<p>Clearly, the system is one that is spinning out of control. This said, there is one parallel: a general system of education that leaves plenty of holes. The biggest difference is that families in South Korea have realized this, and that in the US, we let our immense self-esteen come in the way and refuse to acknowledge how abysmal our public system of education truly is. And especially after factoring what we spend per pupil.</p>
<p>It should also help people understand why the “local” brands of special tutoring and hagwons in the United States are paying dividends for the many students who have decided --or better said, have been forced-- to attend such factories for the obvious purpose a gaming a system of admission that has been particularly prone to be … gamed. There is a reason why one can find plenty of SAT centers nestled between donut shops and dry cleaners! Sweatshops just take a different format. </p>
<p>Fwiw, beyond the lack of morality of many of the hagwon operations, there are have been plenty of question about the legality of their tactics used to help the students access “unreleased” academic material. The rampant cheating abroad can easily be traced to both the presence of the cheating outfits AND the open acceptance by parents to win at all costs, especially when the results are used overseas as it is with the SAT.</p>