[South Korea's Education Lost Its Way]⑦Without Money, Even Retaking the Exam Is Impossible

Boarding Repeat Academies: Monthly Tuition Ranges from 4 to 5 Million Won
Total Monthly Expenses, Including Tutoring and Allowance, Can Reach 7 Million Won
Parents Say, "Spent 30 Million Won on My Child's Repeat Year"
Despite the Financial Burden, N-susaeng Students Say, "Can't Repeat Without an Academy"

Can students escape the grip of private education after graduating from high school? If they fail to gain university admission, the "swamp of private education" awaits. This is commonly referred to as "N-susaeng," meaning students who retake the college entrance exam multiple times.

The saying, "Parents without money can't even afford to let their child retake the exam," has long become a part of everyday conversation.

According to the admissions industry, the monthly tuition for a regular repeat student class is in the 2 million won range, while boarding academies charge between 4 million and 5 million won per month.

At S Boarding Academy, the monthly tuition alone is 3,937,000 won. On top of that, there are additional costs of about 300,000 won per month for mock exams and textbooks. If a student wants a single room, they must pay an extra 300,000 won. Including pocket money, the total monthly cost for boarding academy repeat students exceeds 5 million won.

There are also "boarding medical school classes." D Academy, which operates such a program, sets the monthly fee at 3,940,000 won, including 1,590,000 won for tuition, 840,000 won for meals, and 1,500,000 won for dormitory fees. Fees for study rooms, mock exams, content, textbooks, and uniforms are all charged separately.

Of course, these are only a few extreme cases. However, it is widely accepted in the field that even during a repeat year, it is virtually impossible to escape private education.

On the 23rd, a banner recruiting repeat students is hung on the exterior wall of an academy located in the academy district of Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

On the 20th, a phrase reading "Medical School Repeat Student" was written on the window of an academy located in the Daechi-dong academy district in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

Park, a 19-year-old student the reporter met in a comprehensive repeat class, said, "I spend 7 million won a month." He explained, "This is because, in addition to tuition, I spend 3 million won on private tutoring." Repeat academies also offer paid clinic classes outside of the regular curriculum.

Households with repeat students are under immense financial strain. Ko, a 50-year-old parent whose son repeated for half a year last year, said, "My son attended a repeat academy for seven months, and we spent 30 million won," adding, "I'm just relieved he was able to get into a top university."

Despite the back-breaking costs, N-susaeng students say, "It is hard to get into a good university without an academy."

Kim, a 20-year-old repeat student, said, "Unless you are naturally gifted at studying, it seems almost impossible without an academy." Another repeat student, Choi, also 20, said, "The content in the comprehensive repeat program is better than at school," and added, "I'm anxious that I'll fall behind if I don't receive private education." Lee, a 20-year-old aspiring medical student, said, "I'm worried because the number of medical school seats has decreased compared to last year," and added, "All I can do is control myself and study according to the schedule set by the comprehensive repeat class."

As current students are pushed out by repeat students and choose to repeat themselves, the reality is that one in three people taking the CSAT is now an N-susaeng.

According to the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, over the past ten years (2015?2024), the number of current students dropped from 461,622 to 287,502, but the number of N-susaeng increased from 133,213 to 157,368. Some analysts predict that the number of N-susaeng taking this year's CSAT could reach around 200,000.

Song Gichang, professor emeritus at Sookmyung Women's University Department of Education, said, "Spending on private education due to repeating the exam ultimately reduces other household expenditures and, for society as a whole, leads to waste."