, you can check eligible Courses for every APS Score from 17 to 29 and the minimum APS score for bachelor or diploma or law, psychology, teaching, nursing, and medicine.
For instance, the first and most prominent difference between the two is that the WRS scoring system is used in universities and is much more complex than the alternative APS system. Let’s explore further down below.
1. Point Weightage
The most important and noticeable difference between the WRS and APS score systems is the weightage of points assigned to the subjects. In fact, the WRS system is designed to assess a student’s aptitude for a particular program.
It is achieved by assigning more points to the most relevant subject in a particular field. The point allocation drops in descending order as the importance of a subject decreases in that field.
On the other hand, the APS system gives a general assessment of a person’s academic performance because equal points are allocated to all subjects. In simple words, the APS system only tells if a student is good in his/her studies but does not tell which field would be most suitable for that student.
This is the reason why the WRS system is considered more reliable and mostly used at the university level to filter out the most deserving students. However, the APS system is also widely practiced in South Africa.
2. Calculation Method
There is also a huge difference between the calculation methods of the WRS and APS systems. In fact, the calculation of the APS system is quite simple as point values are assigned to a student’s subject grades as per his/her performance. These points are simply summed up to give a final score.
On the flip side, a WRS score calculation is slightly more complex than that. The student’s subject grades are multiplied by the weightage assigned to the specific subjects and the results are then summed up to give a final score.
3. Use By Institutes
Both the WRS and the APS system are used in the educational institutes in South Africa however, one is more frequently used than the other. In fact, you may say that the WRS system is used only in a selected few universities. These are the universities that are considered more competitive and the admission policies and eligibility criteria are way stricter as compared to others.
Whereas, the APS system is more widely used in institutes all across South Africa. This is because it is much simpler and easier to understand and carry out. In fact, the institutes that have an APS system are considered to have more lenient eligibility criteria and admission requirements.
4. Purpose
The purposes of the APS and WRS systems are also quite different. The WRS system is more specifically designed to find the best and most suitable candidates for higher education programs. By using this system, universities are able to find the most talented applicants and hence, the admissions are conducted strictly on the basis of merit.
On the other hand, the APS system is used to get a generalized idea of the academic performance of a student. It does not tell exactly which area is the strongest in a student. So, in lower educational level institutes, the APS system might suffice however, on a higher education level such as in universities, a WRS score system is more appropriate.
Is the WRS and APS scoring system the same thing?
No, the WRS scoring system is completely different from the APS scoring system. WRS has a completely different and much more complex calculation than the alternative APS scoring system. This is the reason why the WRS system is only used in universities.
What is the benefit of using the WRS scoring system?
The benefit of using the WRS system is that it gives a more elaborate view of the suitable candidate for a particular field. The points are allocated according to the importance of the subjects that need to be studied in a program, the higher the importance of the subject, the greater the points allocated to it.
So, it is safe to say that there is a huge difference between a WRS score system and the APS score system. They are both used in the admission system of institutes in South Africa however, one is more frequently used and relatively more reliable than the other. The WRS score system is definitely more reliable and is used in university admission processes.
However, the WRS system is slightly more complex to undertake and create. Hence, most of the educational institutes in South Africa use the APS score system. The most common differences between the two are point weightage, calculation methods, use, and purpose of calculation.