Last year, 2,481 students who attended Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University left midway. This is the largest number on record. It is estimated that many of them challenged the college entrance exam again last year when the quota for medical school temporarily increased by about 50%.
According to an analysis of college information disclosure data by Jongno Academy on the 31st, the number of students who withdrew from Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University last year totaled 2,481. This is the highest number since statistics began being collected in 2007.
Midway withdrawal refers to cases where students do not return to school due to withdrawal, non-registration, not resuming studies, or failing a year. There were 2,126 dropouts in 2023, an increase of 355 (16.7%) in a year.
The quota for medical school was 3,058, but the government increased it by 1,509 to 4,567 last year. Jongno Academy noted, "It is estimated that many of the students who withdrew midway re-entered medical schools or medical-related fields through reapplication."
He continued, "Next year, the medical school admission quota will be reduced again, but the preference for medical-related fields among top students from the three universities may significantly persist." The medical school quota for the 2026 academic year has returned to 3,058, before the 'transfer' increase.
The 2,481 students who withdrew midway consisted of 1,494 from the natural sciences, 917 from the humanities, and 70 from the arts and physical education. By university, Korea University had the highest number with 1,054. Yonsei University had 942, and Seoul National University had 485.
Among the students who withdrew midway by department, the nursing department at Seoul National University had the highest number with 27. Following that were the Advanced Convergence Program and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering with 24 each, and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering with 22. At Korea University, the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering had 65 and the Department of Life Sciences had 60, while Yonsei University had 155 in engineering and 43 in the sciences.
In the humanities, there were 18 from the humanities department at Seoul National University, 15 from the Department of Liberal Studies, and 12 from the Department of Economics. Korea University had 71 from the Department of Business Administration and 29 from the Department of Economics, while Yonsei University had 68 from the humanities and 45 from the business area.