College Admissions

Brickbat: No Short Kings

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A short woman in a purple plaid top reaches up to put her hand over the head of a tall man in a grey sweater. | andreikorzhyts | Dreamstime.com
(andreikorzhyts | Dreamstime.com)

Saying the link between height and success is significant, the School of Management and Business at Vietnam National University in Hanoi said that this year, female students less than 1.58 meters tall (5'2") and male students less than 1.65 meters (5'5")* would not be allowed to enroll. The average height for a Vietnamese woman is 1.56 meters (5'1"), and the average height for a Vietnamese man is 1.68 meters (5'6"). Following a public outcry over the new requirements, the Ministry of Education told the university to reconsider them. The school removed the height requirements for all of its programs but one: Students who wish to pursue a degree in Management and Security must still meet the height minimums.

*CORRECTION: A previous version of this article contained an incorrect metric system conversion.