While students’ ardor for success remains constant, recent changes aimed at maximizing fairness have generated even greater confusion and complexity within the admissions process. Various controversial issues, such as the short lifespan of the humanities and science application track and the numerous attempts to forge documentation, have attracted intense criticism in what was intended to be a straightforward process. This May issue of The Granite Tower (GT) aims to delve into the multiple manifestations of so-called “storms in a teacup,” shedding light on how the fiercely competitive pursuit of a prestigious college degree has turned into one of the most heated questions in Korean history.

South Korea’s college admissions craze is representative of the nation’s fixation with higher education. In 2019, the Ministry of Education (MOE) reported that roughly seven out of ten Koreans aged between 25 to 34 had a college degree, which is more than any other member state in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). These are higher numbers than those of Germany, Austria, or Denmark, where tertiary education is provided free of charge to its citizens. Clearly, the value of a college diploma stretches beyond its tuition fees.

While there are multiple theories behind Korea’s scholastic fervor, the most common explanation is Korea’s growth and historical devotion to education. As a small nation with little to no natural resources – they only account for 0.021 percent of Korea’s gross domestic product (GDP), compared to the global average of 2.5 percent according to the World Bank – Korean society turned to human capital to reconstruct the devastated post- Korean-War economy. The MOE has credited this intense, collective participation in education across several generations for the startling growth that Korea exhibited during the late 20th century. Education has been so intricately associated with growth and prosperity that the idea still persists in modern Korea that it is essential for a successful life.

Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that Koreans are very sensitive about the topic of education — particularly the steps leading up to postsecondary education. Even the most minor allegations of fraud or misdeeds are severely frowned upon and are sometimes enough to ruin the careers and reputations of public figures. Education policy changes are constantly under scrutiny as well, with students and professional admissions counselors spending their days scanning for the smallest of updates on how students are to be taught, graded, and reviewed by universities. As the perceived stakes surrounding college acceptance become higher, increasing competitiveness, title prestige, and demands for absolute fairness have swept through Korea.

College Ranking System

A major characteristic that defines Korean college admissions is that students are rarely chasing a simple bachelor’s diploma. Instead, students compete to enter schools with a suitable level of prestige. An example of this is the overwhelming number of applicants preparing for re-admissions compared even though some existing schools severely lack new admissions. As reported to the University News Network, between 2019 and 2021, universities located outside of the Seoul Metropolitan Region reduced their admissions quotas by over 12,000. According to an article by the Joongang Ilbo, one private university in Gyeongbuk with a quota of 633 students only received 74 applicants for 2023. Meanwhile, according to The Hankyoreh, the 2022 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) saw record levels of re-admission applicants, accounting for up to 30 percent of total test- takers. The irony of a hoard of students retaking their college exams while schools struggle to attract anyone is indicative of what students wish to gain from college.

While universities with differing levels of prestige exist in other countries, very few have a college ranking system as clearly defined as Korea’s. Most students that have gone through the Korean college application systems in the past ten years would be familiar with the following school admission hierarchy: Seoul National University, KU, and Yonsei University at the top, followed by Sungkyunkwan University, Sogang University, and Hanyang University, and then others. While the positions do not directly represent the quality of education that these institutions provide, this ranking has persisted as a de facto social ladder of academia that students are encouraged to climb.

The pressure to win the admissions race is one of the driving forces behind South Korea’s intense preparatory education infrastructure—a convoluted network of private education facilities with the sole purpose of pushing students to their limits to achieve entry to a school of the highest possible rank. These systems come at a high cost. According to the 2022 Private Education Expenditure Report by the MOE, students spend an average of 524,000 Korean Won (KRW) per month on private education. According to Statistics Korea, this is nearly one-tenth of the average monthly income of Korean households.

In order to combat the side effects of such heated competition, the government has introduced the Social Integration Admissions Process through the Higher Education Act to provide a fairer opportunity to disadvantaged students. However, this topical solution fails to address the perceived university hierarchy that fuels this craze. One long-term answer that has been suggested is to eliminate rankings in the admissions process entirely. Education activist group World Without Private Ed has suggested a joint admissions system where students are given a selection of schools to choose from based on their respective skill levels rather than being reviewed by individual institutions. However, with academic hierarchies rooted so firmly in Korean society, such solutions have been criticized for being unrealistic for the foreseeable future.

