In the 2027 college entrance exam, many students feeling pressure from their grades are flocking to the 'essay format.' More than half of the applicants are concentrating on this format, which accounts for only one-fifth of the total general admissions slots, indicating fierce competition ahead. Admissions experts advise students not to be discouraged by the apparent competition ratio and to focus on meeting the minimum academic standards.
On September 30, the admissions information platform JinHakSa analyzed the application status for the general admissions of 44 universities conducting the essay format this year, revealing an average competition ratio of 48.14 to 1, an increase from last year's 43.45 to 1.
Majority of General Admissions Applicants Choose Essay Format
This year, the trend of students gravitating toward the essay format is more pronounced than ever. While the essay format accounts for 22.5% of the total general admissions slots at the 44 universities, the actual percentage of applicants opting for this format exceeds half, reaching 54.1%.
In contrast, the proportions of applicants for the student record-based and comprehensive admissions formats were only 12.8% and 33.1%, respectively. The percentage of essay format applicants surpassed the combined total of the record-based and comprehensive formats (45.9%).
Woo Yeon-cheol, head of the admissions strategy research institute at JinHakSa, stated, "The essay format is a representative 'comeback card' for students who feel burdened by their school grades due to its low actual reflection rate of grades. This year, the significant increase in repeat students and the unique situation of being the last year of the current admissions system have further intensified the trend toward the essay format."
High Competition in Medical Fields; Non-Medical Fields Favor Semiconductor, Business, and Media
The highest competition ratios were seen in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. Kyung Hee University's Korean Medicine program had only five spots but received 3,111 applications, resulting in an astonishing competition ratio of 622.20 to 1. Other programs, such as the pharmacy program at Samyook University (563.40 to 1), Ajou University (527.00 to 1), and Sungkyunkwan University's medical program (524.60 to 1), also exceeded 500 to 1.
In non-medical natural sciences, the semiconductor contract programs, which guarantee employment at large companies, are highly sought after. Sogang University's System Semiconductor Engineering program, in collaboration with SK Hynix, had the highest competition ratio at 297.67 to 1, while Hanyang University's Semiconductor Engineering program also showed a high ratio of 211.00 to 1.
In the humanities, the Business Administration major at Kookmin University recorded a competition ratio of 389.09 to 1, marking the second consecutive year of the highest competition. Other strong contenders included Kookmin University's Media and Advertising major (361.50 to 1) and Hanyang University's Media Communication (337.20 to 1) and Political Science and Diplomacy (319.00 to 1) programs.
First Exams Begin on October 3; Meeting Minimum Standards Is Key
This year's essay exams will officially commence on October 3, starting with Seoul City University (natural sciences), Sungshin Women's University (natural sciences), and Hongik University (natural sciences).
Following that, Sungshin Women's University and Hongik University (humanities) will hold exams on October 4, with Yonsei University on October 10, and Catholic University (excluding medical and pharmaceutical) and Chung-Ang University (creative type) on October 11. The schedule will continue tightly until November 1 at Seokyeong University, with the remaining universities' essay exams taking place from November 21 to December 6, right after the college entrance exam.
Admissions experts emphasize that there is no need to be intimidated by the seemingly high competition ratios. Woo stated, "Even if the initial competition ratio appears high, the actual competition ratio drops significantly to below one-fourth when excluding absentees and those who do not meet the minimum academic standards on the day of the essay exam."
He added, "While preparing for the essay exam itself is important, students applying to universities with minimum standards should prioritize meeting those standards in the remaining time to enhance their chances of acceptance."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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