Seoul National University (서울대)

I'm planning to attend my 1st semester of college in the States while I wait for admission to SNU as a English Language & Literature major (which I'm applying to this coming July). But I had some questions..

- Are the classes taught completely in English? (I can speak/write/read Korean to a certain point. If it's like writing essays, I can't)

- Do the professors have degrees from foreign countries (ex. US) or just from Korea? I was looking at the faculty & it seems like most of them are Korean..

- Will I struggle with my knowledge of basic Korean?

Awww no one's knows?

Someone helpppp :(

I heard that classes (in uni there) are taught 50/50 in Engl and Korean.

Which is why I've been advised to take a one year Korean language course before I start my Masters Degree.

I don't know how helpful that was though.

=)

I'm applying to SNU, Yonsei and Korea Uni.

I have been considering yonsei university,

However after i see the rankings of universities of the world, i have to decided to know more abt SNU.

I want to study full time under the business school of SNU.

Any of you from SNU?

How are the dorm situations like?

Is there anyone that's currently attending SNU as an International Student? Or can anyone help?

I'm planning to attend my 1st semester of college in the States while I wait for admission to SNU as a English Language & Literature major (which I'm applying to this coming July). But I had some questions..

- Are the classes taught completely in English? (I can speak/write/read Korean to a certain point. If it's like writing essays, I can't)

- Do the professors have degrees from foreign countries (ex. US) or just from Korea? I was looking at the faculty & it seems like most of them are Korean..

- Will I struggle with my knowledge of basic Korean?

SNU has something like three tenured foreign profs who aren't gyopo. One of the reasons why it scores so poorly in international rankings is because of its lack of international faculty; however, this is the same reason why it's the most important old boys' network in Korea. Many of the profs do have degrees for foreign countries, though most did their undergraduate work at SNU.

Few lessons are taught in English, but many of the science and engineering professors have better English than some English literature profs, so handing in work written in English is likely doable. However, don't expect a lot of English on a day-to-day basis on their campus. But here's what you've got to realise: SNU is the place to go to make connections and get that great Samsung job *if* you're a 100% born-and-raised Korean who can speak Korean with a Seoul accent and plan to live in Korea. If you're not eligible to join the club to begin with, SNU seems pretty pointless.

Outside of a few foreign guest lecturers who are mostly for show, SNU's foreign faculty are actually not very good, especially in the department of English. Their pay is a joke, and many foreign instructors pass SNU over in favor of technical college jobs that pay a lot better (I'm not joking).

I was planning to go SNU next year, but after what you wrote it kinda scares me ...I hope its not that bad after all. -.- any more experiences?

(^that's my older sister.........)

I just turned in my app to hopefully attend for all of 2010. Hope to see some of you there (assuming I get in, lol)!

i hear it's really easy for foreigners to get into snu. my old roomie transfered to snu and he had like a C avg. =P BUT i dont know if it was true considering snu's status as an elite school.

my father is staffed here as a...well i don't know. just a professor? i don't think they really have like associate, senior, etc. level from what i'm gathering...but i could be wrong.. and from looking at his notes, it appears that the majority of the life sciences has either an english supplement (for terminology because even in korean scientific forums and conferences, terminology is all english) or it's just flat out in english. whoever said 50/50 is pretty much correct...making me wonder why i said anything at all

as for housing...it doesn't look half bad...the one that my father lives in is pretty nice...and they're building a dorm right now to be completed in like 2011 or something. the interesting thing about university housing is that for the first 20 years or so, they're opened by the companies that make them and then they give ownership over to the school. cool, huh? ^^

from what i know SNU

does not accept transfer students or..

offer programs for international students..

the only choice is applying as a freshman

They do accept international students. Best way to get in is through a partnership with your home university. If your home university doesnt have a partnership you can apply by yourself, but will have to pay tuition.

Hello!

I'm planning on transferring to SNU for my second year, and I was wondering if anyone knows what the minimum GPA is to transfer?

Thank you so much! :)

is it easier for foreigners like korean-americans to gain admission? And how are the dorms like? Curfew?

^ If you're Korean-American, it's harder to get in than someone who's non-Korean.

For Koreans who graduated from a foreign high school, SNU's not easy to get in.

Yonsei, Korea and a lot of other univs make it easier for 해외고 students, but not SNU =[

^ If you're Korean-American, it's harder to get in than someone who's non-Korean.

For Koreans who graduated from a foreign high school, SNU's not easy to get in.

Yonsei, Korea and a lot of other univs make it easier for 해외고 students, but not SNU =[

really i heard the complete opposite of what u said

^Hmm? Which part is opposite?

