Seoul National University Regular Admission Competition Rate 3.82 to 1, Increased from Last Year... Yonsei and Korea Universities Decline

On the morning of the 23rd, when the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test score reports were distributed, a test taker received the score report and was leaving the auditorium at Ewha Girls' High School in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] This year, the competition rate for the regular admissions at Seoul National University increased compared to last year, while those at Yonsei University and Korea University decreased.

According to Jongno Academy Sky Education on the 11th, the 2021 academic year Seoul National University regular admissions general screening, which closed on the 9th, had 3,049 applicants for 789 spots, recording a competition rate of 3.82 to 1. This was slightly higher than the 3.40 to 1 competition rate for the 2020 academic year Seoul National University regular admissions general screening.

By field, the humanities division had 930 applicants for 284 spots, showing a competition rate of 3.27 to 1, which was lower than last year's 3.45 to 1.

Conversely, the natural sciences division had 1,607 applicants for 451 spots, with a competition rate of 3.56 to 1, higher than last year's 3.16 to 1. The arts and physical education division also saw an increase, with 512 applicants for 63 spots, resulting in a competition rate of 8.13 to 1, up from last year's 7.46 to 1.

By department, in the humanities division, the education department had the highest competition rate of 23 to 1, with 23 applicants for 1 spot carried over from early admissions.

In the natural sciences division, the energy engineering department, which also recruited 1 spot carried over from early admissions, showed the highest competition rate of 9 to 1.

In the arts and physical education division, the oriental painting department attracted 13 applicants for 1 spot, showing a competition rate of 13 to 1.

Jongno Academy Sky Education analyzed that the increase in Seoul National University's regular admissions competition rate compared to last year was due to the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test's Korean language and Mathematics Type A sections being designed with good discriminative power, leading to many high scorers in the natural sciences division applying confidently.

The number of applicants carried over from early admissions to regular admissions was 47, significantly lower than last year's 177, which also seems to have contributed to the decrease in the number of regular admission spots compared to last year.

The competition rates for the regular admissions general screening at Yonsei University and Korea University, whose application deadlines also closed on this day, decreased compared to last year.

Yonsei University had 5,503 applicants for 1,412 spots in the B group general screening, resulting in a competition rate of 3.90 to 1, down from last year's 4.60 to 1.

Korea University also had 3,612 applicants for 937 spots, showing a competition rate of 3.85 to 1, lower than last year's 4.37 to 1.

Unlike Seoul National University, Yonsei University and Korea University saw lower competition rates due to many applicants prioritizing stability by applying where their chances of acceptance were higher.

Meanwhile, the average competition rate for the general screening at six education universities (Seoul National University of Education, Gyeongin National University of Education, Chuncheon National University of Education, Cheongju National University of Education, Kongju National University of Education, Gwangju National University of Education), whose application deadlines closed by the 10th, was 2.10 to 1, slightly up from last year's 2.07 to 1.