RECENTLY, IT was revealed that within the last four years, over 60% of newly-admitted students to Seoul National, Korea, and Yonsei universities had taken gap years. Gap years, referred to as jae-soo in Korean, are normally undertaken by students to retake the university entrance exam. Likewise, the number of students being admitted to prestigious universities straight out of high school has taken a downturn. Considering that university is normally a direct step after high school, it can be said that the exception has become the norm. This phenomenon may entail a multitude of disruptive consequences, ranging from increased financial burden for students and universities to admitted students’ dissatisfaction with their major. Then, why are gap year students increasing? The Yonsei Annals takes a deep dive into the causes, implications, and potential solutions for Korea’s gap year student issue. 

The status quo of university admissions

   The number of students taking a gap year to study for a higher-ranked university has been increasing consistently. This mostly applies to students taking the Su-neung, the Korean university admissions exam. From 2020 to 2023, only 36% of newly-admitted students to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University entered college straight out of high school, while 61.2% had taken at least one gap year. In 2023 alone, 37% were straight out of high school, 41.1% had taken one gap year and 11.3% had taken two gap years. The number of gap years do not stop there, with 8.4% having taken three or more gap years[1]. The overall percentage of students taking at least one gap year has steadily increased: 77.6% (2020), and 80.4% (2021). The proportion of students taking one or more gap years has increased twofold from 2020 to 2022[2]. 

   Such a trend of increasing gap year students is evident in Yonsei as well. According to statistics from the Yonsei Admissions Office, the percentage of new students admitted straight out of high school was lower than the proportion of gap year students throughout the last four years. In 2023, only 31.6% of newly-admitted Yonsei students had entered university directly after high school. In contrast, a whopping 68.5% had taken at least one gap year; specifically, 44.6% had taken one gap year, while 23.9% had taken two or more. This marks a marked increase from the previous year, in which 65.9% of new students had taken at least one gap year. This trend of increasing gap year students goes back several years, with the proportion of new gap year Yonsei students increasing from 59.8% in 2020 to 61.2% in 2021. A similar pattern can be observed at other prestigious Korean universities. The percentage of students entering Korea University after one or more gap years increased from 62.4% in 2019 to 63.7% in 2023. Seoul National University was not much different, with 58% of freshmen being gap year students in 2023, a figure that is a 2.4% increase from 55.6% in 2019[3]. 

Reasons for increasing number of gap year students

   There are a multitude of reasons for the ever-growing number of students taking a gap year. Perhaps the most significant is the deeply-entrenched view on university prestige and hierarchy, which compels students to study for higher-ranked institutions no matter the cost. From a young age, Korean students are consistently reminded of the few “top” universities in the country, and the need to enter those institutions for both the prestige and ideal job prospects. Such a view is reinforced by their parents, peers, and mainstream media, with many educational content creators and TV series such as SKY Castle glorifying acceptance into the nation’s top universities. Because of this, getting admitted into schools below a certain threshold does not satiate the needs of many students and parents, leading to the growing popularity of gap years. Taking a gap year to focus solely on studying for the Su-neung may also have an advantage compared to studying and going to school at the same time. While students attending school have many other responsibilities in addition to studying, gap year students who have already graduated do not, making it possible for them to dedicate far more time and energy to studying. Finally, the enabling of cross-application between science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and humanities majors is another reason behind the burgeoning gap year student population. Thanks to such cross-application opportunities, prospective science majors now have the chance to study and apply for humanities majors, with the opposite applying for humanities majors as well. Because students who cross-apply must study for new subjects they are entirely unaccustomed to, they need that much more time to get up to speed. Gap years provide students with the appropriate amount of additional time necessary for successful cross-application, hence their increasing popularity.

   Park Jun-hyung (Soph., UIC, Nano Science and Engin.) took two gap years in order to maximize his Su-neung university entrance exam score, with the objective of applying to medical school. He withdrew from the university he was initially accepted into and enrolled in a private academy for gap year students called Shi dae in jae, in which he spent the next two years. According to Park, the academy provided various specialized classes intended for students just like him, who had withdrawn from university to retake the entrance exam. He stresses that this specialized environment enabled him to truly focus on the exam, unbothered by any other stimulus such as schoolwork and extracurricular activities. 

