SNU proposes admissions system transparency

Seoul National University has unveiled a proposal to let applicants learn the specifics of the admissions system three years before they apply for college.

The scheme, which appeared on the school’s official admissions Web page, is aimed at helping teens make an informed decision about which university to apply to. The Ministry of Education said it will discuss ways of implementing the system next month.

“The purpose of the system is to relieve the anxiety of students and parents and reduce private tutoring fees,” said Kim Kyung-beom, a research professor at the SNU admissions office.

“If parents and students feel nervous due to uncertainties, they tend to heavily rely on private education. But if they know how the students will be assessed, they are likely to make a long-term plan,” said Kim.

The Korean college admissions system has long been criticized for being inconsistent and is subject to major overhauls with changes in government. Having acknowledged this inconvenience, President Park Geun-hye also pledged to release advance information on how the national college entrance exam will be conducted.

If the system goes into effect, students will be informed about how the admissions system will apply to them by the time they graduate from middle school.

SNU also suggested that each college post information about how many students they will accept and other requirements for admissions two years before the exam. The Ministry of Education should refrain from making arbitrary changes after the announcement, the report said, adding that universities should offer a detailed description of their admission plans.

“The Ministry of Education will cover the issue in August when officials announce the outlines for this year’s college entrance exam,” said a ministry representative.

BY LEE JEONG-BONG [ejpark@joongang.co.kr]