So... Why is the entrance exam for a sorcery academy one that would favor melee combat? With the degradation of magic, the chants, and how impressed everyone is with magic, you would run out of mana quickly, leave yourself open to attacks, and be the center of attention while physically based fighters would have an easier time with the endurance needed, leave relatively few openings, and be less likely to be mobbed.
I also want to comment on how this is an academy, sure I get figuring out where everyone's skill is but we are looking at what? 200 people? And you are specifically only judging 5 people. I get not everyone gets in but only taking in the 5 best rather than everyone of X ability/potential is silly, on top of that this isn't even a good selection to find the top of the class because among the issues others pointed out, if one time you get 200 weaklings the top 5 might just be intermediate as you have no control to ensure they are good, just better (or more crafty) than the other people who you have no idea how good they are.
A test should be designed to select applicants that meet the requirements of the school. The best schools have high quality/ notable/famous graduates. As the better the graduate the more recognition/prestige the school gets. Thus suggesting the quality of the graduate is a direct product of the quality of the school's teaching.
There for, any school would want to start with the best potential students to insure success of graduation by the school's standards.
But what markers suggest a prospective magic student would eventually graduate or become one of the elite?
Is it their starting mama pool? Their stats/lvl? Their class? Their determination? The skills/spells they already posses?
Taking into account what this criteria is, should be the founding of the process of evaluation and selection of perspective students.
Since these applicants do not have a recommendation then they likely do not have any formal teaching or know anyone that could vouch for them. So he really is looking for a diamond in the rough. That being said, with a no holds bar, battle royal, the selection process will favor purely combat oriented individuals or those that have created large alliances/groups. And by having a constant flow of new contenders this king of the hill style match vastly favors those that enter late rather than those that are just skilled. The fact that you can pass this test without any magical aptitude proves that it is flawed to it's core.
The examiner is an adventurer that is likely not a mage and has no idea how to evaluate one. He appears to just be peeved that there are so many applicants and just wants to get things over with quickly not really caring how. It honestly would have been faster and just as effective if he just implemented a lottery system.
Edit: IMO The best system for selection would be...
A combined score of the following and just select a number of the top scores and/or those that meet the min score:
1) A written/oral exam to determine magical knowledge.
2) An appraisal for evaluation class, stats,lvl. (call in the appraiser stone/magician)
3) A test of will power/determination. (Any grueling, tedious, and repetitive task will do. Just measure how much they are willing to do and score basses on average applicant.)
4) An evaluation of combat prowess/awareness and power. (A skilled examiner,or a test dummy and judge(s))
5) A test to determine the skill or use of magic (like for how potent is the healing mages magic or uniqueness of how the applicant applies magic)
An application fee would ensure funding for the school, and reduce applicants. But if the fee is too high it would discriminate against the poor. In that case you would need to set up some sort of free ride scholarship program too.
The 5 traits to win this selection exam are: Toughness, dexterity/speed, Combat prowess, the ability to form alliances/parties groups, and luck.
With special advantages given to those that enter the stage as late as possible, able to avoid focus long enough to cast spell(s), or be apart of a group.
Non-combatants that do not form a group are domed to fail this exam. (good luck healers, priests, and researchers)
A magic school were the requirements favor not using many spells, CQC, team efforts and patience. Seems like a really horrible way to exam your students. I think this is just lazy writing so everyone there can suck of the MC really hard. This manga hasn't gotten updated for 2months but I predict he then gets called to the principle and she dotes on him while some noble disagrees on him being allowed to attend. Unfortunately literally all of these stories are just too similar.
I really do hope whenever this gets updated im proven wrong, but so far it just seems like C+ generic plot and characters
So that makes it fine to have people use weapons and regular fighting in a magic exam? How bad were the other potential proctors that we got this one??