Ohec deputy secretary-general Soranit Silatham said the direct-admission exams conducted by various universities are scattered all year round, forcing students to be absent from classes as they travel to sit the exams.If the universities they apply for are far from home, they must pay for food, transport and accommodation, which is costly. "Many students spend a lot of time on several direct-admission exams," Mr Soranit said.He added students from rich and middle-class families can afford to attend many direct-admission exams. Even when they have secured a place in a university, they carry on sitting other exams in the hope of getting into a more prominent university.