Analysis Based on Regular Admission Cutoff Scores at Ten Seoul Universities
Top Students Focus on Practical and Future-Oriented Technology Fields in Department Selection
According to the results of the 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), top-performing students mainly chose business administration in the humanities track and semiconductor-related departments in the natural sciences track.
Parents and students attending the '2026 Early and Regular Admission University Selection Strategy Special Seminar' held at Jongno Academy in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are reviewing materials. Photo by Yonhap News
On November 2, Jongno Academy announced that, after analyzing regular admission cutoff scores for ten universities-including Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University, Sogang University, Hanyang University, Chung-Ang University, Kyung Hee University, Ewha Womans University, and University of Seoul-top humanities students were concentrated in business administration, while top natural sciences students achieved high cutoff scores in semiconductor-related departments.
Among the top three humanities departments (a total of 31, including tied scores), business administration accounted for five, making it the most represented. This was followed by the Division of Liberal Arts and Statistics and Public Administration, each with four departments, and Education with three. Over the past five years, business administration has consistently ranked as the top choice among high-achieving students from the 2021 to 2025 academic years.
In the natural sciences, excluding medicine and pharmacy, an analysis of pure natural sciences departments showed that, among the top 30 departments, five were semiconductor-related. Artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science each accounted for three departments, while electrical and electronic engineering and liberal arts each had two. Over the past five years, semiconductor, AI, and computer science departments have consistently maintained top cutoff scores among natural sciences students.
Lim Seongho, CEO of Jongno Academy, stated, "Top-performing students in the humanities clearly prefer business administration and the Division of Liberal Arts, while those in the natural sciences show a strong preference for semiconductor, AI, and computer-related departments. Even students admitted through undecided major tracks are highly likely to choose these departments when deciding on their majors in the future."
Meanwhile, annual analyses by department showed that, in the humanities, economics, public administration, and political science and international relations have also consistently ranked among the top, while in the natural sciences, electrical and electronic engineering and architecture have been counted among the top departments in certain years. Based on student preferences and regular admission cutoff scores, competition is expected to remain fierce between business administration and semiconductor-related departments in future university admissions and career choices.
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