Implications for students and universities

   Students taking gap years can have a variety of consequences for both the students themselves and universities. For students, there is the question of major satisfaction. Gap year students who have taken the Su-neung select universities according to their test score, rather than their aptitude. This may potentially lead to dissatisfaction with their major and difficulty choosing a future career path. Additionally, students taking a gap year must be wise with their money, as there is a hefty economic burden to cover the costs of private education during the gap year period. Indeed, it is estimated that each gap year costs an average of ₩20 million in Korea[3]. Moreover, taking one or multiple gap years is accompanied by the opportunity cost of delayed entry into society; the additional years spent studying for a better university entrance exam score could, perhaps, be better utilized to take courses and gain internship experiences necessary for employment. At the same time, a successful exam retake and acceptance into a top-tier university does undeniably yield brighter prospects. Thus, creating a future roadmap that appropriately balances between the benefits and drawbacks of gap years will increasingly be of priority for students. 

   For universities, students taking gap years reduce overall enrollment and with it, revenue from tuition. If not sufficiently accounted for during budgetary planning, this could lead to difficulties financing education programs and student incentives or services. In addition, the growing number of gap year students will increasingly make it difficult for universities to assess students’ aptitudes, as the only data available regarding aforementioned students are their exam scores. In turn, major dissatisfaction and subsequent withdrawals or changes of major could become new sources of administrative burden. However, prestigious universities likely stand to benefit from students’ gap year frenzy, as they can afford to be more selective from a larger pool of qualified applicants. A more rigorously-screened class of new students is likely to perform better both during and after university, with their success further bolstering the institution’s attractiveness for potential students. 

Potential solutions

   There are various methods to “normalize” the university admission process, so that most students can seamlessly transition from high school to college without taking a gap year in between. The most effective one would be to tweak the existing university admissions process that compels gap year taking. Currently, there are two ways to enter college in Korea, the Su-neung exam and Su-si holistic admissions; while Su-neung students take an entrance exam and enter university purely based on their exam scores, Su-si students are evaluated based on their high school grades and extracurriculars. However, many students are avoiding Su-si in favor of multiple Su-neung attempts because the former’s evaluation criteria is vaguely defined and constantly changing. Defining and communicating concrete criteria for Su-si would increase applicants’ confidence in it, consequently incentivizing would-be Su-neung retakers to attempt the Su-si instead. 

   Another solution would be to take steps to break widespread beliefs regarding university hierarchy, in order to discourage taking a gap year in the first place. This could be done by bolstering regional universities through government subsidies, grants, and local employment opportunities, thus spreading the belief that going to a prestigious university in Seoul is not the sole way of securing a stable career. According to Lee Sung-ho (Prof., Dept. of Education, Chung-Ang Univ.), diversifying university curriculums should be another priority[5]. Currently, most universities in Korea have similar majors and curriculums, making it impossible for lower-ranked institutions to differentiate themselves. Diversifying their curriculums and offering unique programs or incentives could help widen their appeal to prospective students. 

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   The process of education in Korea is increasingly deviating from the norm, with a greater number of students taking gap years after high school than ever before. This is because gap years provide a variety of benefits for students aiming for top-tier universities, ranging from more time to prepare for the university entrance exam to greater opportunities to take advantage of cross application opportunities between STEM and humanities majors. However, certain drawbacks such as financial burden for schools and universities should also be taken into consideration, along with the fact that gap years diminish high school’s traditional status as the stepping stone into university. Consequently, it would be prudent for universities and the government to implement measures to “normalize” the university admissions process, so that more students are able to enter college, graduate, and gain employment in a timely manner. 

[1] YTN

[2] Docdocdoc

[3] Nextplay

[4] The Hankyoreh

[5] The Asia Business Daily