I'm sure about the 해외고 part.

For the Korean-American part, it depends on your parents. According to SNU,

- International applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

1) He or she is a graduate of high school; 2) His or her parents are not citizens of Korea

- Applicants of Korean origin must have received his or her entire primary and secondary (elementary, junior high and high school) education outside of Korea

So if your parents still have Korean citizenship or if you took even an year studying in Korea, you don't qualify to apply as a foreigner and have to get in the harder way, 특기자 전형.

If you do qualify, no prob. Getting in as a foreigner is much easier.

^ I'm not completely sure about this because I'm just refering to information on the SNU site.

I never specifically researched this since I'm getting into univ through a completely different way.

If you're from a foreign high school and aiming for SNU, you're probably going through 특기자 전형.

It chooses candidates based on 50% documents and 50% Korean essay + interview.

But because people from foreign high schools generally aren't as good in Korean as students who have lived in Korea their entire lives (국내고 students can still qualify for 특기자 전형) they're disadvantaged in the Korean essay and interview.

If you're aiming for this, you're probably going to have to go to Korean essay classes like me =/

Yonsei and Korea University, on the other hand, have seperate ways for students who have lived overseas to get in.

One of the easiest would be 재외국민 - it's hard to qualify for and so even if they only choose a few students per department(usually 1~3ish?), the pool of candidates is a lot smaller and thus if you're confident in your English skills, it's a pretty good way to get in.

is it easier for foreigners like korean-americans to gain admission? And how are the dorms like? Curfew?

Hi!~

I'm a first year student at SNU!

International students are foreign (both you and your parents have non-korean citizenship) or korean students who have studied abroad for 12 years... meaning finished elementary, middle and high school outside of korea

admissions is based purely on your school record and your SAT, TOEFL grades. Also, if there will be a lot of korean-americans applying, there will be a limitation on how many students will get in... and since there is no interview, admissions is based purely on GPA, school background and your TOEFL scores. Also, it depends to what college you will be applying to. If you go to humanities, well it's the easiest to get in, if you try business adm or college of social sciences, there are a little more prestigious so grades will be very important. College of sciences and engineering, well after you get in, you will be required to take physics, english and math tests. so getting in is relatively easy, as long as you have the grades.

dorms, well i'm currenly living in the dorms... they are cheaper than the dorms in any other university. they are okay, there are no single rooms for undergraduate students, and the rooms... well if you need to see how they look, i'll send you pics of my room... they are not that big... a desk, a closet and a bed?

hope this helped

Hi!~

I'm a first year student at SNU!

International students are foreign (both you and your parents have non-korean citizenship) or korean students who have studied abroad for 12 years... meaning finished elementary, middle and high school outside of korea

admissions is based purely on your school record and your SAT, TOEFL grades. Also, if there will be a lot of korean-americans applying, there will be a limitation on how many students will get in... and since there is no interview, admissions is based purely on GPA, school background and your TOEFL scores. Also, it depends to what college you will be applying to. If you go to humanities, well it's the easiest to get in, if you try business adm or college of social sciences, there are a little more prestigious so grades will be very important. College of sciences and engineering, well after you get in, you will be required to take physics, english and math tests. so getting in is relatively easy, as long as you have the grades.

dorms, well i'm currenly living in the dorms... they are cheaper than the dorms in any other university. they are okay, there are no single rooms for undergraduate students, and the rooms... well if you need to see how they look, i'll send you pics of my room... they are not that big... a desk, a closet and a bed?

hope this helped

hey i just got accepted to SNU for spring 2010 college of business. ive never been to korea before so i dunno how its like there. but could u share with me like how is life generally esp. in the uni?

like, are there loads of international students, and if its easy to be friends with the locals and stuff im pretty worried bout this cus.. im indonesian (eventho i been living in singapore -> australia for past 3.5 years) i dunno and they say koreans can be pretty racist sometimes :S

thank you THANK YOUUUUUUUUU

ur reply will help alot

thanks

hey i just got accepted to SNU for spring 2010 college of business. ive never been to korea before so i dunno how its like there. but could u share with me like how is life generally esp. in the uni?

like, are there loads of international students, and if its easy to be friends with the locals and stuff im pretty worried bout this cus.. im indonesian

아니요. 나는 노동자 아닙니다. 나는 대학생 입니다.

Learn this phrase. You'll probably be using it a lot when you're off-campus.

^ Lol... that's the sad truth.

But the 나는 should be 저는 ~_~