A cascade of college admissions controversies: Who is responsible for fairness?

“It was a college admissions process that hinged entirely on a single written exam, with no baseline criteria from the national college entrance exam. Frankly, Yonsei University’s oversight during the test seems worse than that of most middle and high schools.”

This frustrated comment, posted by a test-taker in an online forum, followed a serious lapse during Yonsei University's early admission exam for natural sciences last Saturday. Due to a proctor’s error, exam papers were handed out an hour early in one testing room—a mistake that quickly spiraled into a scandal.

Realizing the blunder 15 minutes later, the proctor scrambled to collect the papers. But by then, 31 students in that room had already had time to review the materials and use their phones. Predictably, details about the test questions soon surfaced online, raising concerns about fairness. During the exam, Yonsei University also had to extend the test time by 20 minutes after discovering an error in the questions—further fueling criticism that the university, known for its prestigious reputation, lacked the rigor needed to ensure a fair admissions process.

In response, Yonsei University maintained that while the incident was due to a single proctor's mistake, there was “no evidence” of any actions that could undermine the fairness of the test, thus ruling out a retest. Yet, the admissions community remains skeptical—pointing out that the mere fact that 31 out of 9,667 students received the exam questions early raises serious questions about fairness.

The root of the controversy is the proctor’s mishandling of the exam papers. Yet Yonsei’s response has focused on shifting blame to a few students accused of leaking exam details. The university has even filed police complaints against six students for allegedly obstructing the test process. Despite being at fault for poor management, this approach has left many with the impression that Yonsei is now portraying itself as a “victim” in the ordeal.

Yonsei isn't the only university facing scrutiny over flawed admissions practices. During Hansung University's practical design test for its ICT Design Department last Friday, proctors mistakenly distributed a photo prompt 40 minutes late. Last Saturday, Dankook University’s music school exam faced backlash when a question was handed out 50 minutes after the exam began. Hansung University had promised to “consider the situation when grading affected students’ answers,” but it’s unclear how they can balance fairness while adjusting the evaluation criteria.

In South Korea, the race to secure a spot at a prestigious university often begins in early childhood, with students starting from vastly different positions. Parents willingly shoulder enormous private education costs, driven by the hope of getting their children into top schools. Meanwhile, universities have a legal obligation under the Higher Education Act to conduct fair admissions processes. Ensuring the integrity of the college admissions process is not just a procedural duty—it is a fundamental expectation that society holds for these institutions.