Reflecting on the consequences of the Iranian university entrance examination: a systematic-narrative hybrid literature review

Today, numerous countries utilize unified methods and systematic standardized examinations such as national examinations as formal procedures to select qualified applicants for admission to higher education institutions since higher education is viewed as the major path and criterion to upward mobility. In Iran, the university entrance examination is of primary importance, as it serves a sensitive high-stakes test upon which the Iranian applicants’ academic destinies depend. Considering this significance, the present study aimed to systematically review the recent developments and current state of the National University Entrance Examination (NUEE) in Iran which is locally known as “Konkour”. To this end, a systematic-narrative hybrid literature review (SNHLR) was chosen for the purpose of the study. Following a manual search, 74 peer-reviewed research articles published (inter)nationally were selected and examined in order to identify key themes, patterns, gaps, and trends with regard to the consequences of “Konkour”. The findings revealed that Iranian university applicants have faced various negative consequences such as socioeconomic, psychological, and educational implications as a result of “Konkour”. Several challenges and key gaps in the existing studies are also highlighted which need to be empirically addressed in future research. Some suggestions and potential solutions are finally recommended in order to rectify the higher education admission system.


Introduction
Education, undoubtedly, is a lifelong process that can profoundly impact one's present and future.Its impact extends beyond personal growth, encompassing both intrinsic and instrumental values for societies as a whole [15].Education can play a crucial role in enhancing human capacity at various stages such as primary, secondary, technical/ vocational and higher education.Currently, it stands as one of the cornerstones and essential components in the economic, 1 3 political, and cultural spheres of every modern and (under) developing country [2,36].As a developing country, Iran's education system has undergone significant transformations throughout its history, which can be categorized into three distinct eras: ancient Persian, Islamic, and modern periods.Each era has been remarkably influenced by various factors such as economic conditions, political developments, cultural influences, and religious perspectives.The current education system, however, is highly centralized and divided into two general sectors including K12 education and higher education.The K12 education is officially supervised by the Ministry of Education and is divided into three stages: Primary School, Junior High School, and Senior High School.It follows a 6 + 3 + 3 structure, spanning 12 years of education.The system provides free compulsory public education to all Iranian people without taking into account language, ethnicity, religion, gender, or disability [31].On the other hand, higher education system is directed by three main ministries.The Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology oversees non-medical programs, while the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education is responsible for (para) medical education.Finally, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs manages technical and vocational education.
Today, many countries utilize unified methods and systematic standardized examinations such as national examinations as formal procedures to select qualified applicants for admission to higher education institutions [33].American university applicants, for example, need to participate in national standardized examinations such as the Scholastic Assessment Test and the American College Test [33].Another example is Nigeria in which the national university entrance examination is known as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).It is an annual computer-based test conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for prospective students seeking admission into higher education institutions.The UTME is usually held in March or April, and applicants are required to score a minimum of 200 out of 400 to be eligible for admission into any tertiary institution in Nigeria [20,23].The national university entrance examination is also commonplace in Japan, which is locally known as shiken jigoku (i.e., examination hell) but formally known as the National Center Test for University Admissions [3,20].It is a standardized test conducted annually by the National Center for University Entrance Examinations (NCUEE) for prospective students seeking admission into Japanese universities.This examination consists of two days of testing and applicants are required to score a minimum of 80 out of 200 to be eligible for admission into a Japanese university.In another East Asian context, China, the GaoKao test is held annually.This test which lasts nine hours is the only choice for many Chinese university applicants to gain admission to educational institutions [20,33].
In Iran, in the same vein, the admission process for higher education institutions follows a predominantly examination-oriented system.After completing their senior high school education, students are permitted to participate in the National University Entrance Examination (NUEE), locally known as "Konkour".This type of national examination serves as a pivotal bridge between high school and higher education, determining eligibility for university applicants."Konkour" functions as significant determinant for individuals, serving as a gate-keeper for some while door-openers for others [5].Considered a sensitive high-stakes university examination, it holds immense importance in shaping the academic destiny of Iranian applicants.The significance attributed to this single examination induces anxiety among both applicants and their parents, given its potential to greatly impact their socio-economic status.An alarming number of researchers have reported that "Konkour" continues to act as a major impediment to accessing higher education institutions and represents a major obstacle to achieving education equity [10,12,13,22,24,25].Recent evidence has also underscored the multitude challenges that Iranian university applicants face due to the "Konkour" examination, resulting in detrimental effects on their education, personal well-being, psychology, and social integration [2,6,10,11,18,25,31].It is, therefore, necessary to consider the role of this national examination within the education sector as it is the major path and criterion for admission into Iranian higher education institutions.
Inspired by such educational concerns, the present study following a systematic-narrative hybrid literature review (SNHLR) [32], firstly, aims to systematically review various aspects of "Konkour" to identify key themes, patterns, gaps, and trends regarding socioeconomic, psychological, and educational implications.It secondly aims to suggest some solutions to rectify the higher education admission process.Therefore, this study can be a valuable source for those interested in assessment in higher education for several reasons.Firstly, it can highlight the challenges and limitations of using standardized tests as the sole criterions for university admission.This is an important issue in higher education globally, and the study's insights can inform discussions around improving the fairness and effectiveness of admission processes.Secondly, it may not only contribute to Iranian higher education admission system but it may also help university administrators and policy makers from other countries (e.g., Japan, China, and Nigeria) which may encounter similar challenges in the higher education admission system.Thirdly, it may offer insights into the complexities of assessment in higher education and its intersection with social and cultural factors.Finally, it might serve as a useful resource for researchers, policymakers, and educators seeking to improve assessment practices 3 Background

What is "Konkour"?
As a highly competitive examination, "Konkour" was first established in 1958 [18] and has been held annually in June or July ever since.Etymologically, "Konkour" is believed to have originated from the French word "Concours" which signifies the process of sourcing, screening, and selecting university applicants for various purposes [10,14]."Konkour" is normally perceived as a normative-referenced, egalitarian, centralized, rigorous, and multiple-choice examination which approximately lasts 4.5 h [14,27] and university applicants generally dedicate 1-2 years of preparation to attain success [12,13,22].Every year millions of enthusiastic university applicants vie with each other to enter the state tuition-free universities since the university seats are limited and only 10-15% of applicants are accepted [4,6,9,27].However, this large number of university applicants may be unparalleled compared to other large-scale examinations such as TOEFL and IELTS.
Once a year, "Konkour" is administered by the National Organization of Educational Testing (NOET) and is designed to evaluate applicants' overall educational ability and readiness for admission purposes based on various general school subjects such as Persian Language and Literature, Arabic Language, English Language, and Islamic Studies.This segment of the "Konkour" which covers general issues is the same for all university applicants independent of their senior high school majors and the academic disciplines they intend to pursue in the university.Nevertheless, the second segment which covers specialized issues encompasses subject matters germane to the different senior high school majors of the applicants in Natural Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and the Humanities.The content of the second segment of the examination is based on the content of the textbooks applicants studied at the senior high school.Both segments are assessed through machine-scoring and are scored on a weighted system to provide a total score to be given to each university applicant [6,8].There is also a "negative score system" to impede applicants from responding randomly or haphazardly, based on which every three wrong responses are considered one negative point which can remove one of the correct responses [6].The applicants are finally ranked based on their total scores on both segments and gained admission to the universities in the academic disciplines they request.If an applicant's score is not high enough to gain admission to their desired field of study, the applicant can gain admission to other academic disciplines.The type of university and the city in which they aspire to study is ultimately determined by the total scores [8,25].Even though numerous university applicants are not admitted in their majors of choice, they can still proceed because in addition to the social prestige and desirability of getting into universities, male university applicants are officially exempt on educational grounds from doing compulsory military service [8].Overall, this type of national examination is considered challenging and has so far created serious negative consequences for university applicants and their parents [2, 4, 8, 12-14, 18, 24], it is, therefore, essential to carefully scrutinize various aspects of "Konkour" in general.

Approach
The present study utilizes a systematic-narrative hybrid literature review, which combines elements of both systematic and narrative review [32].This type of approach is a useful method for examining the impact of complex social phenomena such as the Iranian university entrance examination for various reasons.Firstly, it provides a

