Decrease in University Regular Admission Competition Rate... Relative Popularity of AI, Big Data, and Semiconductor Related Departments

Competition Rates for Regular Admissions at Major Universities Except Seoul National University All Decline
Departments Related to the 4th Industrial Revolution Higher Than Natural Sciences Average

On December 3, 2020, the day of the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test, a test taker who finished the exam at Deoksung Girls' High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is leaving the test site while receiving encouragement from family. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Amid a significant decline in regular admission competition rates at universities due to a decrease in the school-age population, departments related to artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and semiconductors showed relatively high competition rates.

According to the admissions industry on the 12th, this year Seoul National University's regular admission competition rate was 3.82 to 1, higher than last year's 3.40 to 1. In contrast, Korea University dropped from 4.37 to 1 last year to 3.85 to 1. Yonsei University also decreased from 4.60 to 1 last year to 3.90 to 1. Sogang University fell from 4.74 to 1 last year to 3.81 to 1 this year, and Ewha Womans University (3.33 to 1), Chung-Ang University (8.78 to 1), and Hanyang University (4.81 to 1) also all declined. It is expected that mid-tier universities and those located in provincial areas will see even larger drops in regular admission competition rates.

In this situation, departments related to the 4th industrial revolution such as AI, big data, and semiconductors performed well in regular admission competition rates. Newly established departments recruiting freshmen for the first time also showed high competition rates.

Korea University's Semiconductor Engineering had a competition rate of 3.94 to 1, Convergence Energy Engineering 6.6 to 1, and Data Science 4.89 to 1, showing competition rates similar to or higher than the natural sciences average of 4.1 to 1. At Yonsei University, the natural sciences average was 3.89 to 1, but the System Semiconductor Engineering department had a competition rate of 4.88 to 1. Hanyang University's Data Science was 8 to 1, and Inha University's Artificial Intelligence and Smart Mobility departments had relatively high competition rates of 7.27 to 1 and 7.69 to 1, respectively. At Soongsil University, the AI Convergence Department's competition rate rose to 7.11 to 1 from 5.72 to 1 the previous year. The newly established Chung-Ang University AI Department recorded 7.91 to 1.

Lee Mangi, director of the Uway Education Evaluation Research Institute, analyzed, "Even among top-tier universities, some departments showed relatively high competition rates compared to other departments due to employment-guaranteed contract-type departments or benefits such as scholarships."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.