matriculate

[child-of-God]

Hello all!
What does the highlighted sentence mean?

For the last three weeks I've been very busy organizing everything for my next year at university. I have to matriculate for all my subjects and choose the optional ones I want to do.

I couldn't understand it because the meanings of matriculate I found in the dictionaries are actually do not match with this context. I got it from New English File Intermediate Student's Book, Unit 3, An informal letter - writing.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[natkretep]

It is certainly not used that way in the universities I know. To matriculate is normally just to register or to enrol in the institution, after which you receive your matriculation card (or matric card). Your sentence seems to use use to word not in relation to registering with an institution, but in relation to registering for the subjects in a particular course. Perhaps there are some institutions that do this?

 

[Rover_KE]

How about the following? It's from our own WR dictionary:

to attain the academic standard required for a course at [a college or university].

Rover

 

[child-of-God]

So, we can say:
I have to attain the academic standard required for a course for all my subjects.
That makes sense to me.
Thanks a lot!

 

[child-of-God]

I've just found some synonyms for matriculate, and register one of them.
so, then we have :

I have to register for all my subjects and choose the optional ones I want to do.

Is that the same meaning with the original context?

 

[Loob]

I think it must be, child-of-God. But like natkretep, I've never heard "matriculate" used in that way - I've only heard it used to mean enrol or register in an institution. It was also, in the past, used in the UK to mean "achieve a school-leaving certificate". But it couldn't mean "achieve a qualification" or "attain an academic standard" in your quote - the timescale doesn't allow for that.

I don't know why the textbook used this word.

 

[George French]

It was also, in the past, used in the UK to mean "achieve a school-leaving certificate"..

Thanks Loob,

I thought this was the meaning I was used to using a long time ago, but I couldn't find any evidence. Thanks for providing the corroboration.

GF..

 

[natkretep]

George, it's in the OED:

matriculation examination n. an examination to qualify for formal admission to a university, society, etc.; (also in Britain (now hist.), S. Africa, and certain other countries) a school-leaving examination, the passing of which is a preliminary requirement for admission to some universities.

 

[George French]

George, it's in the OED:

But, the given OED quote, does not include the "school leaver's certificate" usage. Many school leavers\matriculates did not have the qualifications that were good enough for university entrance.

GF..

Nevertheless the "pieces of paper" one got enabled many to get jobs... or entry to other education.

 

[natkretep]

Ah, sorry, it's here:

matriculation
... b. A pass in a matriculation examination ( Compounds); (S. Afr.) a pass in the school-leaving examination.

 

[George French]

Ah, sorry, it's here:

If you have a subscription..... to the OED.

GF..

Not a very useful link...

 

[PaulQ]

The whole entry for the South African version

c. intr. Chiefly S. Afr. To pass a matriculation examination at the end of one's school career, and receive a matriculation certificate.

1972 Evening Post (Port Elizabeth) 27 May 10 Mr Du Preez matriculated with distinctions at the old Humansdorp High School, and obtained a bursary to further his studies.
1988 S. Afr. Panorama May 49/2 He started painting in his pre-school years and after he had matriculated studied graphic design.
1992 P. S. Huck in C. Blank Lang. & Civilization I. p. xxx, Is it any wonder..that long before matriculating from grammar school..you should have attended English courses at the university as an occasional student?

 

[Apophis]

hi, is ''matriculate'' actually used nowadays? thanks