Ten Autonomous Private High Schools Nationwide to Recruit About 2,500 New Students Next Year

The nationwide competition for admission among 10 autonomous private high schools (Jasago) has begun as they have consecutively finalized and announced their 2024 academic year freshman recruitment guidelines for middle school 3rd-grade examinees.

Minjok Leadership Academy. Photo by Asia Economy DB

According to the 2024 academic year freshman recruitment guidelines posted on December 9 on the websites of the 10 nationwide Jasago schools, these schools will select a total of 2,575 freshmen (based on the quota) for the next year. The number of recruits has slightly decreased by 16 compared to the 2023 academic year.

By school, the numbers are as follows: Hanago (Seoul) 200 students, Incheon Haneulgo (Incheon) 225 students, Hyundai Cheongun High School (Ulsan) 180 students, Yongin Foreign Language University High School (Gyeonggi) 350 students, Minjok Sagwan High School (Gangwon) 160 students, Bukil High School (Chungnam) 360 students, Sangsango (Jeonbuk) 336 students, Gwangyang Jecheol High School (Jeonnam) 224 students, Pohang Jecheol High School (Gyeongbuk) 300 students, and Gimcheon High School (Gyeongbuk) 240 students.

Application submissions will be conducted according to each school's own schedule between December 1 and 14.

According to Jongno Academy, the average competition rate for these 10 Jasago schools was 1.82 to 1 in the 2023 academic year admissions held last year, and 1.57 to 1 in the 2022 academic year.

This year, factors causing both decreases and increases in competition rates are mixed, and since middle school 3rd-grade students are the last cohort to be subject to the current university admission system, there is analysis that the admission competition will have more variables than in previous years.

The significant reduction of documents such as self-introduction letters in university early admissions has increased the importance of school grades, which is a factor contributing to the decline in competition rates.

However, the fact that Jasago schools still show strong admission results to top universities and medical schools amid the 'medical school concentration' phenomenon is evaluated as a factor increasing competition rates.

An official from the Ministry of Education stated, "We plan to revise the enforcement decree to specify the obligation to select 20% local talent, and apply this from the 2025 academic year freshmen who will start their admissions process at the end of next year."