College Admissions Daily: 2026-05-15

Today's Headline

Can we achieve equality by weakening the Suneung?

• The Situation: Ever since the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education proposed its "Future-type College Admission Reform Plan," which centers on abolishing the Suneung by 2040, the debate over the exam's social role and educational fairness has raged on. Parents are anxious, wondering, "Will our children really be living in a post-Suneung era?"
• Who is affected? Middle school students and parents, secondary school teachers, and the entire admissions industry.
• Why it matters: The Suneung has long been a primary engine for social mobility. The very idea of abolishing it shakes the foundation of the education fairness discourse. Because this keeps coming up during every government transition, the push for total abolition carries massive social weight.

1 sources

betanews.net

[윤석범 칼럼] 수능을 약화하면 기회는 평등해지는가

2028 SKY Admissions: Lower Suneung requirements, higher transcript impact

• The Situation: According to NewsPim, the influence of school transcripts is set to rise for both early and regular admissions at Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University (SKY). We expect a significant increase in the number of early admission spots that don't require minimum Suneung scores.
• Who is affected? Current high school freshmen/sophomores and 3rd-year middle school students aiming for SKY.
• Why it matters: Relaxing Suneung requirements and leaning harder on transcripts means students must overhaul their academic and extracurricular strategies. Success now requires a long-term plan covering the entirety of high school.

1 sources

newspim.com

2028학년도 SKY 입시, 수능최저 줄고 학생부 영향력 커진다

Veritas Alpha: Seoul National University releases 2027 admission details

• The Situation: Seoul National University recently shared its "2027 Undergraduate Admissions Guide." Following the usual annual schedule, the formal application guidelines for early admissions are expected to drop shortly.
• Who is affected? High school sophomores aiming for SNU and their parents/teachers.
• Why it matters: As SNU tends to set the trend for admissions in Korea, these changes often dictate how other top-tier universities design their own processes. Checking the details early is essential.

Key Trends by Admission Type

Early Admissions

Transcript-based admissions at an all-time high For the 2026 academic year, early admissions accounted for 79.9% of total spots, a record high. About 85.9% of these spots are determined by school transcripts (comprehensive or subject-based). Compared to last year, transcript-based spots rose by 3,648, while essay-based spots increased by 1,293.

Sungkyunkwan University changes The university is launching a new "Sungkyun Talent" comprehensive transcript program, modifying how it weighs academic subjects, and splitting its essay-based selection into language-focused and math-focused tracks. The Suneung usage index for regular admissions (Group Na) has also been adjusted.

The "Transcript vs. Suneung" debate If the plan to abolish the Suneung becomes reality, the weight of qualitative assessments (interviews, transcripts) will grow. Experts warn that "weakening the Suneung doesn't guarantee equal opportunity," and point to potential new fairness controversies.

Regular Admissions

English score impact is critical In the 2026 regular admissions, success or failure hinged heavily on English scores. Because each university uses a different conversion formula, candidates must calculate their individual scores for every school. The number of students who "transfer" from early to regular admissions after failing to meet requirements remains a major variable.

Core strategy: Analyze admission groups Since students get three chances (Groups Ga, Na, and Da), it is vital to analyze university characteristics, changed recruitment groups, and new/integrated departments. Checking weighted subjects and conversion methods is mandatory.

Suneung and Mock Exams

2026 Suneung Schedule The 2026 Suneung was held on November 13, 2025, with scores released on December 5.

Keeping up with the National Mock Exams High school seniors are currently analyzing their March mock exam results to prep for the June Suneung mock evaluation. Eight major agencies (Kim Young-il, Daesung, Mega, Uway, Etoos, Jongro, Jinhaksa, and EBS) have finished their initial analyses.

Policy and Institutional Changes

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's 2040 plan The reform plan announced in December 2025 continues to fuel intense debate. The core question remains: Does weakening the Suneung actually provide fairer opportunities?

2028 Admission Guidelines (KCUE) According to the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE), the focus for 2028 is on normalizing school education, cutting private tutoring costs, and simplifying the admissions process.

Key 2028 Shift: Lower Suneung minimums + Stronger transcripts This trend aligns with the full implementation of the High School Credit System (2025), moving toward absolute grading and diverse course selection.

Major University News

Seoul National University: Early admissions guide expected this May. SKY Universities: Increased focus on transcripts for the 2028 cycle. Sungkyunkwan University: Major overhaul of the early admission structure, including new programs and revised evaluation methods.

Analysis and Outlook

Is "Weakening Suneung" really "Equal Opportunity"? Critics argue that the Suneung has actually provided a fair playing field for low-income students. Moving toward a system entirely reliant on transcripts—which may include opaque factors like teacher recommendations—might just create new, harder-to-monitor inequities.

High School Credit System Integration The 2025 High School Credit System makes transcripts more important than ever. Colleges are now evaluating students based on the individual curricula they build for themselves.

Weekly Schedule

Checklist for Students and Parents

1. Check the SNU guide: Keep an eye on for the upcoming 2027 guide.
2. Review transcript strategies: If aiming for SKY, talk to your teachers about your current academic standing and subject performance.
3. Compare English conversion methods: Carefully check how your target universities treat English grades.
4. Prep for the June Mock: Use the March mock data to identify and fix your weak spots before the June test.

Issues to Watch

1. SNU’s 2027 guide details: The specific criteria will influence how other top universities structure their own plans.
2. The politics of Suneung abolition: Watch for the next Minister of Education’s stance, which will be the turning point for this debate.
3. High School Credit System reliability: Can we ensure fairness in grading as students take more diverse, individual courses? That is the real test for future reforms.