Seoul National University streamlines high-volume math grading with Gradescope

Seoul National University (SNU), Korea’s most prestigious institution, faced a significant challenge: grading thousands of mathematics exam papers across multiple, synchronised course sections and conducting joint evaluations—all while ensuring consistency, efficiency, and meaningful feedback.

To uphold academic integrity and consistency across its group-operated general mathematics courses, SNU deployed a centralized grading process. However, this meant that more than 50 graders had to commit entire days to manually assess exams in a single location. Needless to say, the approach was labor-intensive and disruptive to the academic schedules of graduate student graders.

A turning point for transforming grading methods

Professor Hunhee Lee of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Seoul National University coordinated Mathematics for Life Sciences 2, Mathematics 1, and Mathematics 2. Recognizing the need for a more efficient system during the pressures of the pandemic environment, he pioneered the adoption of Gradescope in 2022.

“We began considering Gradescope during COVID-19 to reduce the workload of graduate student grading assistants”, says Professor Hunhee Lee. What began as a trial soon became a transformation, changing not only how exams were graded but also how feedback and consistency were managed at scale. “After a successful pilot with 180 students, we scaled to all 2,000 students. The difference was clear and immediate”, says Professor Hunhee Lee.

Gradescope’s asynchronous, location-independent grading model eliminated the need for one-day, one-location grading marathons, allowing graders to work flexibly at their own pace and balance academic duties with personal schedules. As one grading assistant explains, “it's so much better to be able to grade online at individual times and in my own place. It made a huge difference in work fatigue.”

Real results, reduced grading workloads

The Department of Mathematical Sciences surveyed 27 grading assistants and confirmed a significant grading workload reduction courtesy of Gradescope:

• 70% experienced a reduction of 30% or more
• 30% reported a 10–20% reduction
• 100% said Gradescope was helpful

Practical features equal tangible benefits at SNU

Gradescope’s rubric-driven grading further enhanced the process. With shared, real-time rubrics, all assistants applied the same criteria, resulting in transparent grading, easier adjustments, and the elimination of time-consuming re-grading. “Using the Rubric feature allowed us to skip the re-grading process entirely. Feedback is smoother, and changes apply uniformly”, says Professor Hunhee Lee.

AI-assisted features, such as answer grouping and the ‘Next Ungraded Submission’ tool, helped graders identify patterns, focus on complex responses, and skip manual tasks like summation and score entry. These tools collectively freed graders’ time, allowing them to focus on providing quality feedback rather than administrative tasks.

Students also benefited from the digital shift. Online access to results and comments simplified clarification requests and streamlined follow-ups, improving the overall feedback loop. According to SNU’s grading assistants, “Gradescope simplified the re-evaluation process for both students and graders. This alone improved our feedback loop.”

Impact beyond efficiency: Enabling better assessment design

The benefits go beyond efficiency. For Seoul National University, Gradescope has become a strategic enabler, helping the department rethink what’s possible in assessment. With grading no longer a bottleneck, the Department of Mathematical Sciences began exploring new forms of assessment that were once impractical for large cohorts. Essay-based math problems and concept exploration tasks are now possible, supported by the scalability of Gradescope.

Gradescope’s transformative impact is clear. “It didn’t just reduce our grading time — it redefined how we approach feedback and assessment quality,” reflects Professor Lee. Another grading assistant adds: “With Gradescope, we finally have a consistent, collaborative, and intelligent grading process.”

Ultimately, Gradescope has not only saved valuable time for over 50 graders but also enhanced the teaching and learning experience in a high-stakes academic environment. As one professor summarizes: “A game-changer for grading at scale. Gradescope gave us time back and helped us rethink what’s possible in assessment.”

A roadmap for grading success: Maximising use of Gradescope

For institutions managing multiple graders and high student volumes, SNU’s experience offers a clear roadmap. Keen to share these gains with peers, Professor Hunhee Lee advises: “If your courses involve multiple graders and high student volume, don’t hesitate — implement Gradescope. Start with a pilot, build confidence, and scale. You’ll see the benefits immediately.”

Although SNU has not yet fully leveraged Gradescope’s learning analytics, the department recognizes its potential for identifying weak topic areas, informing curriculum design, and supporting student learning at scale. “We see value in Gradescope’s analytics, especially when we can dedicate resources from the question design stage. It’s a future opportunity”, says Professor Hunhee Lee.