South Korea's college entrance system
Currently, South Korea's college entrance system is a system in which high school graduates and graduates or those with equivalent academic backgrounds take exams to enter university in the Republic of Korea, mainly based on grades and other factors in the student records and grades of the the College Scholastic Ability Test.[1]
In Korea, the following factors are mainly reflected in college entrance exams.
It is commonly called the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), and it has the most influence on college entrance exams in South Korea. Recently, however, the influence of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) has expanded further as the influence of the student record has expanded.[2]
Also called the school records or the academic reports. As a material containing the overall record of high school student life, it is divided into "curriculum grades" based on the grading system and "non-curriculum grades," which records information such as volunteer work, certificates, English public certificates and awards.[3]
Comparative school grades are assigned to students who have graduated from high school for a certain period of time[4] (The year of graduation varies from university to university), or who do not have a school record, such as those who pass the qualification exam, with grades on the College Scholastic Ability Test or essay tests.
It is a self-evaluation test conducted by the university, and there are mainly essay tests, and some are conducted by applying various evaluation methods for each university, such as interview , major aptitude test, and practical skill test. Recently, the number of Admission Officer System has been increasing.[5]
From 1946 to 1953, the independent examination system for each university was implemented. This is a way for each university to conduct tests on its own to select students. In 1954, Combined College Entrance Exam was conducted, and only the students who passed it were allowed to take the independent examination system for each university. From 1955 to 1961, the independent examination system was implemented again by universities. From 1962 to 1963, only students who passed the college entrance qualification examination system were allowed to take the university independent exam, similar to the 1954 Combined College Entrance Exam. From 1964 to 1968, the independent examination system was implemented again by universities, from 1969 to 1981, only students who passed the preliminary examination and the main exam were allowed to go to college except in 1981, when the main exam was abolished.[6]
From 1982 to 1993, students were selected through the achievement test and university examination. Until the 1987, students first took the achievement test to check their scores and applied to universities based on this score. Starting in 1988, students who wanted to apply to universities first applied for one university each at the time of recruitment (former period and latter period) and took the test at the university they applied for.[7] Also referred to as the "Apply first, Test later.".[6]
From 1994, the recruitment unit was changed to Ga, Na, and Da-category (In the past, there was also the La-category) according to the entrance examination period, and the achievement test was abolished and the College Scholastic Ability Test was conducted. In the 1994 college entrance exam, both the College Scholastic Ability Test and the university examination were held, but later, essay tests or interviews were taken from 1997 to the present day in accordance with the government's policy of "banning the main exam," and they are scored and reflected in the entrance examination.[8] It is also referred to as the "Test first, Apply later" in comparison to previous college entrance system.[6]
Early admission began in 1997 when the main exam was abolished.[9] It is largely divided into the first and second rounds, with the first being conducted before the College Scholastic Ability Test and the second being after the College Scholastic Ability Test. If necessary, a third round of recruitment may be conducted. In early admission, the reflection rate of the College Scholastic Ability Test will be lowered, and the contents of the university examination or student record will be reflected more in the selection of students.
Initially, the recruitment was divided into the first semester and the second semester, and the recruitment for the first semester of early admission was conducted until the 2009 school year. It has been abolished since the 2010 school year and is only recruiting students for the second semester of early admission.[10]
In early admission, the scores of the College Scholastic Ability Test are not reflected because the early admission process is conducted ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test. In fact, however, most universities use the grade scores of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) to implement the lowest grading system. Therefore, the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is actually reflected. However, public opinion is divided over the pros and cons of the recent abolition of the lowest grading system at some universities.[11]
Originally, there was no limit on the number of applications, but as a number of problems such as application costs were raised, applications can be applied up to six times from the 2013 school year(Only four-year universities (including universities of education) are applicable, except for industrial universities, colleges of expertise, and other universities.), and eligibility for applications can be limited by university. In addition, there was no unregistered recruitment, but in order to minimize the number of people carried forward from the regular admission process from the 2012 school year, unregistered recruitment was also introduced.[12]
Those who have passed early recruitment and unregistered recruitment (except for those who have passed unregistered recruitment only in the 2012 school year when the number of unregistered recruits was first introduced) are not apply for regular admission. Due to the advantage of being able to select excellent students in advance, the proportion of early admissions is increasing. In particular, the number of comprehensive student records screening is increasing, and the number of comprehensive screening considering sincerity, serviceability, and creativity is increasing the most.
The portion of the early admissions for college entrance exams in 2019 is expected to be 76.2 percent, the largest ever.[13]
The early admission is largely divided into four types: the comprehensive student record screening, the student record curriculum screening, the essay screening, and the special talent screening.
