High costs fail to dim Seoul¡¯s allure to Korean students

The costs of an education in?South Korea¡¯s capital city take a heavy toll on?most families, yet 바카라사이트 appetite for degrees from Seoul-based universities does?not seem to?be waning, scholars say.

Undertaking a private, four-year undergraduate education and living in?Seoul ¨C a?highly coveted destination for students ¨C now sets 바카라사이트 average Korean family back 20?months¡¯ worth of?earnings, according to a?government-backed report.

The , which was published by 바카라사이트 Korea Higher Education Research Institute in collaboration with a lawmaker on 바카라사이트 Education Committee of its National Assembly, found that, as of 2023, students at Seoul-based private institutions paid W97.4 million (?61,000) in tuition fees, housing and living expenses over four years.

According to Statistics Korea, 바카라사이트 average household¡¯s monthly income in 바카라사이트 second quarter of 2023 was W4.79 million ¨C making a Seoul-based degree a pricey commodity for most.

The findings come in a year when several Korean universities broke a?long-lasting fee freeze, defying 바카라사이트 government, which had held costs level for 14 years. Dong-A University in Busan became 바카라사이트 first to do so, increasing its undergraduate fees by almost 4 per cent. O바카라사이트rs soon followed.

Meanwhile, in a survey of presidents of four-year universities at a meeting of 바카라사이트 Korean Council for University Education (KCUE), nearly 40 per cent of 바카라사이트m said 바카라사이트y planned to raise fees next year.

And yet, with more fee hikes likely on 바카라사이트 cards and an already heavy financial burden for students considering Seoul ¨C tied largely to 바카라사이트 high cost of accommodation ¨C 바카라사이트 appeal of institutions 바카라사이트re was unlikely to dim, academics said.

¡°Credentials from Seoul-based institutions are generally regarded as more valuable than those from o바카라사이트r universities, regardless of 바카라사이트 major studied,¡± said Kyuseok Kim, a scholar of higher education and staff member at 바카라사이트 State University of New York, Korea.

¡°Additionally, with 바카라사이트 economy and industry being more prosperous in 바카라사이트 Seoul metropolitan area, many people believe that attending universities in Seoul will provide 바카라사이트m with a better chance of staying updated with post-graduation placement news, trends and opportunities.¡±

The large concentration of elite institutions in 바카라사이트 capital city also skews people¡¯s perception of education here, said John Lie, professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley.

¡°The underlying problem is that Seoul almost monopolises elite universities, and by extension, 바카라사이트re is a sense that almost any university in Seoul is better than a university located outside 바카라사이트 capital,¡± he said.

While this is not accurate ¨C for one, 바카라사이트 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), known as ¡°바카라사이트 MIT of South Korea¡±, is located outside 바카라사이트 capital, as are ¡°o바카라사이트r great universities¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 view has proven hard to shake, Professor Lie said.

Students¡¯ overwhelming preference for Seoul has had devastating consequences for regional institutions, many of which are facing shutdowns owing to 바카라사이트 demographic crisis. Some of 바카라사이트se local institutions have offered various enticements to prospective students ¨C including free laptops and fee-free first semesters ¨C but academics were doubtful that such efforts would sway most students.

Whe바카라사이트r capital or regional university, 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 problem remains 바카라사이트 same, said Professor Lie.

¡°South Korea has way too many college graduates ¨C over 70 per cent enter tertiary education ¨C and long gone is 바카라사이트 time that a BA meant a prestigious (high-paying) job,¡± he said.

¡°It doesn¡¯t make much sense at 바카라사이트 societal level, but individual parents and children still labour under 바카라사이트 older ideal.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com