School Violence Records to Affect College Admissions from 2026
Chungbuk Sees Highest Increase Nationwide
The number of school violence cases reviewed by high schools nationwide last year increased by more than 27% compared to the previous year. As the results of school violence disciplinary actions will be reflected in both early and regular college admissions starting this year, the review process is drawing even more attention.
On May 6, Jongro Academy announced that the number of school violence reviews in 2024 reached 7,446 cases, a 27.6% increase from 5,834 cases in the previous year. This is based on an analysis of School Information Disclosure data from 2,379 high schools in 2023 and 2,380 in 2024. By region, 14 out of 17 cities and provinces saw an increase in the number of school violence reviews, with only Daejeon, Gangwon, and Jeju experiencing a decrease.
In particular, Chungbuk recorded the largest increase, with the number of school violence reviews rising by 56.2%. Gyeonggi Province (up 46.7%) and Gyeongnam (up 44.5%) followed. In Seoul, the number increased by 26.8%. In contrast, Jeju (down 30.1%), Gangwon (down 8.6%), and Daejeon (down 6.3%) were the only three regions to see a decrease.
By type of school violence reviewed, there were 3,311 cases of verbal abuse, 2,911 cases of physical violence, 1,506 cases of cyberbullying, 1,251 cases of sexual violence, 412 cases of extortion, 411 cases of coercion, 327 cases of ostracism, and 531 cases classified as other. Since a single review can include multiple types of violence, the total number of types reviewed exceeds the total number of cases (7,446).
The total number of actual disciplinary actions resulting from the reviews was 12,975. The most frequently imposed measure was Category 2 (prohibition of contact, threats, or retaliation), accounting for 27.3% of the total. This was followed by Category 1 (written apology, 19.6%), Category 3 (school service, 18.8%), and Category 5 (completion of special education or psychological counseling, 18.1%).
When broken down by type of high school, general high schools had the highest number of reviews. However, the rate of increase was greatest in science high schools. The number of cases in general high schools rose by 40.1%, from 2,493 to 4,894. Science high schools (up 106.7%), gifted schools (up 50.0%), and Meister high schools (up 44.3%) also showed significant increases.
Starting with the 2026 college admissions cycle, most major universities will impose severe disadvantages in both early and regular admissions for applicants involved in school violence. Seoul National University will reflect all disciplinary actions in its holistic evaluation for both early and regular admissions. Yonsei University and Korea University will deduct points or restrict applications depending on the admissions process. Most major universities, including Sungkyunkwan University, Sogang University, and Hanyang University, will also impose strict disadvantages on applicants who have received school violence disciplinary actions.
Jongro Academy stated, "The increase in the number of school violence reviews is because school violence is now directly reflected in college admissions, making it a critical issue in the admissions process." The academy added, "The types of violence are being identified and recognized in very specific terms, so incidents are more likely to lead directly to formal reviews." They further explained, "Especially with the introduction of the five-tier school grading system starting in the 2028 admissions cycle, there will be more ties among top students, so school violence disciplinary records could have a fatal impact on college admissions."
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