"The universities I want to go to are realistically unreachable"... The reality of college admissions as told by an admissions consultant

College admissions consulting is not magic that guarantees admission to a university. It is closer to a role that helps resolve concerns regarding the choice of university and department, as well as information on admission processes, based on objective information. An admissions consultant appearing on KBS 'Street Dinner' explained, "The schools students want to go to are often schools that are, in fact, realistically unreachable," and stated that the purpose of consulting is to increase the possibility of acceptance.

"Is working a sin?"... The wall of admissions created by the information gap

The issue of the information gap based on parents' occupations and circumstances was also raised in the field of admissions. A parent appearing in the video expressed the hardships experienced while preparing for their child's admissions. Since communities centered around full-time housewives are formed, situations arise where working moms are alienated from information sharing or feel pressured to watch their step. Among parents, the phrase "Is working a sin?" is being used, as the admissions environment, which requires moving around all day to match the child's schedule, acts as a high wall for working parents.

Consulting costs are also not insignificant. A single consultation can cost in the millions of won, and the structure involves additional costs depending on the number of consultations. These cost burdens and information asymmetry act as factors that impose psychological and economic burdens on parents during the admissions preparation process.

The reversal of a PD with volatile grades, "In the end, the CSAT is the decisive blow"

The student record of KBS PD Park, analyzed by the admissions consultant, clearly showed the volatility of admissions. PD Park's student record contained a record of participation in a hiking club along with an evaluation stating, "has a strong sense of national identity." In terms of grades, he showed very volatile fluctuations in ranking, such as recording an excellent 22nd place in a specific subject while falling to the 200s in other subjects. In the case of the ethics subject, in particular, there was a sharp difference between being 209th in the first semester and 22nd in the second semester.

The consultant predicted that it would be difficult for PD Park to be accepted to major universities in Seoul (SKY) based solely on his school grades. However, the result was different. PD Park was accepted to Yonsei University through the CSAT. This is a case where, despite fluctuations in school grades, the score was pulled up in the single-shot battle known as the CSAT, showing one facet of admissions where "if you just do well on the exam, you go to school regardless."

Between 4 pages and 40 pages, the changing weight of student records

The changing admissions environment over time was clearly divided by the thickness of student records. At a gathering where students from Seoul National University shared their respective admissions experiences, the student records of the past and the present showed a stark difference. While student records of the past generation were sometimes around 4 pages, the student records of the recent generation boasted a massive volume, reaching from 20 pages to as many as 40 pages. In the case of some students, it was confirmed that the volume of records became so vast that it reached 56 items.

The Seoul National University students entered the university through different admission tracks. The admission paths were diverse, ranging from students admitted through the Early Decision Regional Balance track to scholarship students admitted through regular admissions based on CSAT scores. In particular, one student shared the process of systematically preparing for admissions by preparing for personal statements and interviews since middle school, revealing a record of never missing the 1st place in the entire school. They pointed out the practical starting point of admissions preparation, mentioning that the full-scale private education curriculum begins from the winter vacation of the second year of high school.

Source: original video (YouTube)