Foreign Language Schools Tougher to Enter

The competition ratio for transferring to most foreign language high schools in Seoul is greater than 10 to one, significantly higher than last year’s. Daewon Foreign Language High School which recruited first-year transfer students from March 16 to 26 attracted over 80 applicants for less than nine seats.

Daewon Foreign Language High School which will announce its successful applicants on Wednesday is expected to select only four or five students. Therefore, the competition ratio is likely to reach up to 20 to one. The competition ratio of 2006 was about 16 to one.

Hanyoung Foreign Language High School, which administered a transfer examination on March 20, drew 128 applicants for 11 seats, or a competition ratio of 11 to one. Hanyoung Foreign Language High School selected eight students out of 114 first-year students and three students out of 14 second-year students.

Myung Duk Foreign Language High School, which administered a transfer examination on March 19, attracted 98 applicants for 10 first-year seats, or a competition ratio of about 10 to one. Ewha Girls’ Foreign Language High School, which administered a transfer examination on March 17, attracted 49 applicants for seven first-year seats, or a competition ratio of seven to one.

Experts point out that a large number of students applied to transfer to foreign language schools this year as the disadvantage imposed on foreign language school students due to in-school grades is expected to be removed since the in-school grades of special-purpose high schools will be assessed in accordance to the school’s academic achievements and major universities will put emphasis on the College Scholastic Ability Test in 2008.

“Because students of foreign language high schools in Seoul and its surrounding metropolitan areas have shown good results in university admissions, competition for transferring to special-purpose high schools has become tougher. The competition ratio of foreign language high school admission for the regular application is also likely to be greater than last year’s,” said Im Seong-ho, director of Haneul Education, a private academy preparing students for foreign language high school admission.

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