Review
Discover Education (2023) 2:22 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-023-00046-x 1 3 comprehensive synthesis of existing research on a topic, allowing the researcher to identify and analyze all relevant studies.Secondly, by incorporating both systematic and narrative approaches, this hybrid approach can enhance credibility as it draws upon a wider range of evidence.Finally, in addition to the systematic analysis, a narrative component allows for the inclusion of qualitative data and subject perspectives that can provide valuable narrative insights into the impact of the examination beyond quantitative data.
In order to employ a systematic-narrative hybrid literature review approach in this study, several steps were conducted to identify various aspects of "Konkour", as illustrated in Fig. 1.Firstly, the researcher conducted an extensive literature search manually and electronically, using multiple accessible databases such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar.The keywords used for the search included "university entrance examination, higher education admission, psychoeducational assessment, Konkour, test impact, high-stakes test, education assessment, national examination, and entrance examinations as gatekeepers".The researcher restricted the keyword search to research article keywords, titles, and abstracts to ensure relevancy.
Initially, the researcher selected 100 research articles in the fields of education, educational assessment and higher education that were published (inter)nationally between 2010 and 2022.Secondly, the researcher evaluated the quality of each research article using pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure that only high-quality and relevant studies were included.For example, editorials, unpublished reports, book reviews, theoretical articles as well as non-peer reviewed articles were excluded from the analysis.However, the researcher included data-driven peer-reviewed research articles that employed quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches and were written in both Persian and English languages.At the end of this process, a total of 74 research articles were deemed relevant and selected by the researcher for further analysis.The researcher proceeded to code these articles accordingly.Out of the 74 retained articles, 41 research articles were published in Iranian peer-reviewed journals while the remaining 33 were published in international peer-reviewed journals.After that, empirical data from each research study was collected, encompassing details such as the study's methodology, sample size, results and findings.Thirdly, the empirical evidence gathered from each study was analyzed and synthesized to identify key themes, patterns, gaps, and trends using thematic analysis or content analysis.Finally, the key themes and topics identified during the synthesis process were organized to provide clear responses to research questions.

First research question (negative impact)
The following discussion focuses on the main themes and consequences that emerged from the data analysis in order to address the first research question.This section also highlights the negative effects of "Konkour", primarily based on empirical studies.

Socio-economic problems
The outcome of a high-stakes examination such as "Konkour" holds tremendous power in shaping the life trajectories of university applicants and serves as a tool of social categorization [25,34].This nationwide annual examination has far-reaching implications for the applicants, encompassing economic, social, personal, and life-time consequences [2].
Unfortunately, it has also led to serious socio-economic problems among the university applicants who fail to secure admission to university.For example, the majority of unsuccessful "Konkour" applicants experience profound feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and boredom [13], often leading to a sense of confinement at home and the deprivation of recreational activities, all in the pursuit of rigorous study for the following year [24].Salehi and Yunus [26], in a study on the washback effects of the "Konkour" on the Iranian high school teachers and students, discovered that a significant number of Iranian parents recognized the significance of the "Konkour" and actively created a supportive home environment to enhance their children's studying experience.Remarkably, many Iranian parents even sacrificed their own television viewing habits to prioritize their children's exam preparation and consistently reminded them of the approaching "Konkour" date.The researchers concluded that Iranian parents firmly opined that their children's job prospect and bright future success in society were directly linked to their performance in the examination, leading to increased pressure and uneasiness among the students."Konkour" not only has the potential to shape the future career and financial prospects of university applicants, but it can also significantly affect their social status and even impact their choices in selecting their spouse [4].For this reason, a large number of Iranian parents harbor concerns regarding their children's success in this examination.They invest a considerable amount of money, effort, and time annually to hire part-time private tutors, engage in mock "Konkour" examination, and purchase test books for their children.This unwavering dedication stems from their beliefs that "Konkour" represents a crucial milestone that can secure a prosperous future for their children [4].In a study investigating the impact of individual factors, family background and socioeconomic status on university admission, Mirashrafi et al. [17] found that certain variables such as parental occupation, parental education, and the socioeconomic status of the family (such as income) significantly affect "Konkour" scores and subsequently impact university admission.The researchers averred that applicants from high social class backgrounds had a higher acceptance rate compared to other social strata.This implies that university applicants from higher social classes have a greater likelihood of being admitted to university.In another study, Safari [24] critically reviewed the two significant high-stakes examinations, namely, "Konkour" and "Sampad".She highlighted several issues including the marginalization of powerless groups, the unfairness of Iranian language testing, and harmful social impacts and consequences associated with these examinations.Recently, Moghadamzadeh et al., [18] investigated the important factors in the academic rank of the applicants in the "Konkour", using a multilevel analysis.The researchers collected the data from 5000 university applicants across five different groups (i.e., Mathematical Sciences, Natural Sciences, the Humanities, Art, and English) in 2017.The findings of the study revealed significant differences in the average national ranks of the applicants, indicating the presence of educational opportunity inequalities as contributing factors.This suggests that certain groups may encounter disadvantages or barriers in their preparation for and performance on the "Konkour" examination.

