The two students were among 45 applicants to six major national universities who were rejected because of their involvement in bullying cases. The numbers underscore a growing trend in South Korea’s college admissions: A student’s character and behavior are being placed on par with academic achievement.

According to Korea Joongang Daily , two applicants were rejected by SNU based on their College Admission Test (CSAT) scores. Despite their high scores, their disciplinary records related to school violence in elementary, middle, or high school made them ineligible. Since the 2014 school year, SNU has implemented a rule that deducts up to two points from the CSAT for applicants who have been disciplined by transferring schools or forced to leave school due to school violence.

Seoul National University.jpg
Seoul National University. Photo: SNU

In Korea, students have two paths to enter university: Early admission (based on transcripts and interviews) and general admission (based mainly on CSAT scores).

At Pusan ​​National University, eight students – six from the early admission program and two from the general admission program – were disqualified due to points being deducted for previous acts of school violence. Kangwon National University disqualified five from the early admission program; Jeonbuk National University also recorded five cases.

Gyeongsang National University eliminated 3 candidates under early admission. Kyungpook National University had the highest number of rejected applications - 22 applications.

In contrast, four schools, including Chonnam, Jeju, Chungnam and Chungbuk National Universities, did not have any candidates eliminated, because these schools only examine the history of school violence in some special admission areas, such as recruiting athletes.

Starting next year, all universities in South Korea will be required to impose mandatory point deductions on all applicants with a record of school violence, regardless of the type of admission. The policy was introduced after a wave of public outrage when the son of former prosecutor Chung Sun-sin, who was appointed head of the National Investigation Agency, was transferred to SNU for bullying but only received a two-point deduction.

But with the expansion of the policy, concerns have also arisen. Schools say complaints and disputes over disciplinary decisions are rising rapidly. Many students accused of bullying have hired lawyers and filed lawsuits to overturn school decisions. Critics warn that the lawsuits, which are being pushed by law firms, are turning school violence into a form of “litigation for service,” adding to tensions and distorting the educational environment.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/2-hoc-sinh-xuat-sac-bi-truot-dai-hoc-vi-tung-lien-quan-den-bao-luc-hoc-duong-2460609.html