One of the most nerve-racking days in South Korea just happened. Nearly 700,000 high school students took the national college entrance exam. This is no small ordeal. The once a year test determines a student’s future. There is so much value placed on the exam that planes can’t even fly near the test site, and the workday begins 60 minutes later so students can get to the testing center without any problems.
Police even guide girls toward their school. There are 1,100 assessment locations throughout the nation. Lots of parents usher their children to the test and encouragethem while others stay outside and observe their students taking the test. Students even come equipped with water bottles and cushions to sit on.
Students practice for this test their entire life. One student revealed that they studied six hours per day outside of school in order to prepare. The stress is high because that’s what colleges look at. One student said “It’s all going to be changed by this.”
The constant worry gets so high for some students that they end up taking their own lives. For those that have opted to take the test and spent a large percent of their time studying have parents and relatives praying at Buddhist temples in Seoul and all through the country. Parents pray their child’s college placement exams will turn out well and the scores will be great. Some parents have been praying for this in excess of 100 days.
A students future careers and ultimately their existence comes down to a single test on a single day. Because the country does emphasize education 83 percent of high school grads go to universities. But in order to get to a university they have to score well on the nine hour long test.
The stress and pressure placed on these kids is huge. A child’s future shouldn’t depend on one day and one test. Plus the fact that many kids don’t test very well. It goes back to the idea that people learn and test differently. Some do great on tests while others do better on interviews or projects. The government ought to give students more of a chance to show that they can be flourish in life without this test.
Even though South Korea’s graduation rates are super high, and their college attendance at 83 percent students still need to be able to have a life. They need to use up time with friends socializing, playing sports, and spending time with family. Not everything can be learned in the classroom. They need to experience high school and College life because for many of us that was the greatest time of our life.
There is way too much pressure placed on these South Korean students. The U.S. also has a valuable test but there isn’t as much stress involved. While the SAT and ACT in America are the big test they don’t determine your potential. They give a background to display what you have learned. Yet students can go on to college and live a successful life with the value of hard work and even if you have low scores many still get into college.
Education is terribly important but many Americans go on to college, open their own businesses, and lead successful lives even if they didn’t do well on the test. While the American system isn’t the greatest and there is a lot of room for improvement, the South Koreans need to loosen up a little bit. There is no way one test can establish the intelligence or value of a student.
About the Author Info
Diane Johnson graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah and enjoys writing about current events, politics, college degrees, college online, and the office.