Elite high schools' dominance wanes at Korea's top universities

The number of freshmen from specialized high schools admitted to Korea’s top three universities has fallen to a five-year low, signaling a shift in the nation’s elite college admissions landscape.

Data from the university admissions reporting system, analyzed by Jongro Academy — one of the country’s largest private education institutes specializing in university admissions — showed that 3,458 freshmen from specialized high schools were admitted to Seoul National, Yonsei and Korea universities this year, marking a five-year low.

For years, students from specialized high schools — including foreign language, science and international schools — as well as autonomous private schools and science academies for gifted students, have disproportionately filled freshman classes at Seoul National, Korea and Yonsei universities, collectively known as the elite “SKY” universities. But the latest data suggests that changes to medical school quotas and admissions criteria may be reshaping the fiercely competitive path to a top-tier education.

Of the 3,458 freshmen from specialized high schools, 1,372 enrolled at Seoul National University, 1,124 at Korea University and 989 at Yonsei University.

The figure marks a drop of 263 students, or 7 percent, compared to last year. The number had remained relatively steady in recent years — 3,768 in 2021, 3,702 in 2022, 3,635 in 2023 and 3,748 in 2024.

By school type, the steepest decline came from autonomous private high schools, which saw 210 fewer students admitted to SKY universities — an 11.4 percent drop from the previous year. Foreign language and international high schools followed, with admissions down by 78 students, or 7.2 percent. Science high schools recorded a more modest decline of nine students, or 2.9 percent. In contrast, science academies for gifted students saw a 6.6 percent increase, with 34 more students admitted compared to last year.

This implies an altered landscape for Korea’s university admissions, driven not only by changing preferences among elite students but also by changing admissions criteria at universities.

The shift is widely attributed to the expansion of medical school admission quotas, which rose to 5,085 this year under President Yoon Suk Yeol’s medical reform initiative. As a result, many high-achieving students chose medical schools across the country over other majors at top-tier universities.

Additionally, in the early admissions process, which evaluates students based on high school records and other holistic factors, specialized high schools are no longer enjoying the same level of advantage or preference as in previous years.

"When applying through the early admissions process, students should reconsider the expectation that attending a relatively prestigious high school will offset slightly lower grades," said Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongro Academy.

Meanwhile, with the medical school quota returning to 3,085 slots this year — the same level as before the expansion — enrollment trends may shift again.

There is growing speculation that students from science-focused high schools and schools for gifted students may turn towards engineering departments at top universities, particularly in fields such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, in line with the new administration’s push to promote high-tech industries.

"Whether this is a temporary fluctuation or a structural shift remains to be seen over the coming year," Lim said. "But the broader trend shows a steady decline in the share of students from autonomous private high schools and foreign language high schools entering SKY universities."