Seoul National University engineering school eyes tiered math classes for freshmen

Seoul National University's College of Engineering is pushing to introduce ability-based math classes for incoming students to strengthen their foundational skills.

The college is working toward a plan, potentially starting next year, to differentiate its curriculum based on results from a math proficiency assessment given to freshmen, according to the Maeil Business Newspaper. Students who score well would be exempt from some introductory courses, while those who fall short would receive supplementary instruction.

"Math ability varies enormously among incoming students," a college official said. "It seems that the number of students who arrive with strong foundational skills is growing, but so is the number of those who had fewer opportunities to develop those skills. We need to strengthen basic education for the latter group."

The share of incoming Seoul National University students at both the top and bottom of the math spectrum has grown each year.

The university administers a special math exam to science and engineering freshmen every year. Based on the results, students are placed into one of four tracks: advanced mathematics, regular, basic mathematics, or an introductory calculus course.

This year, 22 percent of freshmen were placed in the lowest track — basic mathematics — up from 13 percent in 2024, nearly doubling in two years, according to the university. Over the same period, the share placed in the top-tier advanced mathematics track also rose, from 7 percent to 8 percent.

The middle tier, meanwhile, has been shrinking. The share of students placed in the regular track fell from 79 percent in 2024 to 72 percent in 2025 and 69 percent this year.