In a rapidly shifting college admissions landscape, what students need is not just exam information — it is tailored preparation aligned with their individual aptitudes and career goals.
Seodaemun-gu is rolling out a series of college and career guidance programs for students from elementary school through exam year, offering public-education-based support that families can rely on.
The district, led by District Mayor Park Woon-ki, announced it will run three programs in sequence: a 2027 academic-year subject-based essay admissions seminar on Aug. 1, a top-university campus tour from Monday through Wednesday, and a self-directed learning camp for the AI era from Aug. 4 to 5.
The essay seminar, scheduled from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 1 in the sixth-floor grand auditorium of the district office, is designed to provide accurate information and practical admission strategies for the subject-based essay track, which has been drawing growing attention from students and parents.
As more universities expand subject-based essay admissions — which factor in both school record grades and essay performance — interest among exam-takers and parents has grown. Because each university applies different selection methods and evaluation criteria, reliable information has been hard to come by. The seminar focuses on giving students practical guidance to navigate the changing admissions environment effectively.
Attendees will be able to compare the characteristics, question types, evaluation methods and admission strategies of the subject-based essay tracks at multiple universities side by side, and will also receive tailored application strategies based on each student's grades and profile.
The event will proceed in three sessions. In the first, Kim Tae-il, head of admissions at Gachon University, will introduce the features, question types, evaluation methods and admission strategies of Gachon's subject-based essay track.
In the second session, Lee Jae-jin, director of the University Future Research Institute, will offer a comparative analysis of subject-based essay admissions at major universities and present application strategies suited to individual students' grades and characteristics.
The third session will feature one-on-one admissions consultations with admissions officers from Gachon University, Kookmin University, Sangmyung University, Eulji University and Korea University of Technology and Education. Students and parents will be able to consult directly with admissions officers from universities they are interested in about each school's selection features, admission prospects and preparation strategies.
The seminar is open to exam-takers, parents and college guidance teachers in Seodaemun-gu. Registration is available by searching "essay" in the notices section of the Seodaemun-gu district office website. Spots are limited to 300 on a first-come, first-served basis.
The seminar is a follow-up to a 2027 early-admission strategy session held on July 11. That event drew far more applicants than expected, generating enough interest that the district had to set up live-stream feeds in a large conference room and a planning operations room in addition to the main auditorium.
The concurrent campus tour program will allow middle and high school students to visit universities in person, explore majors and campus life, and investigate potential career paths. The AI-era self-directed learning camp, meanwhile, will give fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students and their parents the chance to learn math and English study methods suited to the AI age, as well as self-directed learning habits, from EBS instructors.
For details on each program, contact the Seodaemun Career and College Guidance Support Center, which operates Tuesday through Saturday.
"A gap in college admissions information must not be allowed to become a gap in education," District Mayor Park said. "We will continue to expand stage-appropriate, tailored education programs so that students can map out their dreams and career paths without relying on private tutoring, and build Seodaemun into an education-friendly city where children can thrive."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