The Medical School Craze

While universities have specific rankings that can dramatically affect one’s odds of success in securing an appealing job, similar emphasis is placed on specific colleges and departments. Medical schools have been at the top of the hierarchy for decades, so much so that a report by The Kyunghyang Shinmun alarmingly revealed that an average of 9.1 percent of graduates from elite high schools, better known as yeongjae schools, choose to pursue a degree in medicine or pharmacy. In an attempt to quantify this popularity, The Korea Herald offered an analogy between Albert Einstein and the ambitious geniuses of the present age, suggesting that, at this point in time, Einstein would surely have opted to undertake a career in medicine, depriving the world of his potential in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) field and contributing to an overflow of specialists in one sector.

To combat the trend of STEM talent flocking exclusively to the medical field, the government has started implementing a new policy targeting prospective medical and pharmaceutical students at elite high schools. The policy offers to waive or reduce high school tuition fees, but on the condition that students transfer to a regular institution, which may be perceived as less appealing. In addition, the MOE plans to incentivize arts education for gifted students, striving to highlight the diversity of academic fields beyond the sought-after STEM and medicine. Be that as it may, the obsession with medical schools does not show any signs of fading; therefore, to gain a closer perspective on the powerful appeal that draws many young high schoolers to this career, GT decided to ask Professor Park Jong-hoon’s (College of Medicine) opinion on the matter.

One of the most appealing aspects of medicine is the social status that is gained as a doctor compared to other STEM specialists. “It is a known fact that doctors’ salaries are on average quite high,” mentioned Professor Park, emphasizing that a disparity between the earnings of other employees and doctors tends to occur in most first- world countries. He then pointed out the true driving factor for many students – the less-than-optimistic future outlook for other scientific professions. “Medicine does not offer better perspectives itself; rather, the reason is to be found in the instability of other STEM industries within the country.” Finally, he added, “Overall, jobs that require strict certifications are less restrictive in terms of employment opportunities and remuneration.

Because much of the motivation seems to involve wealth, GT also inquired about Professor’s Park stance on the harshly criticized “opportunistic” and “money-hungry” side of medical school applicants. He replied that being conscious about future economic prospects is a natural part of choosing a life-long career. However, he highlighted the need to instill greater awareness about the meaning inherent to practicing medicine rather than merely focusing on its earnings. Finally, Professor Park concluded that the movement of potential STEM talent toward medicine is a worrisome phenomenon that cannot be ignored.

A Matter of Fairness

Regardless of their major, a particularly sensitive issue among college applicants seems to be the multiple types of admission tracks available depending on an individual’s educational background. Aside from taking the CSAT or submitting high school transcripts, international students or Korean students who have resided abroad are allowed to apply through a modified process. Overall, applicants who qualify for this route are normally evaluated based on language proficiency tests, high school transcripts, extracurricular activities, and additional documentation other than their CSAT score. While it is widely agreed on that it is reasonable not to impose the same requirements on students who have completed their education in different countries, numerous critics have argued that the emphasis on standardized tests and highly competitive criteria unfairly disadvantage domestic students.

The controversy surrounding international students in Korea is nothing new. In 2017, the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) conducted a survey among 50 local universities and discovered that approximately 66 percent of them had lower admission standards for international students. This prompted calls for greater transparency in the admissions process and demands for stricter oversight of admission committees. On the one hand, universities have benefited from the influx of more international students, who have helped to boost their global rankings and diversify their student populations. According to data from the MOE, the number of international students has more than tripled from 56,000 in 2009 to over 170,000 in 2019, as part of a broader plan to transform Korea into a global hub.

Prior to the current debate on international admissions, overseas Korean nationals have long been the center of attention due to their participation in a separate admissions process. In 2019, a report compiled by a Democratic Party representative exposed all cases of revoked admissions since 2014, and it was discovered that a significant number of these revocations were linked to fraudulent applications by overseas Koreans. According to The Weekly HK, the attempts to submit false documentation include forged proof of residence, high school transcripts, proof of employment, and other related documents that could verify the authenticity of the applicant’s status as an overseas national. In response to this, in 2020, the Korean government announced new guidelines requiring greater transparency in the selection process, as well as the more rigorous scrutiny of submitted documents. Additionally, a special task force was created to investigate future cases of academic fraud.

