Seoul Major Universities Early Admission Competition Rate Increases Compared to Last Year... Early Admissions Decrease and High School Seniors Increase

Early Admission Results: Average Competition Rate of 18.67 to 1 Across 7 Schools
Up from Last Year's 16.10 to 1 Due to Decreased Number of Openings
Korea University Sees Largest Increase, Yonsei University Only One to Decrease
Increase in Graduates Applying Due to Transition to Undergraduate Pharmacy Program

2022 Academic Year Early Admission Competition Rates for 7 Universities in Seoul

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The competition rate for early admission at major universities in Seoul has significantly increased compared to last year. This is due to the reduction in early admission slots amid the expansion of regular admissions and the rebound in the number of high school seniors compared to last year.

According to Jongno Academy on the 14th, the average competition rate for early admission applications, which closed on the 12th-13th for Kyung Hee University, Korea University, Sogang University, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, Yonsei University, and Hanyang University, was 18.67 to 1, up from 16.10 to 1 last year.

This year, the total number of early admission slots at the seven universities was 15,015, a 15.6% (2,778 slots) decrease from last year, while the number of high school seniors (446,573 students) increased by 2% (8,623 students) compared to last year, resulting in a higher competition rate.

The overall early admission competition rates for the seven universities are as follows: Kyung Hee University 22.92 to 1, Korea University 14.66 to 1, Sogang University 28.84 to 1, Seoul National University 6.25 to 1, Sungkyunkwan University 24.31 to 1, Yonsei University 14.64 to 1, and Hanyang University 25.67 to 1.

Among these, Korea University saw a significant increase to 14.66 to 1 from 9.54 to 1 last year, whereas Yonsei University’s rate decreased to 14.64 to 1 from 18.06 to 1 last year. Yonsei University was the only one among the seven universities to experience a decline in competition rate.

Korea University’s early admission slots were drastically reduced (by 925), but the number of applicants increased by about 4,000, causing the competition rate to rise sharply. The lack of restrictions on eligibility, including graduates, and the abolition of self-introduction essays reduced the burden on applicants, leading to a significant increase in applicants for the general admission track (academic excellence type). On the other hand, Yonsei University’s essay test was held on October 2, before the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), increasing the preparation burden for applicants, and the introduction of a limit on recommenders for the student record-based recommendation track caused a decrease in applicants.

Sogang University recorded the highest competition rate among the seven universities at 28.84 to 1. By admission type, the rates were: essay track 101.86 to 1, comprehensive student record (general) 14.1 to 1, and student record-based (principal recommendation) 13.23 to 1. Although the number of early admission slots decreased by 131 compared to the previous year, the number of applicants only decreased by 688, resulting in a relative increase in competition rate. The newly established student record-based principal recommendation track, which selected 172 students and attracted 2,276 applicants, was a factor that raised the overall competition rate.

Kyung Hee University closed this year with a competition rate of 22.92 to 1, higher than last year’s 18.59 to 1. At the Seoul campus, the essay excellence track had the highest competition rate at 100.86 to 1, followed by the Neo Renaissance track at 17.03 to 1, and the high school linkage track at 10.56 to 1. Among the essay excellence track, the natural sciences had very high competition rates in the medical fields: Pharmacy (431.63 to 1), Medicine (210.73 to 1), and Dentistry (175.55 to 1). In the humanities, the highest competition rate was recorded by the Korean Medicine/Humanities track at 303.6 to 1.

Sungkyunkwan University’s competition rate rose to 24.31 to 1 from 21.26 to 1 last year. Although the number of early admission slots decreased by 277 compared to the previous year, 4,864 applicants applied for the newly established student record-based (principal recommendation) track this year, increasing the total number of applicants by 713. Additionally, increased interest in the pharmacy department also contributed to raising the overall competition rate. Among departments, the newly established pharmacy department in the essay excellence track recorded the highest competition rate at 666.4 to 1.

Hanyang University selected 1,824 students with 46,831 applicants, recording a competition rate of 25.67 to 1. By admission type, the competition rates were: essay track 97.51 to 1, comprehensive student record (general) 16.16 to 1, and student record-based (regional balanced development) 8.09 to 1, all of which increased compared to last year. The essay track saw a significant rise in competition rate as the number of applicants increased despite a large reduction in slots. In the student record-based (regional balanced development) track, the Biotechnology department had a competition rate of 16.67 to 1, and in the comprehensive student record (general) track, the Biotechnology department recorded a high competition rate of 42.17 to 1.

Woo Yeon-cheol, director of the Admissions Strategy Research Institute at Jin Hak Sa, analyzed, "The rise in early admission competition rates at major universities in Seoul this year appears to be due to the decrease in early admission slots and, unlike previous years, the school-age population not declining. The conversion of pharmacy departments to undergraduate recruitment this year and the significant increase in applications to medical fields, along with the increased possibility of meeting the minimum CSAT score requirements due to the integrated CSAT for natural sciences students, have led to more active applications from graduates."

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