Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
NLCS Jeju Class of 2024 secures top university placements globally
Graduates of North London Collegiate School Jeju's Class of 2024 throw their mortarboards in the air during the valedictory ceremony at the school on Jeju Island, June 8. Courtesy of North London Collegiate School Jeju
By Jung Da-hyun
North London Collegiate School (NLCS) Jeju has announced the outstanding achievements of its Class of 2024, with students securing places at many of the world’s top universities following their achievements in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
Out of 108 IB Diploma Program candidates, the school achieved a 99 percent pass rate, significantly outperforming the global average of 80 percent. The students' average score of 36.2 also exceeded the worldwide average of 30.3, with two students achieving a perfect score of 45 points.
Following these exceptional performances, these graduates are set to begin their studies at some many of the world’s top universities.
A total of 64 percent of the graduates will study in the United States, including five students gaining admission to Ivy League schools. Additionally, 19 percent of students will continue their studies in the United Kingdom, with four who will attend Oxford or Cambridge and 10 who secured places at London’s top institutions, such as Imperial College, University College London, London School of Economics and Political Science and King’s College.
Outside the U.S. and U.K., 10 percent of the graduates will study at other global destinations, such as Australia, Canada, Malta, Hong Kong and Japan. The remaining 7 percent are awaiting final decisions from Korean universities, with announcements expected later this year.
All seven students who applied to medical schools in the U.K. received multiple offers from prestigious institutions, such as Imperial College, King’s College and the University of Edinburgh.
North London Collegiate School Jeju / Courtesy of North London Collegiate School Jeju
The graduating class also boasts three students who were awarded the highly coveted Presidential Science Scholarship by the Korea Student Aid Foundation, recognizing them as among the top science and technology students globally.
James Monaghan, NLCS Jeju’s new principal, praised the students' hard work and the school’s rigorous academic program for these outstanding achievements.
"This is a testament to the high-quality teaching and ambitious academic program at the school," he said.
UGC Counsellor Kim Bo-young also highlighted the critical role of passion in the university application process, attributing the students’ success to their dedication and the school’s supportive environment.