Over 20,000 Visitors in the First Year
Geumcheon District’s Public Education Satisfaction Jumps from 23rd to 11th Place
"You really pinpointed the key issues, so I feel so relieved. Before coming here, my mind was extremely tangled, but now it feels properly organized. You also helped my child regain their composure after feeling so defeated."
On the afternoon of December 24, just five days before the start of regular admission applications for the 2026 university entrance exam, a parent of a high school senior shared her feelings in front of the consultation room on the second floor of the Geumcheon Career and Academic Support Center in Doksan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, saying, "I feel so much better now."
Consultant Juhan Lee of Geumcheon Jinro Jin Hak Center (center front) is consulting with parents and examinees about regular admission recruitment. Provided by Geumcheon-gu.
After finishing a consultation that lasted just over an hour, Lee Mina, a third-year student at Dongil Girls' High School, said, "Through the counseling session, I decided which schools to apply to," and added, "Once I told the counselor that I wasn't considering retaking the college entrance exam at all, the conversation flowed smoothly. Deciding where to apply and what to do next made me feel at ease."
The Geumcheon Career and Academic Support Center, operated by Geumcheon District, offers specialized programs for university admissions during both early and regular recruitment periods, supporting students throughout the entire college preparation process. Intensive counseling sessions for regular admissions are being held from December 22 to 30.
This counseling service is mainly sought by students and parents who were unsuccessful in the early admissions process. As a result, the atmosphere tends to be heavy and subdued. The masks and deeply pulled-down hats worn by students visiting the counseling room reflect their anxious mental state.
Ban Jeonghyeon, head of the Career and Academic Support Team at Geumcheon-gu and the center's director, said, "Experts with extensive experience, including former admissions officers, provide counseling to students," and added, "I feel a sense of reward when I see students and parents who arrived with gloomy faces leave with brighter expressions."
Over 20,000 Visitors in Just One Year
Since its opening on December 20 last year, the Geumcheon Career and Academic Support Center has recorded over 20,000 users in just one year, establishing itself as a key public education hub for career and academic guidance in the region. Thanks to these efforts, satisfaction with the public education environment in Geumcheon District jumped from 23rd place in 2021 to 11th place last year.
The center, which spans from one basement level to four floors above ground with a total floor area of 953 square meters, is not just a place for exam counseling. It is open to elementary, middle, and high school students as well as parents, and is equipped with student lounges, club rooms, and lecture halls. There is also a Future Career Experience Center where students can explore autonomous driving and virtual reality.
The center's strength lies in its hands-on programs. Over the past year, it has visited more than 30 elementary and middle schools in the district, providing career programs to about 15,000 students. For elementary students, it ran the "Challenge! Career Exploration Team" program; for middle schoolers, the "Happy Career Experience in School"; and for second- and third-year middle school students, it offered the "Visiting Transition Education" program to help them understand the high school credit system.
Programs for high school students are even more specialized. The "Star-Gathering Campus" program, which includes a tour of Seoul National University, features special lectures by professors and mentoring by current students. The "Excellent Company-Linked Career Program," in partnership with G-Valley companies such as Netmarble, provided opportunities for students to explore career paths directly at the companies.
The center also supports customized career experiences for out-of-school youth, students in special education, and children using local children's centers, who are at risk of educational exclusion. At the Future Career Experience Center, students can experience the world of future careers by working directly with advanced technologies such as 3D pens, coding, the metaverse, and autonomous driving robots. Ongoing programs include special lectures on artificial intelligence (AI) autonomous driving, ping-pong robot experiences, LEGO education, and webtoon workshops.
Geumcheon Career and Academic Support Center opened its doors in December last year. Provided by Geumcheon District.
'One-on-One Customized Consulting'... 94 Points for Satisfaction
The center's flagship program, one-on-one customized consulting, had 635 participants as of the end of last month. High school students accounted for 81% (514 students) of the total. By establishing a multi-layered counseling system that goes beyond simply providing admissions information to reflect students' emotional and academic states and their career exploration needs, the average satisfaction score for all counseling sessions reached 94 out of 100.
In May, the center hosted the "2025 Geumcheon Career and Academic Expo," followed by "University Admissions Early Decision Briefings" and "Early Decision Fairs" in June and July, special lectures by leading EBS instructors, in-depth lectures by field for medicine, sports, and the arts, and one-on-one counseling with current and former admissions officers. On December 11, a briefing session for the 2026 university regular admissions was also held.
The center also helps relieve parents' concerns. Topics covered include the changed university admissions system, the high school credit system, reading education to improve literacy in the AI era, how to manage the student record-based comprehensive admissions process, coaching for students' self-directed learning, and the role of parents in supporting their children's successful and happy futures. The parent professional certification course was held three times in total, with beginner and intermediate levels, and 75 parents obtained career and academic guidance specialist certification.
Yoo Seonghun, Mayor of Geumcheon District, said, "The center has become a key pillar of local education," and added, "We will operate programs even more efficiently and strengthen cooperation with the local community to complete the Geumcheon-style public education model, where everyone can enjoy fair opportunities for career and academic guidance."
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