As with all situations, there are often innocent people who end up suffering the consequences of the actions of wrongdoers. Sadly, this is also true for many enrolled students who have taken a non-conventional path to admission and have reported experiencing prejudice and discrimination. To learn more about their situation, GT interviewed an anonymous source who spoke on behalf of similarly admitted overseas Koreans. “It can be difficult to feel like you belong in a place where others see you as different or inferior,” stated the interviewee, who went on to suggest that this experience may have contributed to their personal growth and resilience. “While it is true that our application process may be somewhat easier, it does not mean that we are any less worthy. In fact, many of us were high-performing students in our home countries and were admitted based on our merit and potential.

The interviewee referred to academic integrity with a spirit of duty as the most crucial component of admissions. They emphasized the importance of applicants respecting the legacies of the universities they apply to, and they urged prospective students to avoid exaggerations or misrepresentations in their applications. “Any and all attempts to unlawfully apply to an institution should result in a complete ban from not only that institution but also from other schools,” argued the student.

An Ever-Changing Admissions System

The long-lasting dual-track high school education system in Korea ended in 2022. The new interdisciplinary cross-track college application system has led to multiple changes to the CSAT, but the most unexpected one has been a shift in the admissions strategy for science track students. As the restrictions on applicable majors have been lifted, science-track students have been able to apply to schools of a higher admissions rank if they chose a non-STEM major. This has promoted a great shift of applicants from the sciences to the liberal arts seeking a more prestigious school, leaving in its wake an irate group of humanities students who have been rejected due to new competition, while, according to a survey by Maeil Business Newspaper, 42 percent of science-track students who moved to the liberal arts are dissatisfied with their choice of major.

The new cross-track application policy is only one example of how Korea’s higher education and admissions system has been subject to continuous policy changes in recent years. The MOE has introduced various reforms to the college admissions system over the past four years, resulting in admissions experience for students between 2019 and 2022 all differing from each other. Furthermore, the MOE plans to implement another round of college admissions reform for the 2028 school year, with details expected to be released in the first half of 2023, as of the time of writing.

According to Mr. Cho Jinpyou (CEO of Wisementor, Education Consultant), a major contributor to such frequent changes in the admissions process is the politicization of education. When a new government comes into power, they are often inclined to make changes to the education system that align with their political values or agenda. For instance, the debate about specialized high schools saw the progressive parties seeking to abolish the system on the basis of promoting equality, while the conservative parties support specialized education. “The problem is that this political influence can result in an education system that focuses too heavily on present issues rather than the long-term outcomes,” says Mr. Cho. He argues that a higher education system influenced by political factors cannot effectively prepare students for the future.

Every new education guideline strives to balance fair competition and expanding opportunities for prospective students. However, not all changes lead to desired outcomes, and a haphazard and unpredictable higher education policy ultimately creates confusion and distrust in the system as a whole. Students who can afford expensive private education acquire better strategies and resources to navigate through the convoluted college admissions process, exacerbating the gap between social classes. As discontent for existing guidelines persist, Korea’s educational policies will inevitably be trapped in a vicious cycle of juggling cutthroat competitiveness and demand for absolute fairness.

In order to solve these issues, it is crucial that Korean society come to an agreement on what higher education and college admissions should aim to be. Unlike countries such as the United Kingdom (U.K.), Koreans lack consensus on the purpose of high school education. “Some individuals see high school as a preparation phase for college, whereas others argue that it should serve as the ultimate training stage before students enter society,” notes Mr. Cho. This creates conflicting policy directions within the MOE, further adding to the confusion. “If we don’t clearly define what education should aim for and how to achieve it, any modifications to the admissions system will produce the same outcome.

South Korea’s college admissions system is a multifaceted and rigorous process, which reflects the country’s longstanding emphasis on education as a driver of economic growth and prosperity. Despite countless efforts to promote fairness while opening up to the international community, the South Korean government is yet to find an effective method to address the accusations of biased and impartial treatment toward local applicants. As mentioned by Professor Park, it is also important to find a solution to prevent a significant deal of potential STEM talent from being seduced by the social appeal of medical jobs. All in all, although the current situation is far from ideal, the pursuit of prestigious universities continues to fuel intense competition among domestic students and the growth of the costly private education industry. Any changes to the college admissions process will continue to be closely monitored as South Korea’s educational system strives to balance excellence, accessibility, and equity.