Chung-Ang University said it would create an admissions track that excludes applicants from admission consideration if they applied through the early decision track but then received high scores on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). In other words, it would not engage in what is known as "early decision kidnapping." The Ministry of Education noted there could be a potential violation of the Higher Education Act.
According to the Ministry of Education and others on the 13th, Chung-Ang University announced at an admissions briefing on the 9th that it would introduce the "CAU CSAT care" track. Under this plan, if a student who applied to Chung-Ang University's early decision for the 2027 academic year receives a high CSAT score, the student would be excluded from Chung-Ang University's admission list, allowing the student to apply to another university's regular decision track.
Test-takers apply to early decision tracks from September to November and take the CSAT in November. Early decision results are announced in December, and regular decision recruitment begins in January of the following year. If admitted through early decision, they cannot apply through regular decision even with high CSAT scores. Even if they did better than expected on the CSAT and could attend a better university, if they were admitted early, they cannot even apply through regular decision. This situation is called early decision kidnapping.
The Ministry of Education viewed the CAU CSAT care track as potentially violating the Higher Education Act. Article 42 of the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act stipulates that "those admitted through early decision cannot apply to regular decision or additional recruitment." The Ministry of Education reviewed the briefing content and conveyed to Chung-Ang University that there was a potential legal violation. A Ministry of Education official said, "(Chung-Ang University) has conveyed that it accepts the ministry's position," adding, "Chung-Ang University will announce related details soon."