On the evening of March 3, Korea University (KU) carried out a test called, ‘Basic Mathematics Proficiency Test for University Students’. The test, which began this year, targets KU freshmen in the Colleges of Science, Engineering, and Information and Communications. Students who received low scores, and who did not apply to take the test were forced to learn basic high school level mathematics before enrolling in a calculus course. Why do we need such a test for the freshmen? Why do they have trouble learning university-level mathematics?

     Most freshmen in the Colleges of Science, Engineering and Information and Communications ask: “Why do we have to take this test?” Students in these departments believe that the test is yet another unnecessary burden for them shortly after having been liberated from the National College Entrance Exam. Some students even decided not to take the test and to just take basic mathematics courses before taking a calculus course instead. This will affect their schedule next semester, as calculus is a mandatory course that must be taken. Consequently, next semester, these students will have to take a calculus course, while other students, who took the ‘Basic Mathematics Proficiency Test for University Students’ and passed it, take other courses of their choice.
     Despite many students’ negative opinions, professors are strongly advocating the test, including the dean of the College of Science.
     Whang Woo Hyung, a professor in the Department of Mathematics Education said, “Having such a test is a natural phenomenon, but KU has not been aware of the necessity of this kind of test. Many other educational institutions in Korea, such as Seoul National University and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), have already acknowledged the need for a mathematics proficiency test for freshmen. They have been carrying out this kind of test for a few years. I think that KU’s decision is somewhat late.”
     Professor Whang believes that the current ‘Basic Mathematics and Understanding Calculus’ course, for freshmen that do not pass the test, needs to be subdivided according to the students’ mathematics level. The professor said, “There is too much variation in students’ mathematics level.” Since KU is pursuing ‘Global KU’, there are many students who entered the university as English specialists through early decision (so called ‘Global Injae decision’). “Most of them - not all - did not even have thorough knowledge of high school math because they did not need mathematics grades to enter the university. However, the problem is that if they apply for the Colleges of Science and Engineering, they usually have a hard time catching up to what professors are teaching during the class. This is due to the fact that mathematics is almost impossible to study if you do not have an understanding of the basic concepts. This, in other words creates a vicious cycle for the students who have lower grades,” he added.
     Another reason for freshmen’s varying mathematics skills lies in attending different high schools. Professor Whang said, “Students from science high schools have been learning mathematics, almost at a university level, during three years of their high school life. However, other students who have been learning ordinary mathematics, for the same three years, have a relatively lower understanding of calculus than former students.”
     “There may be a process of trial and error, but I believe that this is a good start. A good start to improve both KU freshmen’s academic achievements and their academic spirit,” confidently stated Professor Whang.