Psychological problems
Research has established a connection between "Konkour" and several psychological problems.For example, recent studies have demonstrated that university applicants who expressed concerns regarding their success in "Konkour" experienced negative emotional reactions such as despondency and depression, primarily due to the heavy and intensive competition [4,22].Importantly, even if these applicants excel in the examination later on, the emotional distress they endure throughout the process cannot be adequately compensated for [4,7,29].In an exploratory study, Abdi et al. [1] investigated the most effective stressors expressed by 450 Iranian university applicants.Following a semi-structured interview, the researchers asked the participants to express the most effective stressors that they had experienced for "Konkour".The stressors reported fell into nine distinct categories, as depicted in Fig. 2. The findings revealed that family factor (27%) and academic factor (20%) were the most frequently reported stressors among the participants.Recognizing the significance of implementing psychological programs, Abdi et al. [1] suggested the provision of coping strategies training for both applicants and their parents.
Another prominent psychological drawback of the "Konkour" examination is that it forces the fate of university applicants to be determined within a single day.This puts immense pressure on university applicants who, for various reasons, may not be able to retake the examination if they fail.Factors such as compulsory military service or family expectations to get married can contribute to this high-stakes, "now and never" situation, further intensifying the tension experienced by the applicants.Even those who have diligently prepared for the "Konkour" may succumb to psychological challenges, leading to failure.This highlights how "Konkour" can significantly amplify emotional and mental stress levels of the applicants.Mohammadi [19] suggested that the demerits of the "Konkour" can outweigh its merits, in general.One of the disadvantages he stated was the immense pressure and stress experienced by both university applicants and their parents due to the circumstances surrounding the "Konkour" examination.Another disadvantage mentioned was demotivation and frustration occurred after failing the examination.Since this examination fosters a competitive environment, it can also lead to negative competition among university applicants prior to the exam administration.Nouri, Kelishadi, and Ziaaldini [21] investigated common stresses among students in Tehran, capital of Iran.Their findings revealed that 81.1% of students reported experiencing stress related to tests and grades, with 59.2% considering this level of stress to be intolerable.
In a large-scale mixed-method study, Fathabadi et al. [9] examined the impact of "Konkour" on Iranian students and parents.They employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches, ensuring a holistic understanding of the "Konkour".Through open-ended questions, they interviewed 60 students and 60 parents in the qualitative phase of study while 1096 students and 1096 parents were selected using a cluster sampling method and were asked to answer the survey questionnaires for the quantitative phase.They discovered that "Konkour" had an impact on students of both genders (boys and girls) across various aspects, as shown in Fig. 3.According to participating parents' perspectives, "Konkour" affected a wide range of family activities from family planning, family interactions, entertainments, to the lifestyle/ life preferences of their children.Additionally, as a result of the intense pressure and demands placed on students preparing for "Konkour", many students experienced a decrease in their social interactions, leisure activities and even summer vacations [9].Hence, students may choose to forego hobbies and social events in order to concentrate solely on studying for the examination, leading to a sense of isolation and reduced opportunities for entertainment.Importantly, many families base their momentous life decisions on the scores their children achieve in the "Konkour" examination and develop special plans accordingly [9].This is because these scores not only affect individual family members' academic progress but also have an impact on the entire conditions of the entire family, creating a ripple effect with regards to the outcomes of the "Konkour" examination.
More recently, Hosseinkhani et al. [11] qualitatively examined the adolescents' viewpoints on the different sources of academic stress.They showed that one of the significant academic stressors for adolescents is "Konkour" results because it can determine their future careers.Overall, based on the literature reviewed so far, it appears that positive examination experiences may enhance both life and work satisfaction.Conversely, negative examination experiences, particularly those encountered by university applicants, have been shown to result in detrimental consequences such as destruction and marginalization [25].Moreover, considering the substantial portion of student directly engaged in the "Konkour" process, it becomes crucial to acknowledge that feelings of frustration, tension, disappointment, ego-depletion, and dissatisfaction can have a profound impact on their emotional well-being across social groups [25].In fact, these negative emotions have the potential to disrupt and undermine the overall emotional wellness of individuals within the social context.Thus, awareness of various negative effects that "Konkour" has may help Iranian parents and teachers to reconsider their behavior and change their mindset towards university applicants' function on the examination.

