'If you neglect Suneung prep, big trouble'... 72% of Jeongsi applicants are Susi rejects

A significant majority of students applying for South Korea's regular college admissions (Jeongsi) were unsuccessful in the early admission (Susi) track, according to a recent survey. Data from Jinhaksa, an admissions information provider, reveals that 72.2% of Jeongsi applicants had previously been rejected from Susi.

The survey, which polled 1,500 applicants for the 2026 Susi admissions, found that 57.3% were not preparing for Jeongsi. Among these, 40.9% stated they were not preparing at all, and 16.5% were barely preparing, suggesting many students place their hopes solely on early admissions.

However, the reality of the admissions process shows that Susi does not always mark the end of the application journey. For high school seniors, the situation is even more pronounced, with a staggering 86% applying for Jeongsi only after failing to secure a spot through Susi.

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When I counsel students for Susi, quite a few believe their chances of admission are high and neglect their Suneung preparation. But in reality, many students continue their application process into Jeongsi.

Woo Yeon-cheol, head of Jinhaksa's admissions strategy research institute, cautioned students against complacency. "When I counsel students for Susi, quite a few believe their chances of admission are high and neglect their Suneung preparation," he said. "In reality, many students continue their application process into Jeongsi."

He stressed the importance of viewing Suneung scores as a minimum safety net for college admission. "It is crucial to remember that Suneung scores are the minimum safety net to prevent college admission failure and to not let go of Suneung studies until the very end," Woo advised.

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It is crucial to remember that Suneung scores are the minimum safety net to prevent college admission failure and to not let go of Suneung studies until the very end.