University entrance exams approach in South Korea: Overemphasis on medical school entrance exams seen in increasing number of repeat applicants

On the 14th of this month, South Korea will hold the College Scholastic Ability Test (School Scholastic Ability Test), which is equivalent to the Japanese Common University Entrance Examination. In South Korea, the quota for medical schools will be increased from next year, and due to this,
The number of students taking the exam for the final exam in the university entrance exam for the first time since 2004 was the highest since 2004. It is believed that many students chose to take the exam again after last year's exam in anticipation of an increase in the number of students entering medical school.
Even though students are admitted to Seoul National University, considered the most difficult university to get into in South Korea, there is an increasing number of students who drop out in their first year to go on to medical school or medical faculty.
The high school entrance exam is held every November. Korean university entrance exams are divided into regular and regular admissions.
For regular admissions, students are selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of their school record, self-introduction letter, teacher recommendation letter, and interview. On the other hand, for regular admissions, students are selected based on their results in the college entrance exam.
On the day of the high school entrance exam, students are given priority in every aspect. Government offices and some companies delay their arrival times to work, and public offices in Seoul
Public transport companies will increase subway and bus services, and airports will ban aircraft from taking off and landing during the listening test.
It goes without saying that Korean society is a highly educated society. Among the many universities, Seoul National University,
The three universities, Yonsei University, and Korea University, are highly regarded as prestigious and difficult to get into, and are commonly referred to as "SKY" after the initials of their alphabet.
Students are looking to enter top universities such as "SKY". Not only the cram school industry, but also other industries are releasing products and holding events for students at this time of year.
Starbucks has released cookies in the shape of a four-leaf clover, which symbolizes good luck.
Meanwhile, according to South Korea's public broadcaster KBS, before the high school entrance exam, unfair advertisements claiming to be "medicines that improve concentration while studying" have been posted online.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an intensive online inspection for 10 days from the 15th of last month and found many cases of inappropriate advertising.
The group uncovered 83 posts containing information about the illegal distribution of drugs to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and 711 posts related to the illegal distribution of drugs to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
"These products included advertisements that pretended to be medicines that were effective in improving concentration, as well as illegal products that contained narcotic ingredients," the agency said.
However, they are urging caution, saying that the test will not improve concentration and may instead cause side effects such as insomnia.
According to the results of the "2019 CSAT," the number of high school graduates and people who passed the University Entrance Qualification Examination (Daikei) who took the exam this year was 181,893, the highest number since 2004 (198,025).
The South Korean government has decided to increase the number of students admitted to medical schools from next year in an effort to alleviate the doctor shortage, and it is believed that many students chose to repeat their exams after last year's.
It is believed that this has had a major impact on the increase in repeat applicants. Medical schools are popular, and the number of applicants to Seoul National University's Medical School increased by 73 (66%) from last year (1,215).
%), and the number of applicants to Korea University College of Medicine increased by 235 (13%) from last year (1,812).
In recent years, students who have been accepted into other departments at Seoul National University have been unable to attend the university in their first year.
The number of students voluntarily dropping out of Seoul National University is increasing sharply. Rep. Baek Seung A, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee and a member of the main opposition Democratic Party, obtained a report from the university titled "Seoul National University Freshman Dropouts in the Last Three Years"
According to the "Situation" report, a total of 611 freshmen at the university voluntarily withdrew from the university between 2021 and the first semester of this year. Voluntary withdrawals were 161 (4.7%) out of 3,358 freshmen in the 2021 academic year.
The following year, in fiscal year 2010, the number was 204 out of 3,343 (5.9%), and last year it was 235 out of 3,610 (6.5%), continuing to increase.
According to the Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, Lee Man-gi, director of the Uway Education Evaluation Institute, said in an interview with the newspaper, "Korea's
Dropping out as soon as he entered Seoul National University, a high school, is a sign that he is entering the so-called "medical faculties" such as the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Oriental Medicine (Korean Traditional Chinese Medicine), and Faculty of Pharmacy, which require higher grades.
"It seems that they are aiming to enter the university," he said. In Korea, a society that values academic achievement, the medical profession is an attractive occupation that guarantees status and can bring high income.
However, you should not be attracted to these aspects alone when applying to medical school. This year, when the Korean government announced its policy to increase the number of medical school students, the medical community rebelled, and interns left the profession en masse. As a result, the number of doctors
Some hospitals were forced to temporarily close due to lack of medical staff, and patients were forced to undergo scheduled surgeries.
You should attempt the exam.