Tech School to Lower Weight of Competitions in Admissions

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, or KAIST, announced yesterday that from 2010, student records at national and international competitions will not be reflected in admissions decisions.

The university will accept 500 or 18 percent of its freshman body based on recommendations from high school principals.

KAIST affiliate Korea Science Academy will also adopt the same admissions policy from 2011.

KAIST President Seo Nam-pyo announced the new admissions policy in a news conference at the Sejongro Central Government Building in Seoul yesterday.

Having focused on the interview instead of test scores since the 2008 academic year, KAIST will select 150 students after receiving recommendations from the principals of about 1,000 high schools nationwide.

The tech school plans to select 10 percent of its freshmen quota from agricultural or fishing villages or low-income families.

KAIST administrative staff will go to agricultural and fishery villages to find talented students.

A student with proven creativity, leadership and passion is eligible for admission with a recommendation from a principal, regardless of scholastic record.

KAIST will select 300 freshmen, double its regular quota, through interviews with the applicants, teachers and principals by its admissions officers.

Under its new interview admissions procedure, the school will accept between 150 and 300 freshmen. Performance records from competitions for which students prepare from an early age will not be reflected in admissions.

Seo said, “Though private education itself shouldn’t be blamed, teaching simply to prepare students for tests isn’t right.”

The Korea Science Academy also plans to drastically cut the weight of competition records in its admissions policy from next year and will abolish the system by 2011.

jameshuh@donga.com