A record 100,000 students have taken a gap year to retake the college entrance exam for the 2025 academic year, marking the highest number ever recorded. Comprehensive universities experience the heaviest concentration of these repeaters, with admissions data showing a sharp rise even as projections for 2027 surpass previous highs at over 102,390.
Historical Surge in Repeaters
Repeaters often enroll in one university before transferring to preferred institutions. From an employment standpoint, they accumulate six months less job experience than direct entrants, as averages adjust downward during peak months. The trend accelerated from 70,000 in 2020, climbing to 80,400 in 2021, 82,006 in 2022, 81,116 in 2023, 89,642 in 2024, and 93,195 in early 2025 before hitting the 100,000 milestone.
Population Decline Adds Pressure
Major universities face shrinking applicant pools due to demographic shifts. Seoul-based institutions like Yonsei draw intense competition, concentrating repeaters amid high demand. Top schools must expand integrated campuses, foster collaborations, and boost enrollment through joint programs by 2028 to accommodate demand.
Officials emphasize providing sufficient seats at prestigious Seoul universities for qualified candidates. Other institutions report similar declines, analyzed through enrollment trends.
Demographic Impacts
Government data reveals a drop of about 1,500 applicants in 2025, with quotas unfilled in 2026, leading Yonsei to reduce admissions by 490 spots. Many aspiring students fail to enter desired Seoul universities due to repeater competition.
Admissions Grade Policies
Yonsei prioritizes top performers, admitting only 9th-grade group students even at maximum capacity. Under the 9-grade system (1st grade representing the top 4%), go-3 schools maintain this standard. Go-2 affiliates receive allocations under the 5-grade system (1st grade top 10%).
Universities entering go-2 status in 2028 will detail reflection ratios for 5th- and 9th-grade scores, with announcements planned for April.
Chung Rok-hakwon, head of the admissions office, stated, “If 9th-grade group students receive fewer spots per unit than 5th-grade equivalents, highly competitive applicants from other regions struggle to enter Yonsei.”
