Seoul Major Universities' Regular Admission Competition Rate Drops Sharply... Increase in Quotas and Impact of Integrated CSAT

Seoul National University 3.07:1 · Yonsei University 3.68:1
Sungkyunkwan University 4.08:1 · Sookmyung Women's University 4.28:1
Expert "Many Top-tier Students Likely Passed Early Admission"

On the 17th, the day of the 2023 College Scholastic Ability Test, examinees are waiting for the exam to start at the testing site set up at Gyeongbok High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] As the regular admission application for the 2023 academic year nationwide 4-year universities has closed, the competition rates of major universities in Seoul have slightly decreased compared to the previous year.

According to Jongno Academy on the 2nd, the competition rates for regular admissions in 2023 at Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Sungkyunkwan University fell compared to the previous year. Seoul National University saw a significant drop to 3.07:1 from 4.03:1 the previous year. Yonsei University also dropped sharply to 3.68:1 from 4.65:1 the previous year. Sungkyunkwan University’s competition rate decreased to 4.08:1 from 4.76:1 the previous year. Sookmyung Women’s University also fell to 4.28:1 this year from 4.93:1 last year.

On the other hand, Korea University slightly increased to 3.69:1 from 3.57:1 the previous year. Sejong University and Kwangwoon University also rose slightly to 6.6:1 and 7.25:1 respectively compared to the previous year.

The decline in competition rates for regular admissions at major universities in Seoul is analyzed to be due to an increase in the number of admissions and the impact of the integrated CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test). The number of regular admission slots at 42 universities in the Seoul area was 31,739, an increase of 879 from 30,860 last year. Meanwhile, the total number of CSAT test takers was 447,669, a decrease of 469 from 448,138 last year.

Additionally, the uncertainty caused by the integrated CSAT, such as cross-application between humanities and sciences, contributed to an increase in the trend of safer, lower-choice applications. It is also possible that many high scorers on the CSAT were admitted through early admissions, lowering the competition rates at top-tier universities.

Lim Sung-ho, CEO of Jongno Academy, explained, “For top or upper-middle tier universities, the application rate seems to have dropped due to the trend of safer applications. Students with high school grades tend to be high scorers on the CSAT, so it is likely that a significant number of high scorers were admitted through early admission.”

Meanwhile, this year as well, a fierce “waiting game” took place just before the application deadline. At Korea University, 44.1% (3,074) of the total applicants (6,972) applied within the last three hours before the deadline, and at Sungkyunkwan University, 55% (3,406) of the total applicants (6,195) applied during an undisclosed seven-hour period. Previously, Seoul National University also saw 43.6% (1,942) of applicants apply within three hours before the deadline.

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