This year, the number of humanities students among high school seniors has significantly increased. Experts analyze that this is due to the recent preference for medical schools, which has led top students to flock to science, causing mid- to lower-level students to switch to humanities.
According to Jongno Academy, an analysis of the high school seniors participating in the national unified academic aptitude test in March showed that the selection ratio for probability and statistics, a subject mainly taken by humanities students, was 59.5%, up 5.6 percentage points from last year's 53.9%. In contrast, the participation rate for the 'calculus and geometry' subject, primarily taken by science students, decreased from 46.1% last year to 40.5%.
The March academic evaluation is a test conducted by the education office and was the first nationwide mock examination for high school seniors this year. According to Jongno Academy, the decline in the participation rate for calculus and geometry compared to the previous year is the first since the introduction of the unified college entrance exam in the 2022 academic year.
In the Korean language section, the participation rate for 'language and media,' a subject mainly chosen by science students, decreased from 37.4% last year to 33.8%, down 3.6 percentage points. The participation rate for 'speech and writing,' which is relatively more selected by humanities students, increased from 62.6% last year to 66.2% this year.
Jongno Academy noted, "Considering the participation rates in math and Korean elective subjects, it is interpreted that the number of science students is unusually decreasing while the number of humanities students is increasing."
In the exploratory area, the selection ratio for social studies increased to 64.6%, up 9.5 percentage points from last year's 55.1%. This is the highest since the introduction of the unified college entrance exam in the 2022 academic year. The participation rate for scientific exploration fell from 44.9% last year to 35.4% this year.
In terms of the number of test-takers, this year the number of high school seniors increased by 47,733, while the number of social studies participants rose by 89,976. The number of scientific exploration participants decreased by 38,979.
Lim Sung-ho, the representative of Jongno Academy, stated, "The reason for the increase in humanities students is attributed to the recent preference for medical schools, which has concentrated top students in science. Additionally, the cutoff scores at universities in Seoul are higher for science than for humanities, leading mid- and lower-ranking science students to switch to humanities."
Lim noted, "The increased number of humanities students may give them an advantage in the college entrance exam, while the decrease in the number of science students puts them at a disadvantage. Especially for top students aiming for medical schools, the scientific exploration subjects will be a crucial variable."