Admissions heated by 'Medical School Expansion'... Increased Early Admission Competition Rates for Medical Schools at Seoul National University and Korea University

308 Increase in Early Admission Applications to Seoul National University and Korea University Medical Schools
Over 30,000 Early Admission Applicants on the Fourth Day
Increase in Graduates and Repeat Test Takers Among CSAT Examinees
Significant Increase in Medical School Quotas Expected to Lower Final Competition Rate

With the nationwide increase in medical school quotas starting from this year's college entrance exam, the competition rates for early admissions at Seoul National University and Korea University College of Medicine have risen. Based on the increase in repeat applicants (graduates or above) challenging medical school entrance exams, it is expected that the total number of early admission applicants to universities will also increase overall.

According to the admissions industry on the 12th, the number of applicants and competition rates for early admissions at Seoul National University and Korea University, which closed their application submissions the day before, both increased. Seoul National University saw an increase from 1,215 applicants last year to 1,288 this year, with the competition rate rising from 12.66 to 1 to 13.56 to 1. Korea University increased from 1,812 applicants last year to 2,047 this year, with the competition rate rising from 27.04 to 1 to 30.55 to 1.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The overall early admission competition rates for Seoul National University and Korea University also rose compared to last year. Seoul National University saw an increase of 541 applicants compared to the previous year, raising the competition rate from 8.8 to 1 to 9.1 to 1 this year. Korea University (excluding the Department of Physical Education) saw the number of applicants increase by more than 20,000, pushing the competition rate from 13 to 1 up to 20.5 to 1.

According to the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation on the 11th, the number of graduates among 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) applicants, excluding those who passed the qualification exam, was 161,784, the highest in 21 years since 2004. The estimated number of repeat applicants by Jongro Academy was also a record high at 93,195.

During the ongoing four-day early admission period for medical schools, nearly eleven times the number of available spots have already attracted applicants. As of 6 p.m. on the 11th, according to Uway, 32,594 applicants applied to early admissions at 39 medical schools nationwide. Considering the quota of 2,978 spots, this results in a competition rate of 10.9 to 1.

However, the overall increase of about 2,000 medical school spots is expected to be a variable. The final competition rate for medical school early admissions may decrease. Competition rates may differ between Seoul-area medical schools, where quotas have not changed, and regional medical schools. Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongro Academy, said, "The nationwide early admission quota for medical schools has increased from 1,872 to 3,010 within the quota. Considering the distribution of school grades and CSAT scores, it seems unlikely that applicants will increase enough to maintain last year's competition rate of 30.6 to 1 (an increase of about 30,000 applicants)."

Meanwhile, early admission application submissions, which began on the 9th, will close at different universities between the 11th and 13th. Universities closing early admission submissions on the 12th include ▲ Konkuk University (Seoul Campus) ▲ Korea University (Seoul Campus) ▲ Kongju National University of Education ▲ Dongguk University (Seoul Campus) ▲ University of Seoul ▲ Yonsei University (Seoul Campus) ▲ Ewha Womans University ▲ Korea National Sport University ▲ Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology.