science

Selectividad

Selectividad is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Selectividad rather than just read about it. In short: Selectividad (Spanish pronunciation: [seleɣtiβiˈðað]) is the popular name given to the Spanish University Admission Tests ("Evaluación de Bachillerato para Acceso a la Universidad", E.B.A.U. or Ev.A.U.), a non-compulsory exam taken by students after Bachillerato, necessary to get into University. Students must take six 90-minute written exams over three days in June or September, consisting of common and specific su…

Key takeaways

Selectividad belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Selectividad to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Selectividad from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Selectividad (Spanish pronunciation: [seleɣtiβiˈðað]) is the popular name given to the Spanish University Admission Tests ("Evaluación de Bachillerato para Acceso a la Universidad", E.B.A.U. or Ev.A.U.), a non-compulsory exam taken by students after Bachillerato, necessary to get into University. Students must take six 90-minute written exams over three days in June or September, consisting of common and specific subjects taken in Spanish Baccalaureate or Bachillerato (the last two non-compulsory years of secondary education). Selectividad exams are set by the Public Universities of each autonomous community and allow students access to the Spanish university system.

Subjects (before 2009)

Common Subjects Spanish language and literature First foreign language (usually English (non oral), but can also be French, German, Italian or Portuguese) History of Spain Galician, Catalan or Valencian and Basque are also common subjects in Galicia; Catalonia and Balearic Islands, Valencia; and the Basque Country, respectively. Selectividad or Scholastic Aptitude Test is accepted by USA universities if accompanied by TOEFL English exam.

Specific Subjects Arts:

Artistic Drawing History of Art Choose between Graphic Expression Techniques or Image Humanities:

Latin History of Art Choose between: Ancient Greek, Geography, History of Music, Catalan / Spanish Literature or History of Philosophy Social Sciences:

Applied Mathematics Economy and Business Administration Geography Sciences and Engineering:

Physics Mathematics Choose between: Chemistry, Technical Drawing, Industrial Technology, Electrotechnics or Mechanics Nature Sciences:

Chemistry Biology Choose between: Mathematics, Physics or Environmental Sciences Mathematics is compulsory for all sciences options

Since 2010 In 2009/2010, Selectividad exams changed. Now, these exams have two parts:

Common part Everybody has to do this part, and it consists in 4 compulsory tests (5 in case of Galicia, Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country and Balearic Islands)

First foreign language (English, French, Italian, German or Portuguese) History of Spain or History of philosophy Spanish Language and Literature. Galician, Catalan, Valencian and Basque are also common subjects in Galicia; Catalonia and Balearic Islands, Valencia; and the Basque Country, respectively A subject from your specific "Bachillerato" (Maths, Applied Maths, Latin, Artistic Drawing, Scenical Arts or Musical Analysis)

Specific part In this part the students can choose between 2 and 4 subjects (whatever you want depending on your specific "Bachillerato" and the specific weights published by each university) and can obtain a maximum of 4 extra points.

The exam Exams usually consist of choosing and completing four questions or problems in science-focused subjects from a selection of proposed questions. Other subjects, such as Spanish Language and Literature or History of Philosophy consist on a text which requires a writing task about it, theory questions and vocabulary. Every exam has two different options, A and B. The student must choose one and answer every question on that option. For some areas, like Physics or Chemistry, a table with constants (like Gravitational Constant or Avogradro Number) may be given. In "Matemáticas orientadas a las Ciencias Sociales" (Applied Maths) a table with the standard deviation is given. Students can carry different materials depending on the exam:

A ruler, a set of triangles and a compass for Technical Drawing. A scientific, non-graphic, non-programmable calculator for Mathematics, Applied Math, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Technical Drawing, and Industrial Technology. Latin Dictionary for the Latin Exam and Greek Dictionary for the Greek Exam.

Grading With the new Selectividad exam, the final mark is no longer the average score of the six exams taken. Now, the four marks achieved in the Common Part are taken and an average score up to 10 points is given. Then, each University establishes different parameters for the other subjects taken in the Specific Part. For example, a student who took Spanish, English, History and Math got an average score of 8.55. Then they took Physics and Chemistry exams, and got a 9 and a 7. They want to study architecture, and the university they want to study at considers Physics more important than Chemistry at that degree, so their 9 will turn into 1.8 additional points (9*0.2) and Chemistry in 0.7 more points (7*0.1). The final score will be 8.55+1.8+0.7=11.05 out of 14 points possible. Other example: another student gets a 9 in the Common Part, and then she takes Economics and Physics. She will finally study law, so her Physics score will likely not to have effect in her final score, but Economics will be awarded with a 0.15 or 0.20 multiplier. The mark in the Common Part lasts forever, but the one in the Specific Part needs to be renewed after two years if needed. Grade = (g.p.a in Bachillerato * 0.6) + (arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in the general part * 0.4) + (Specific part Exam I * a) + (Specific part Exam II * b) Where a and b are the weight (0, 0.1 or 0.2) of that specific test for the course and university you are applying for. The maximum grade is therefore 14.

External links Examinations from: 2006, 2005 and 2004. Contents for the selectivity exam preparation. The pass to the University

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Selectividad

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Selectividad claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Selectividad before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Selectividad ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Selectividad

In research: Selectividad appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Selectividad in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Selectividad is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Education in Spain, Standardized tests, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Selectividad outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Selectividad in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Selectividad means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Selectividad out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Selectividad in simple terms?

Why does Selectividad matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Selectividad?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Selectividad.