Educational problems
"Konkour" has been administered for more than four decades in Iran to accept qualified applicants into different university programs.This marathon-like examination plays a crucial role in education system of Iran as it can powerfully and unfavorably affect teaching, learning, testing, and curriculum [8,10,25,31].Many studies have shown that the "Konkour" system has led to the proliferation of a cram-school culture based on which a vast amount of educational materials within a short timeframe are acquired [10,12,13,22].Unfortunately, this approach primarily focuses on developing examination-taking skills and memorization techniques while neglecting the cultivation of other facets of intellectual abilities such as critical thinking, innovation, creativity, reasoning, and problem-solving [22].By the same token, many argued that the "Konkour" system has significantly transformed Iranian schools into mere factories for exam cramming.It has had a profound impact on primary education, where the primary goal throughout K12 education is to prepare students solely for success in the "Konkour" examination, seen as the only key to bright future [22,30].This, therefore, compels many school teachers to align their school curricula with the rigid requirements of the "Konkour" [10,24] and to shift their focus away from broader educational goals to test preparation, resulting in a narrowing of the curriculum and a lack of emphasis on subjects that fall outside of the scope of the examination.Ghorbani [10] explored ten purposively selected stakeholders' attitudes towards "Konkour".He reported that "Konkour" can negatively impact teaching, it tends to prioritize aspects that are easily testable over comprehensive learning.In a recent study, Arab et al. [4] examined 500 senior high school female students' responses to an open-ended question survey.Using quantitative content analysis, the researchers found out that the participants expressed concerns about taking part in "Konkour" for many reasons.Notably, the participants stated that their best years were spent solely on intense studying to qualify for "Konkour".This may imply that "Konkour" is not merely an educational event, but rather a lifelong experience that can affect future opportunities and positions in life.

Second research question (positive impact)
In order to address the second research question, it is worth considering several potential positive aspects of the Iranian university entrance examination.However, it is important to note that these impacts have not been empirically documented and are merely based on the researcher's intuitive awareness and reflections.Firstly, one potential positive aspect is that the examination provides a standardized evaluation system, ensuring consistency in measuring students' knowledge and skills.This means that all applicants are tested on the same material and evaluated using a uniform set of criteria.Secondly, the outcomes of "Konkour" may also help allocate resources to schools and regions that need more support in improving their educational systems although nowadays students from rural areas or less developed regions face additional challenges due to limited resources and educational opportunities compared to those from urban areas.The third possible positive impact can be national recognition for the most qualified applicants because success in "Konkour" is highly valued in Iran.In addition to this, since "Konkour" is a nationally recognized examination, it can enhance the reputation of universities and programs that admit high-performing students.Fourthly, achieving high scores on "Konkour" can be a source of pride and a significant achievement, which may lead to better career opportunities and personal growth.Fifthly, "Konkour" may encourage personal development.For example, preparing for "Konkour" can involve time management, self-discipline, and perseverance.These traits can help students develop a strong work ethic and prepare them for future challenges.Finally, "Konkour" can portray a national unity because it can bring together students from different regions and backgrounds, fostering a sense of national unity and promoting cultural exchange.
Overall, further empirical evidence on the positive effects of the Iran university entrance examination is needed to fully understand its impact on populations.

