As a policy tool to decrease social and educational inequity in college
entrance system, Korean government introduced equal opportunity selection
for unprivileged students. However, it is revealed that equal opportunity
selection itself does not guarantee the success of college students. To
improve the meaning of equal opportunity selection, this study investigated
the experiences of college students who entered university through that
selection process.
Authors explored research question, using data collected by several times
of Focus Group Interview. Through semi-structured interview questions, the
research team met 20 students from different departments in a univeristy
located in Seoul. The interviews are recorded and transcribed into words.
The result of study shows that students were lack of information about
equal opportunity selection and usually tried to prepare application by
themselves. Second, real problems occurred during the university life for
college students using equal opportunity selection. Compared to other college
students, their academic capacity, self-efficacy, relationships and economic
situations were low and troublesome. To make equal opportunity selection
meaningful, government and university should give institutional, emotional
and financial support to those students as affirmative action.
This study shows the necessity to support college students entered through equal opportunity selection affirmatively to achieve the purpose of entrance
policy. However, the findings of the study should be carefully understood
because this study depends on case study of A university.