Entrance competition rates for major universities increase

Students post a notice of the application center at Hansung University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on March 3, as the application process for the 2024 university entrance examination begins. Yonhap News Agency

The nationwide competition rate for universities of education, which had been on the decline due to a decrease in the school-age population, reached a five-year high in the 2024 college entrance examination. It is interpreted that the number of test takers who expected a "low pass line" has gathered. Competition rates for entering major universities in Seoul have risen as the number of test takers who apply for universities where they want to go even if they have to take the entrance test once again next year increased.

According to institutes about the college entrance exam on January 7, the entrance competition rate of 10 universities of education across the country jumped from 1.87 to 1 last year to 3.15 to 1 this year as a result of the application for regular admission for the 2024 school year, which ended on the 6th. This is the highest in the last five years. The average entrance competition rate of three elementary education departments of general universities also increased from 3.72 to 1 last year to 4.24 to 1 this year.

The popularity of educational colleges has been on the decline due to a decrease in the number of teachers, a decrease in the school-age population, and an increase in the competition rate for elementary school teacher employment exams. The regular competition rate for 13 educational universities and elementary education departments nationwide was 2.07 to 1 in 2020, 2.27 to 1 in 2021, 2.38 to 1 in 2022, and 1.96 to 1 in 2023.

Entrance competition rates for top universities in Seoul have generally risen due to the trend of students applying for the schools they really want to go to. According to Jongno Academy, the number of applicants to the top 10 universities in Seoul increased by 10,242 (15.7 percent) from 65,375 last year to 75,617 this year. The competition rate of Seoul National University rose sharply from 3.07 to 1 last year to 4.44 to 1 this year, the highest ever, while Yonsei University (4.62 to 1) and Korea University (4.19 to 1) also recorded higher competition rates than the previous year. On the other hand, Konkuk University (from 7.64 to 1 to 6.92 to 1), Kookmin University (from 5.96 to 1 to 5.88 to 1), and Dongguk University (from 5.2 to 1 to 4.77 to 1) saw a decline in the competition rate. The competition rate of regional universities outside Seoul was similar to that of last year, with a decrease in the number of applicants.

Lee Man-ki, head of the Uway Institute for Education Evaluation, said, "Except for a few top-tier universities, most universities did not overcome the aftermath of the decline in the number of high school seniors and closed applications at a lower competition rate than last year.”

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.