Anseong Etoos247 Dormitory Academy Presents Changes in Pharmacy College Admissions

Looking at the admission plans announced by various universities, the 2022 academic year will be a year of significant changes in college admissions.

There are many changes in early admissions as well, but we should especially pay attention to the changes in regular admissions.

The government recommends that from the 2022 academic year, more than 40% of the total freshman recruitment at 16 major universities in Seoul be conducted through regular admissions. (The 16 universities are Konkuk University, Kyung Hee University, Korea University, Kwangwoon University, Dongguk University, Sogang University, University of Seoul, Seoul National University, Seoul Women’s University, Sungkyunkwan University, Sookmyung Women’s University, Soongsil University, Yonsei University, Chung-Ang University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Hanyang University.) Accordingly, as the number of regular admission slots increases at these top universities in Seoul, opportunities for acceptance through regular admissions are also increasing.

Everyone knows that the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is crucial for success in regular admissions. The CSAT will undergo many changes starting from the 2022 academic year. Understanding these changes accurately and choosing a study strategy that works to one’s advantage is essential to seize the opportunity in college admissions.

The first change in the 2022 CSAT is the introduction of elective subjects in Korean and Mathematics. Until the 2021 academic year, Korean was a common test for both humanities and natural sciences students, but from 2022, students must choose between “Speech and Writing” or “Language and Media.” Similarly, in Mathematics, instead of the previous division between humanities and natural sciences, students will select one subject from “Calculus,” “Probability and Statistics,” or “Geometry” regardless of their track.

Second, the distinction between humanities and natural sciences, as well as social studies and science subjects, is removed in the exploration (elective) section. Until 2021, humanities students chose two subjects from nine social studies options, and natural sciences students chose two from eight science subjects. From 2022, all students can select any two subjects from both social studies and science without track restrictions.

Third, the second foreign language/Chinese characters subject will switch to absolute grading. Until 2021, English and Korean history were graded absolutely, while the second foreign language/Chinese characters were graded relatively. From 2022, English, Korean history, and the second foreign language/Chinese characters will all be graded absolutely.

Another major change in regular admissions is the reintroduction of the 6-year pharmacy program.

Since the 2009 academic year, pharmacy schools have operated on a 2+4 year system. However, from 2022, they will switch to a 6-year undergraduate program. Previously, students had to attend a general university for at least two years and then enter pharmacy graduate schools through the PEET exam and interviews. From 2022, high school graduates can enter pharmacy schools directly through early or regular admissions.

From 2022, 32 universities will recruit a total of 1,578 pharmacy freshmen. Among them, about 655 will be admitted through regular admissions. Although the early admission ratio is generally higher in pharmacy schools, in the Seoul and Gyeonggi area, the regular admission ratio approaches 50%.

In particular, Ewha Womans University (78%), Chung-Ang University (53%), Hanyang University ERICA Campus (53%), Duksung Women’s University (50%), Ajou University (50%), and Gachon University (50%) have regular admission ratios exceeding 50%. Considering the transfer of unfilled early admission slots, the regular admission ratio in Seoul and Gyeonggi pharmacy schools is even higher than the early admission ratio.

Kang Sung-jin, General Director of Anseong Etoos247 Dormitory Academy, predicted, “Based on the 2008 academic year, the regular admission cutoff scores for pharmacy schools at major Seoul universities are similar to those of medical schools in provincial universities. Therefore, there will be significant shifts in the cutoff lines for top natural science students at Yonsei University, Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University, Sogang University, and Hanyang University.”

The 2022 academic year will offer more opportunities for top-tier students through regular admissions. We sincerely hope that students will successfully navigate the changing CSAT format and the expanded recruitment quotas to achieve their college admission goals in 2022.

Meanwhile, Anseong Etoos247 Dormitory Academy is currently recruiting for its PRE early re-examination class starting December 15, giving students a head start over others.