Daeil Foreign Language High School, located in Seoul, is one of the most prestigious high schools in South Korea. The private, coeducational, college preparatory school was founded in 1983 as the first foreign language high school to be established in South Korea aiming the goal of nurturing future global Leaders. Daeil offers the largest variety of curricula among all foreign language high schools in the nation. The school's primary language of instruction is Korean, regardless of which focus subject students choose when entering the school. While the school was founded to focus on the education of the rich, it has over time come to serve more as a preparatory school for selective Korean universities and prestigious foreign universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, etc. According to 2008 university entrance statistics, Daeil achieved the highest number of students entering the three top national universities among all kinds of 2200 high schools in Korea. Like most schools in Korea, Daeil starts its school year in March, starts its second semester in September, and ends the school year in February.
School facilities
Daeil consists of four main buildings, a garden, a dormitory, and a cafeteria. 10th grade and 11th grade students study in the Central Building, while 12th grade seniors study in the Main Building. The school library located within the Language Lab, and is renowned for being the largest high school library in Korea. In addition to the library, foreign language conversation classrooms are located in the Lab. This particular area is designated as the 'FOZ'; Foreign Language Only Zone, where students must speak in a foreign language to earn 'language points' and to avoid penalty - both of which are tallied in the official school records.
The school receives applications from junior-high school students from Seoul only. An official admissions exam takes place annually, usually around late autumn. For the most part, students must achieve exceptional scores on this exam, as well as having a prominent middle school record, and various accolades. In its promotional material, Daeil claims to draw students from the top 1% of Korean junior-high school students. Also, the admission exam includes a formal interview, which is overall considered challenging. As such, students who wish to be admitted undertake rigorous test preparation regimes.
Faculty
The Daeil faculty includes graduates of top ranking Korean universities such as Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University, as well as native foreign language instructors who teach Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Russian, and English conversation and comprehension classes.
DOSP
DOSP is a sectioned, optional studies track for students wishing to study abroad, i.e. to apply to foreign universities. Students wishing to join the DOSP must sign up at the beginning of each year, and a nonformal interview type acceptance is required. DOSP classes are scheduled after regular school hours, and students mainly take subjects to earn credits for Advanced Placement exams, the SAT I, SAT Subject tests, and other preparation classes to studying abroad. However, teachers and counselors for the DOSP are not provided by the school, which leaves the burden of payment and scouting to the hands of the students and their parents. Daeil DOSP program has been discontinued indefinitely since August 2010 due to the lack of support and subsidies from the school and declined popularity.
Admittance to universities
According to 2008 university entrance statistics, Daeil achieved the highest number of students entering the three top national universities.
Incumbent principal
Lee Yong Jae 이용재 Mr. Lee was the vice-principal of the school under Mr. Kong until February 2013.
Contact information
Address: 17-180 Jeongneung-dong Sungbuk-gu Seoul, ROK
