Evaluation of Impact of the High School Entrance Exam on Students and Parents According to Meaningful Evaluation Model

This study aims to examine the experiences of 8th-grade students and their parents regarding the HSEE process within the framework of a Meaningful Evaluation Model. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a total of 12 participants, comprising six students and their parents, selected through criterion sampling in Denizli. The research is based on a phenomenological design, and the data were analyzed using inductive analysis. The findings reveal that the accountability associated with exam-based performance has fostered a competitive mindset and individualism that is highly prominent in the family and social environment. In this context, it has been observed that children tend to adopt more selfish, isolated, and aggressive roles and behaviors, while parents are undergoing a transformation towards being more controller, prohibitive, threatening, criticizer, and supportive. Additionally, it has been concluded that the participants did not allocate enough time to activities that would contribute to meaningful wholeness in the process.