Lee Seung-ku

New Suneung data signals possible shift from traditionally defined academic success

Students at a high school in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul receive their Suneung scores on Dec. 5, 2025. (Yonhap)

For more than two decades, getting accepted at top universities in Seoul, preferably in a STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — or medical field, meant academic success for South Korean students and parents.

But recent analyses of high school seniors who took the 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung, suggest a possible shift away from medicine and STEM fields, as well as universities in Seoul.

On Jan. 4, Jongno Hagwon, a major college entrance preparatory academy, revealed an analysis that showed that only 7,125 students had applied to medical school, representing the lowest figure in the past five years and a 32.3 percent on-year decline.

"While it appears that enthusiasm for medical school has cooled, it will be difficult to draw conclusions until next year's admissions cycle unfolds," Jongno Hagwon said.

Other data points suggest that students' long-standing preference for universities in Seoul may also be weakening. This year, the average competition rate for universities in the Seoul metropolitan area stood at 6.01 to 1, compared to 5.61 to 1 for universities in other regions.

"I had enrolled at a university in Seoul, but decided to retake the Suneung this year to study education at a university in Gangwon Province," said a university student surnamed Park. "I believe studying education outside of Seoul offers better job prospects."

Equation for success

Typically, students have placed strong emphasis on attending a university in Seoul, coupled with a preference for majors related to STEM or medicine.

"When I first enrolled, it was very difficult to get into my department," said Kim, a junior majoring in computer science at a university in Seoul. "There was an AI boom, and many believed studying computer engineering would guarantee jobs at large firms."

Survey data reflects that this mindset is still prevalent, at least among younger students. According to a Jongno Hagwon survey conducted in May 2025, 66.8 percent of students from elementary to high school said they hoped to pursue medicine.

Engineering departments at universities in Seoul followed at 15.4 percent, while engineering programs at field-specific universities accounted for 9.8 percent and corporate contract majors for 8 percent.

Preferences for STEM and medical fields have ranked highly since the early 2010s. Uway Apply, South Korea's centralized university application platform, said the strong preference for medicine stems from heightened concerns over job stability following the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.

The crisis triggered a severe liquidity crunch, rapid currency devaluation and the near depletion of foreign reserves, forcing South Korea to accept a $55 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund in exchange for sweeping structural reforms. For many Koreans, this translated into sudden job losses and long-term employment insecurity.

According to Uway Apply's analysis, the late 1990s saw a surge in applications to STEM majors amid South Korea's information technology boom. But in 2000 in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis, three medical schools and one Korean medicine department topped the list for the most applications nationwide.

The preference for universities in Seoul also took shape during this period, when the term "in-Seoul-dae" — literally meaning "a university in Seoul" — entered popular usage.

The trend reflected heavier government funding for universities in the capital and stronger employment prospects for graduates.

What changed — or did it?

In recent years, the government has sought to counter both the concentration of students in Seoul and the dominance of medical school applications, arguing these trends have exacerbated regional imbalances.

Some say the policy push is reflected in the 2025 Suneung admissions cycle.

According to Jongno Hagwon, applications to medical schools began declining steadily from the 2022 academic year, after consecutive presidents from opposing sides — Moon Jae-in and Yoon Suk Yeol — pushed for medical school reforms.

Still, analysts caution against reading the shift as a long-term structural change.

"Medical school applicants decreased (this year) because quotas fell again," said Kim Ju-ha, a college entrance expert and director of the IDA Admissions Academy. "As quotas decreased, the number of Suneung retakers also declined, leading to fewer applicants overall."

Yoon had increased medical school quotas in 2024, but they were returned to previous levels in 2025.

Kim added that the overall difficulty of the 2025 Suneung prompted students to apply more conservatively.

"Even top-scoring students lost certainty and hesitated to apply to medical school, opting for other majors," she said.

"It's still difficult to say that the social value or preference placed on medical schools has decreased," Kim noted. "I think it would be more accurate to say this phenomenon reflects a temporary structural change combined with a competitive mindset."

Meanwhile, Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongno Hagwon, said students' preference for universities closer to home and academic fields aligned with local employment opportunities reflects the current economic slowdown.

"Unless it is a top-tier university in Seoul, students are showing a clear tendency to choose competitive regional universities," Lim said. "With employment difficult both in Seoul and the provinces, applicants are prioritizing practical outcomes."

Kim agreed.

"Before, students prioritized which university they went to," she said. "Now, the standard is ‘what do I learn?' and ‘what are my prospects after graduation?'"

"As students and parents gain more access to information, they are increasingly focused on life after college when applying," she added.

Future of college entrance

According to Kim, polarization in college entrance strategies is becoming more pronounced. Top-scoring students are preparing earlier for admission to elite universities in Seoul, while others strategically choose regional universities offering scholarships and clearer career pathways.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry and the National Education Commission are considering broader reforms to the Suneung and the college admissions system.

As entrance tracks diversify and universities emphasize different strengths, students must decide earlier which pathways best fit their goals, Kim said.

"Ultimately, it comes down to what opportunities students choose, not just how they prepare," she said. "Students need to find strategies and admissions routes that highlight their strengths."

seungku99@heraldcorp.com