Supplementary University Admissions Decrease by 8,000 Compared to Last Year... Seoul-Regional Gap Widens (Comprehensive)

Increase in High School Seniors and CSAT Test Takers Reduces Additional Recruitment
Provincial Universities Account for 92.7% of Additional Recruitment
Woosuk University, Howon University, Inje University Lead in Numbers
Myeongji University Sees Decrease in Additional Recruitment Compared to Last Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The number of additional admissions for the 2022 academic year decreased by 8,000 compared to the previous year due to an increase in the number of students. Of these, more than 90% occurred at regional universities, widening the gap between universities in the Seoul area and regional universities.

On the 22nd, the University Education Council announced that as of 6 p.m. the previous day, 14,038 students will be additionally admitted across 141 universities. Last year, 26,129 students were admitted across 162 universities, which is 8,091 fewer than this year.

In particular, the gap between universities located in Seoul and regional universities was the largest since 2019. According to data compiled by Jongno Academy excluding overseas Korean and foreigner admissions, the number of additional admissions was 17,959, of which 92.7% were at regional universities. The metropolitan area accounted for 5.2%, and Seoul area universities only 2.1%.

The universities with the highest number of additional admissions are mostly private universities located in regional areas, such as Woosuk University (649 students), Inje University (599 students), and Howon University (309 students), etc. Some universities in Seoul also began additional admissions, including Hanyang University (6 students), University of Seoul (5 students), and Sookmyung Women’s University (5 students).

Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongno Academy, explained, "The polarization in the scale of additional admissions between Seoul and regional universities is becoming more pronounced," adding, "Since the number of students decreased by 7,000 this year, the situation for the 2023 academic year will differ from last year."

The main reason for the decrease in additional admissions this year is the increase in the number of test-takers, including high school seniors taking the CSAT. For the 2022 academic year, the number of CSAT applicants increased by 16,387 compared to the previous year, and the number of high school seniors increased by 8,623. This is the result of students who struggled with the integrated CSAT actively registering and universities making strenuous efforts to increase their enrollment rates.

Myongji University, which had a decision to abolish its rehabilitation procedure, saw a decrease in additional admissions compared to expectations. As of 10 a.m., the number of additional admissions was 40, which is 22 fewer than last year’s 62. This appears to be due to the news of the abolition of the rehabilitation procedure being announced immediately after the regular admissions application deadline, leaving admitted students with fewer options.

Lim said, "If the news of the abolition of the rehabilitation procedure had been announced before the regular application deadline, the situation might have been different. This year, there was a trend of upward applications, so there were fewer additional admissions," and explained, "It was difficult for students who applied to Myongji University to have multiple admissions, which ultimately worked to Myongji University’s advantage."

According to Jongno Academy, some additional admissions were also made in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. There are a total of 9 students based on the general admission track. Among medical schools, Jeonbuk National University’s pre-medical program (regional quota) is recruiting 2 students, and Dongguk University (Gyeongju) Korean medicine program is recruiting 1 student. Among pharmacy schools, Gyeongsang National University, Kyungsung University, and Wonkwang University are recruiting 1 student each, totaling 3 students. Veterinary schools are additionally recruiting 3 students in total: 2 at Chungnam National University and 1 at Chungbuk National University. The number of additional admissions in the medical and pharmaceutical fields has also decreased by more than half compared to last year (20 students).

Additional admissions are available to those who have not been accepted or registered in early admissions or who have given up registration for regular admissions by 4 p.m. on the 21st. Successful applicants in regular admissions at industrial universities and junior colleges can apply for additional admissions regardless of registration status. However, if you apply for additional admissions while registered, your university admission may be canceled, so caution is advised. Notifications of additional admissions will be made by the 27th, and registration is due by the 28th.

Lee Mangi, director of Uway Education Evaluation Research Institute, explained, "Additional admissions are generally conducted according to the regular admissions guidelines, such as ‘100% CSAT,’ but there are exceptions, so it is important to carefully check university announcements," adding, "Recently, even top-tier universities including medical schools conduct additional admissions, and the competition tends to be higher for popular universities and departments, similar to the pattern of regular admissions."

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