Famous Private University Groups See Name Changes as Old Titles Fade and New Ones Emerge

Toyo University is now at the “MARCH” level

“JAR,” “SMART,” “TMARCH”.

These are new group names that classify well-known private universities based on their entrance exam difficulty and school culture. As the exam season is in full swing, do you know which universities these refer to?

Details about these new groups will be discussed later, but first, let’s revisit the previously established university groups like “Sokei” and “Nittokomasen.” University journalist Reiji Ishiwatari explains:

“‘Sokei’ (Waseda University and Keio University) has been a commonly used term for over 100 years, originating from their intercollegiate sports rivalries. It has essentially become a general name. ‘Nittokomasen’ (Nihon University, Toyo University, Komazawa University, and Senshu University) started being used in the 1960s. The editor-in-chief of an exam magazine coined the term to collectively refer to large-scale mid-tier universities. As the competition for university admissions intensified in the late 1980s and early 1990s, major media outlets also began using the term.

Other classifications include ‘MARCH’ (Meiji University, Aoyama Gakuin University, Rikkyo University, Chuo University, and Hosei University) and ‘Kankandoritsu’ (Kansai University, Kwansei Gakuin University, Doshisha University, and Ritsumeikan University). These group names are based on deviation scores, making them convenient for cram schools and prep schools to categorize universities by difficulty level. High schools also actively adopt these terms to emphasize their university acceptance records, such as ‘300 students admitted to MARCH!'”

However, there have long been doubts about categorizing universities solely based on deviation scores. The new “Shin (New) Groups” mentioned at the beginning consider factors like school culture and current popularity. “Nittokomasen” may now be outdated. Ishiwatari continues:

“‘JAR’ consists of Christian-affiliated universities that emphasize English education: Sophia University, Aoyama Gakuin University, and Rikkyo University. ‘SMART’ includes Sophia University (with ‘S’ from its English name ‘Sophia’), Meiji University, Aoyama Gakuin University, Rikkyo University, and Tokyo University of Science. While ‘Sokei Jori’ is used to collectively refer to the most difficult private universities, ‘Sokei’ is considered in a league of its own, and Sophia and Tokyo University of Science are thought to be closer in difficulty to universities like Meiji.

Other groupings include ‘JAW,’ which brings together Sophia University, Aoyama Gakuin University, and Waseda University due to their proactive entrance exam reforms. There is also the ‘TMARCH’ group. The rapidly rising Toyo University is now considered to be at the same level as Meiji and Rikkyo, so its initial ‘T’ has been added to ‘MARCH.'”

 

“Kanto Upper-class Edo Cherry Blossoms”

It is uncertain whether these new university groupings will become as widely recognized as “Nittokomasen.”

“There have been group names in the past that have faded away. For example, ‘Kantō Jōryū Edo Sakura.’ This was a name for universities that were relatively less difficult, such as Kanto Gakuin University, Jobu University, Ryutsu Keizai University, Edogawa University, and Chōbiryōrin University. However, with the rise of certain universities, the grouping became problematic, and it was eventually forgotten.

There is also the saying, ‘In the east of Tsuda, there is the spring of Seisen and Ferris.’ This refers to a collection of well-known women’s universities like Tsuda University, Tokyo Women’s University, Japan Women’s University, followed by Seisen University, Ferris University, and Seisen University. However, due to the declining popularity of women’s universities, this phrase is not widely known today,” Ishiwatari notes.

Whether new university groupings will catch on depends on their universality.

“University groupings are made from the perspective of prep schools and high schools. From the universities’ point of view, they might find it bothersome to be grouped just because their difficulty level is similar. The key to whether new group names will stick is whether they have universality that the general public can accept. If the classification is simply a gimmick, it will likely be quickly forgotten,” Ishiwatari adds.

School cultures and student traits change with the times. Your alma mater may change, and you may find it categorized alongside unexpected universities.