The 2028 college admissions process, which will first implement the grade 5 system and integrated college entrance exam, is expected to significantly limit opportunities for N-students. Major universities are increasingly blocking N-students from applying due to the challenges posed by the new grading system. Additionally, some universities are incorporating absolute evaluations into their quantitative assessments, while qualitative evaluations of student records are being introduced in regular admissions, signaling a major shift in the admissions landscape.
Number of N-students barred from applying to top 10 universities surges 152%
Analysis of the admissions plans for the 2028 academic year at ten major universities, including Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University, reveals that 4,894 students will be completely barred from applying as N-students. This marks a staggering 152% increase from the 1,942 students in the 2027 academic year.
In terms of percentage, the change is significant. The proportion of N-students barred from applying in the 2027 admissions cycle was 10.1%, but this figure has jumped to 24.2% for 2028.
Notably, five universities that previously had no restrictions—Sungkyunkwan University (415 students), Hanyang University (506 students), Kyung Hee University (580 students), Ewha Womans University (377 students), and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (375 students)—have introduced new restrictions for N-students starting in 2028. Seoul National University has increased its barred admissions from 514 to 728, while Chung-Ang University has expanded its numbers from 86 to 497.
This shift is primarily concentrated in the student record-based admissions, which rely heavily on school grades (4,079 students, or 83.3%). Experts in the admissions field suggest that the difficulty in comparing N-students, who are still graded on a 9-point scale, with current high school seniors graded on a 5-point scale is a key factor in this trend.
As a result, universities are prioritizing high school seniors under the new 5-point grading system, leaving N-students with 9-point grade transcripts at a significant disadvantage in the admissions process.
High school seniors and N-students scramble to adapt: 'We need to make decisions this year'
The repercussions of these admissions changes are already being felt in the upcoming 2027 admissions cycle.
A recent survey conducted by JinHakSa among 3,706 applicants for the 2027 admissions cycle found that 82.7% reported that the 2028 admissions changes influenced their application strategies.
Due to uncertainty, 58.1% of respondents indicated they were considering applying to universities and programs with higher acceptance rates (stability-focused applications), while 20.7% stated they were applying to their desired universities with higher expectations.
Woo Hyun-cheol, head of JinHakSa's admissions strategy research center, noted, "The changes in admissions have led to a mix of stability-focused and upward-focused application strategies."
Introduction of absolute evaluation in student record assessments; qualitative evaluations added to regular admissions
Beyond the exclusion of N-students, the evaluation methods themselves are undergoing significant changes. Notably, several universities are now incorporating absolute evaluation metrics, known as 'achievement levels,' into their quantitative assessments for student records.
An admissions officer from a private university in the metropolitan area stated, "Major universities such as Yonsei, Sogang, Chungnam National University, Chungbuk National University, and Gangwon National University have announced that they will incorporate both grades and absolute achievement levels in their quantitative evaluations. For instance, Chungnam National University will weigh grades at 50 and achievement levels at 50, while Yonsei University will weigh grades at 70 and achievement levels at 30, marking a groundbreaking approach of evaluating a single subject twice (grades and achievement)." He added, "The introduction of achievement levels in quantitative evaluations is expected to be one of the most significant changes in the 2028 admissions process."
Even regular admissions, once seen as a refuge for N-students, are expected to become more challenging. The reliance on standardized test scores is decreasing, and many universities are now incorporating qualitative evaluations of student records (both academic and extracurricular) into their admissions processes. Universities such as Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, and Sungkyunkwan University are adopting a dual approach in regular admissions, combining standardized test scores with student records.
Furthermore, the admissions officer noted, "To maintain differentiation due to the reduced effectiveness of the integrated college entrance exam, eight universities have explicitly introduced qualitative evaluations based on student records in their regular admissions. Moving forward, both regular and early admissions will require multifaceted qualitative evaluations of academic performance and achievement management, which will be crucial in determining admission outcomes."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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