Third research question
In order to address the third research question, some feasible solutions can be suggested to improve the effectiveness of the "Konkour".Firstly, there is a general consensus that government institutions responsible for designing, developing, and administering "Konkour" should undergo and experience radical transformation because any educational reforms, modifications, and innovations in these institutions can influence other components of Iran's education system [10,22,24,31].Secondly, as reviewed earlier, there has been great concern over the profound stress impact on the Iranian university applicants, school curricula, and parents.In order to minimize this, it deems essential for policy makers to make crucial decisions to improve education system of Iran and higher education acceptance process.For example, in addition to "Konkour", applicants' selection and admission system can be conducted via an amalgamation of other important academic constituents such as educational background, demographic factors, school transcripts, and cumulative grade point averages of the university applicants [13,20,22,35].Thirdly, there is an urgent need to create a national educational environment via which school students and teachers-as the key stakeholders of education yet marginalized parties in Irancan have the power and freedom to make their voices heard [31] since various stakeholders such as students, parents, teachers, textbook writers, and policy makers are expected to be involved in test development and administration [28].
Fourthly, efforts to address the disproportion between the number of applicants and the available university seats are crucial.One potential solution is to expand the capacity of technical and vocational education in industrial schools.By doing so, it is possible to redirect the fate of the university applicants towards alternative educational paths, thereby reducing the overall number of individuals seeking admission to university.Fifthly, it seems that the intensive competition within the "Konkour' is mainly emanated from the hopes and aspirations of university applicants to gain admission into top state universities.To satisfy this aspiration and reduce examination pressure, it is essential to enhance the overall quality of all universities and upgrade their scientific and infrastructural capacities.This approach can also minimize the competition for a limited number of universities by expanding opportunities for a larger number of applicants to benefit from enhanced scientific and specialized facilities.
Sixthly, evaluation methods used in "Konkour" can be diversified to ensure a more comprehensive assessment.There has been ongoing debate regarding the reliance solely on multiple-choice questions as some argue that may not accurately measure a student's true abilities.To address this concern, incorporating alternative evaluation methods such as essays or oral examinations could provide a more holistic evaluation approach.Seventhly, it is worth considering the option of offering more opportunities for retesting.Currently, students are only allowed to take "Konkour" examination once per year.By allowing for additional retests, the excessive pressure and stress associated with this important examination can be mitigated.This would offer students an opportunity to improve their performance and alleviate the negative consequences of a single high-stakes event.
Eighthly, it is crucial to address the socioeconomic disparities among students that result in unfair advantages for wealthier students who can afford private tutoring classes for "Konkour".To tackle this important issue, there should be a concerted effort to provide free or low-cost tutoring and other resources to underprivileged students.By ensuring equal access to preparatory support, we can create a more equitable environment and enhance the opportunities for all students to success in the "Konkour" examination.Finally, it is worth noting that certain aspects of the "Konkour" examination may be relevant to other high stakes examination systems internationally in several ways.For example, "Konkour" is found to exert pressure and stress on students, which can negatively impact their mental and physical health.This is a common issue with high stakes examinations globally, and highlights the need for more supportive and holistic approaches to education and assessment.
Another notable aspect of the "Konkour" system is its heavy reliance on standardized testing as a means of evaluating student performance.Similar higher education admission system in other countries may face similar challenges regarding issues such as, cultural biases, test anxiety, and the limitations of traditional testing formats in accurately assessing a student's abilities.These issues call for a re-evaluation of assessment methods and the adoption of more comprehensive approaches that go beyond a single test score.Overall, the implications of the Iranian university entrance examination for other high-stakes examination systems around the globe can highlight the need for careful consideration of issues such as student well-being, equity, and fairness, and the limitations of traditional testing formats when designing and implementing such systems.In conclusion, "Konkour", as stated earlier, is designed to merely assess memorization of knowledge and lower-order skills (e.g., remembering) and what university applicants have learned in senior high school, resulting in an industry in exam-preparation classes.Therefore, it deems necessary to design a new educational mechanism to measure other types of test such as writing or oral examinations as productive skills and to evaluate the university applicants' high-order thinking skills and intellectual abilities such as critical thinking, creativity, reasoning, and problem-solving required to perform well in higher education institutions.

Limitation of review and future research
As with any research, the current study has several limitations that should be taken into consideration in future studies.One noteworthy limitation is the researcher was unable to find empirical evidence for potential positive educational impacts of "Konkour".Future study can delve into this paucity of research.Additionally, recent studies have suggested the "Konkour" elimination process concerning the negative education consequences that "Konkour" has created.While this may not be possible due to the insatiable demand for gaining access to higher education institutions, future study can think of a feasible way to minimize the unhealthy competition and psychological issues of "Konkour".Furthermore, little is known about the role that "Konkour" plays in shaping students' academic goals and career aspirations and how this might impact their overall life trajectories.Finally, it has remained unclear how different regions of Iran approach "Konkour" and what regional differences exist in terms of its impact on students and society as a whole.These research areas could also be valuable be in similar contexts such as Japan, China, and Nigeria which administer university entrance examinations.Overall, it is hoped that the issues raised in this paper provide a springboard for further empirical exploration of the obstacles and opportunities associated with reforming "Konkour" and can offer illuminating insights for educators, university administrators, policymakers and testing authorities to afford a more appropriate assessment device with which to decide the future careers and lives of a very large number of Iranian high school students.
Author contributions I am the only author.