President says colleges will soon admit students without tests

By Byun Duk-kun
GOESAN, South Korea, July 24 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak Friday hinted at
a major overhaul of the country's college admission system, saying colleges will
soon start accepting students solely on the basis of their creative potential and
not test scores.

"There will soon be a day when students are accepted to college just through
interviews without undergoing entrance examinations," the president said while
visiting a local high school in a remote village in Goesan, North Chungcheong
Province, about 120km southeast of Seoul.
Almost all college applicants in South Korea are currently required to take the
state-administered College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), while only a handful
are chosen on the basis of interviews.
Lee did not clarify whether his government is working to entirely abolish the
college admission test, which is offered only once a year, but said the move was
to discourage the growing number of students who depend heavily on private
education to get good scores on the CSAT.
"The move is meant to allow students to receive more education focused on
personality development and to spend more time engaged in their hobbies from
elementary to high school," the president said.
A key change in the admission system will be the planned introduction of college
admission officers, whose sole task will be to single out students who are simply
better qualified, he noted.
"There will come a time when those who did not have any private tutoring or
private education will find it easier to go to college. It will certainly change
in that direction," Lee told students.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)