Critics call it a "gold spoon admission," which results in different results depending on parents' economic or information power. Criticism has been raised that private education aimed at creating a "spec" to be listed in the student record has become a "gold spoon screening" and that it is driving top-ranked students to win in-school awards that will highlight their school records.[18][19]
There are voices calling for the improvement of the school record, which is a major evaluation factor for the comprehensive student record admission process. Complaints are high about the burden of non-curriculum activities, and 86.7% of students (9,507), 85.3% of parents (4,129), and 92.5% (1,434 teachers) said they were "burdened with preparation for non-curriculum activities."[20] In addition, more than 300 cases of unauthorized correction or manipulation of student records have been detected in the past three years (as of November 2017), causing heavy workload among teachers, and suggesting that it is a record for college admissions rather than for students' growth development.[21]
Opinion polls also show that the public's perception of the comprehensive student record screening system is not good. In a survey conducted by Realmeter, 14.6 percent of respondents said "the comprehensive student record screening should be abolished completely" and 36.2 percent said it should be reduced. The current maintenance and expansion responses were 19.3 percent and 18.0 percent, respectively. 32.1 percent of the respondents cited "a drastic reduction in non-curriculum activities" as one of the things that needs to be improved regarding the comprehensive student record screening. 21.2 percent wanted to "strengthen the disclosure of information at universities," 18.7 percent wanted "monitor fairness at external agencies" and 14.2 percent wanted "reducing the influence of schools and homeroom teachers.[22]
Regular admission takes place after the results of the College Scholastic Ability Test are announced. In regular admission, a total of three applications can be applied for each recruitment category (Ga, Na, and Da-category, and in the past, there was also the La-category)[23], one for each on-time recruitment(As with the six-time limit of early admission, except for industrial universities, colleges, and other universities). In some cases, students are selected by mixing the results of the CSAT scores with the school records , and in soZme cases, students are selected only by reflecting 100% of the CSAT. In some universities, all colleges of the universities recruit students from the same category, and some universities select students from different categories.[24]
Standard scores and percentiles of the College Scholastic Ability Test are mainly used for regular admission, but in some cases, grades are also utilized. Also, English and Korean history, which are conducted on an absolute evaluation basis, will be reflected grade unconditionally.[25][26]
In a survey conducted by Realmeter, 55.5 percent of the respondents said regular admissions centered on the CSAT should account for more than 60 percent. 22.3 percent of the respondents said the proportion of regular admissions should be between 10 and 40 percent, while 17.7 percent said it should be around 50 percent.[22]
Special admission is a system in which only four-year universities recruit students with excellent College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) scores in advance rather than regular admission. It was conducted early in the introduction of the College Scholastic Ability Test, and screening begins before the results of the College Scholastic Ability Test are announced.
Special recruitment was abolished in 2002 when the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was switched to a nine-grade system.[27]
Additional recruitment is conducted for four-year colleges only if they fail to recruit students even after the regular admission process, and is usually conducted at local universities or some special admissions that are difficult to recruit students.[28]
The tests conducted by each university to select the students they want in early or regular admissions are called university examination. The widely known types of university exams include essay tests, interview tests, practical tests, and major aptitude tests. Taking university exams in the form of so-called "main exams" before 1994 is prohibited by the Ministry of Education's "three no" policy[29]. However, the possibility of resurrection is being raised.[29]
The general screening is a method of selecting ordinary students from within the quota by using student records, the College Scholastic Ability Test, and the university examination.
The special screening can be largely divided into two types: the special screening system in the quota and the extra-quota special screening.
The special screening system within the quota includes special talent screening for employed people and students who have performed well in music, art, sports and other specialties.[30] Most universities usually select and implement their own standards when implementing the special admission system within the quota. In this case, it is conducted in consideration of the school's ideology (especially private universities) or characteristics. In other words, the special screening system within the quota can be largely divided into three types: the employed screening, specialty screening, and independent standard screening by universities. It is mainly being recruited from early admission. Occasionally, regular admissions may be conducted, but the number is small compared to early admissions. However, as major universities in Seoul increase the proportion of regular admissions, the Special screening system within the quota tends to be abolished.[31]
The extra-quota special screening is largely divided into five categories: special screening for vocational high school graduates, special screening for agricultural and fishing village students (It mainly targets towns and townships, and sometimes includes the government's "new vital areas" (Namwon City, Gimje City, Naju City, Taebaek City, Mungyeong City, and Sangju City) according to university standards), special screening for special education targets for disabled people, special screening for overseas Koreans (The rule also applies to North Korean defectors) and foreigners (Even foreign nationals cannot apply for this admission if one of their parents holds Korean nationality. However, if one of the parents is Chinese, even if the other is Korean, it is possible to apply for), special screening for students who are socially marginalized or have a special home environment. It is mainly conducted on regular admission, but recently, it is increasingly conducted on early admission.[32]