About Korea's College Entrance Examination

The Korean National College Entrance Examination, also known as the "College Ability Examination" (referred to as the "Ability Examination"), requires candidates to complete four subjects in one day (starting at 8: 4 a.m., and taking math after a 2-minute break). In the afternoon, I will take an English test, and finally I will take an examination of the selected subjects of liberal arts and science. After that, you have to go through layers of interviews at the university before you can be admitted. According to the statistics of Korea Higher Education Association, Korean universities plan to enroll 67, students this year, which is much higher than the number of candidates, but only 377,463 students are enrolled in four-year universities, which is about 12, fewer than last year.

In South Korea, graduates from Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University and other famous schools occupy important positions in all sectors of society, so entering a famous school means having a good personal relationship, and "half the battle". In the minds of many Korean parents, whether they can be admitted to a prestigious school is not only related to their children's future, but also affects their marriage. "After graduating from a prestigious university, you can find the right person on a blind date." This invisibly brings great pressure to candidates. Every year in the exam, the students in Grade One and Grade Two of Senior High School have to hold slogans and shout slogans to cheer for the candidates. This form of exam-aid also adds psychological pressure to the candidates.

If the college entrance examination fails, students who still hope to go to a prestigious school can only retake the exam, and some people have to find jobs directly. Under the pressure, some people think of cheating to get good grades. In 24, in South Korea, students used mobile phones to cheat collectively, and 24 students from seven high schools were involved in the case, which caused an uproar in public opinion. While attacking this disgraceful behavior, the media are also reflecting on the disadvantages of the college entrance examination, a system that brands students with grades based on their achievements. Not only did they cheat, but some students with poor tolerance even committed suicide because of the college entrance examination. In recent years, candidates often commit suicide because of poor grades.

The cruel college entrance examination has also increased the burden on Korean families. The college entrance examination has now become an industry in South Korea, and private tutorial schools have started various remedial classes by using the psychology of students and parents. After class from school, students go straight to cram schools to study late into the night instead of going home. Some students even go to cram schools to sleep during the day and study at night. According to Korean media reports, last year, apart from public education, Korean families spent the most on private education for their children in OECD countries.

"four in and five out" highlights the competitive pressure

Some Korean media described the college entrance examination as follows: "This is an annual large-scale activity that determines people's fate, which is more cruel than the death penalty. Only a few people can become aristocrats after the college entrance examination, and most people will become victims." However, the college entrance examination is only one aspect of highlighting the competitive pressure in Korean society. Koreans have been crammed into various remedial classes by their parents since childhood, and the sense of competition has been deeply implanted in the hearts of Koreans since then. As an adult, Korean men have to endure compulsory military service for nearly two years and suffer physical and mental suffering. Entering the society means a new competitive pressure. After the financial crisis, the economic situation in South Korea is not very good, and the youth unemployment rate is close to 8%. If you don't try to keep your knowledge updated, you will soon be abandoned in the ruthless assessment and worry about unemployment all day. Therefore, "four in and five out" (sleeping for 4 hours a day will lead to to be no.1; Sleeping for five hours a day will ruin Sun Shan) is not only used to describe the pain of senior three students' life, but has become a popular concept in Korean society.