Soaring Popularity of Veterinary Schools Amid Pet Industry Growth... 190 Regular Admissions Slots Available

2022 Admission Early Decision Competition Rate 31.5 to 1
190 Students Selected Within Quota, Konkuk University Has the Most
Kyungpook National University and Jeju National University Change English Scoring
Higher Math Weight than English... Seoul National University 40%

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] As the pet industry grows and the preference for veterinarians increases, the competition rate for veterinary college admissions is becoming fierce.

According to Jinhaksa on the 4th, 10 veterinary colleges nationwide will select 190 students in the regular admissions for the 2022 academic year.

The competition rate for early admissions to veterinary colleges in the 2022 academic year was 31.5 to 1, with 9,657 applicants for 307 spots. As the pet market expands, the competition rate for regular admissions is also expected to rise.

Most Admissions at Konkuk University... Seoul National University Increases by 7

The university selecting the most students in the regular admissions is Konkuk University (43 students, Group A). In addition, Jeju National University (21 students) and Chungbuk National University (21 students) also have relatively large admission quotas. The regional talent selection, targeting local applicants, is only operated by Kangwon National University (3 students) and Chungnam National University (4 students).

Among the 10 universities, six select students in Group A, while Seoul National University, Chonnam National University, and Jeonbuk National University, which moved their admission groups this year, select a total of 49 students in Group B. Jeju National University is the only university selecting in Group C. Since Jeju National University is the only veterinary college in Group C, the trend of very high competition rates in regular admissions is expected to continue this year.

The universities with increased admission quotas are Seoul National University (7 students), Konkuk University (3 students), and Chonnam National University (2 students). The universities with decreased quotas are Kyungpook National University (3 students) and Chungbuk National University (1 student). The total number of admissions increased by 8 compared to last year. Since the number of students selected in Group B increased compared to the previous year, applicants in Group B are expected to be dispersed across universities.

Kyungpook National University and Jeju National University Changed Their Selection Methods

The weighting ratios for each CSAT subject are generally similar to last year, but there are changes at Kyungpook National University and Jeju National University. At Kyungpook National University, the scoring method for Korean, Math, and Inquiry subjects remains unchanged, but the English score has been reduced from 200 points to 100 points, significantly decreasing the influence of English. Jeju National University also reduced the English ratio by 10% and increased the science inquiry ratio, reducing the impact of English. Additionally, Seoul National University, Jeonbuk National University, and Chungnam National University use English either as bonus or penalty points, and Konkuk University, with an English weighting of 15%, has a relatively low English proportion.

However, in the regular admissions for the pre-veterinary program, math has a large weight. All 10 universities allocate more than 30% of the score to the math section. Among them, Chungnam National University reflects math (calculus and geometry) at the highest rate of 45%, followed by Seoul National University and Jeonbuk National University, which both allocate 40%.

Some universities have changed the indicators used for CSAT scores. Seoul National University previously used a converted standard score based on percentiles for the inquiry section but changed to using standard scores. Conversely, Chungnam National University changed from standard scores to converted standard scores for the inquiry section. Since the advantage or disadvantage may vary depending on the difficulty of the chosen inquiry subjects, applicants should consider their application strategies based on the CSAT indicators after the CSAT results are announced.

The pre-veterinary program at Gyeongsang National University has opened admissions to students who took probability and statistics due to changes in the CSAT, but since a 10% bonus is given to students who took calculus or geometry, those who took probability and statistics are expected to be at a disadvantage. Also, students who took social inquiry subjects still cannot apply, and a 5-10% bonus is given depending on the science inquiry subjects taken.

Woo Yeoncheol, head of the Admissions Strategy Research Institute at Jinhaksa, said, "There was an expectation that the selection for pharmacy colleges this year might affect the preference for veterinary colleges, but it seems that the high preference for veterinary colleges continues. The same may apply to regular admissions this year, so it is better to choose stable or appropriate options rather than overly ambitious applications."