Suneung - The Korean SAT

Korea, like other countries, has a standardized test called the College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung, which is required to enter any Korean university. Unlike other countries, however, this is literally a do or die situation for Korean students. In Korea, getting accepted to one of the top 3 universities is the only goal for a high school student; the success of their life depends on it. If they don't get accepted, it is viewed as a great disappointment and, in their minds, the end of their life. And in order to get into these universities, the students require a perfect score on the Suneung.

These grade 12 students (also known as 3rd years - the Korean high school system has 3 years, grade 10, 11 and 12) have been preparing for this exam since middle school and their entire 3rd year of high school is dedicated solely to studying for the exam. Every 3rd year high school student in the country, about 700,000 of them, takes the annual exam on the second Thursday of November. After dropping their kids off at the test, parents take the day off work to go to temple or church to pray for their child. This article really describes the dire need and the pressure these students feel to do well on the exam, and the insanity surrounding this test.

A common tradition is for all the 1st and 2nd year high school students to come out and cheer on their peers who are taking the exam. They line up at the entrance of the exam location with drums, signs, cheering and goodies, like pens and juice, to give to the students. As early as 6am, these students wait for their 12th grade peers to arrive.

I decided that since this was a national event, I would also go and cheer on some students who were taking the test at Bugil. So I got up early on my day off and made my way to the school. There was major traffic, even though police were directing, and lots of action happening outside the Bugil gates. I even saw the police escort a late student to the exam site! He got out of the squad car and bolted up the hill. All the energy at the school was really powerful. It actually brought tears to my eyes.



Lots of traffic



Police directing traffic



The scene while walking up to Bugil Academy



Some students with drums who were serving hot tea and a very worried parent who just dropped off her child.



Holding encouraging words for their peers

So many people crowding the gate at Bugil





They even had strange creature cheering them on!

 I took a video of the students singing for their peers.

Eat Your Kimchi, a popular video blog about Korea, also posted about their experience on exam day.

I'm so thankful not to have had such a stressful experience during high school. How about you?

Jennika