Eldest Child's CSAT Finished, Now It's Mom's Turn... Daechi-dong Admission Briefing Packed

Famous Academy Districts Hold Consecutive Briefings
Preparing for Major University Admission System Reforms

With major reforms to the university entrance examination system scheduled, it has been reported that famous hagwon districts are also engaged in an 'entrance exam briefing war.'

Famous hagwon areas such as Daechi-dong in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, will begin holding briefing sessions in earnest starting this month. The target audience is prospective high school freshmen, aiming to prepare in advance for high school subjects such as Korean, English, and Math during the winter vacation and to get ready for the upcoming reformed entrance exam system.

Many briefing sessions are also held for prospective elementary and middle school students. In the case of EBS Middle School Premium, from the 16th, they will hold the 'Winter Vacation Middle School Study Strategy Briefing for Top Academic Performers' available for prospective middle school to high school students.

Entrance exam briefing session at the academy district in Daechi-dong, Gangnam, Seoul [Image source=Yonhap News]

The briefing, conducted in three parts, provides detailed information on high school entrance and university admissions, aiming to alleviate the anxiety and uncertainty of both parents and children.

The surge in entrance exam briefings in hagwon districts is driven by changes in the entrance exam system. The high school credit system will be introduced in 2025, and the entrance exam system will be reformed in 2028. This naturally causes anxiety among prospective middle and high school students.

In particular, the 2028 university entrance exam reform will apply starting with the 2028 College Scholastic Ability Test taken by this year's middle school second graders. According to the new reform plan, from that year onward, regardless of whether students are in the humanities or sciences track, they will take both Integrated Social Studies and Integrated Science in the CSAT inquiry section.

High school internal grades will also change from the existing 9-grade system to a 5-grade system. Internal evaluation will be converted according to each grade with the following proportions: 1st grade (10%), 2nd grade (24%, cumulative 34%), 3rd grade (32%, cumulative 66%), 4th grade (24%, cumulative 90%), and 5th grade (10%, cumulative 100%).

As the overall entrance exam system is reformed, entrance exam strategies and responses will inevitably undergo significant changes as well.