[Photo] A student prepares for the college entrance exam at a relief center in Pohang

Following the 5.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Pohang on Nov. 15, high school students who had lost their homes faced another challenge: preparing for their college entrance exams. The nationwide exam, which was postponed a week to Nov. 23 due to the earthquake, is the primary determinant of a student’s university placement.

Some students, like 18-year-old Jung Yoo-jung, have decided to forego the test this year due to the difficult circumstances of studying in a relief center. “I can’t study here and this is a serious situation, so I’m volunteering to help others,” she said. Others, like the girl pictured here at the Honghae Indoor Gymnasium on Nov. 16, have resorted to using boxes as study desks as they prepare for their exams. (by Park Jong-shik, staff photographer)