01 / Evidence grades
PrepSignal adopts VSCALE; it does not own it.
The V1–V5 definitions were created by HagwonScale. PrepSignal uses those labels as a source-quality shorthand, links every current grade to the matching HagwonScale profile and does not independently award or upgrade a grade.
A performance figure is reported by the press, the Google listing has at least 30 reviews, and the academy publishes a specific performance metric with a denominator and date.
A performance figure is press-confirmed, or a specific academy-published metric is paired with at least 20 Google reviews.
At least 10 reviews are visible on Google Maps or another third-party platform.
The academy publishes program or operating information, but no qualifying press confirmation or third-party review sample of 10 or more is verified.
Too little verifiable public information is available for a stronger classification.
HagwonScale source updated ; PrepSignal rechecked all 63 live profiles on . Exact matches: 63. Unresolved: 0. Distribution: V1 1, V2 1, V3 7, V4 42, V5 12. No grade changed from the prior snapshot.
02 / Inputs
What enters a profile
Included
- Official academy program and format disclosures
- Dated press coverage with attributable figures
- Google Maps rating and review-count snapshots
- Naver Place visitor, blog and public keyword-count snapshots
- Founding dates and locations that can be traced to a source
Not treated as proof
- Anonymous community claims
- “Best” or “No. 1” language without a denominator
- Admissions logos without a dated cohort
- Star ratings without the review count
- Possible Naver name matches that lack identity confirmation
Naver Place matching uses the academy name and disclosed region. Counts are published only for high-confidence matches. Possible matches retain a status but their counts are withheld, and unrelated same-name results are rejected. Review text and reviewer identities are not stored.
03 / Claim lineage
One claim ID follows a fact across the site.
PrepSignal maps each material statement to a stable claim ID with its source pages, distinct story keys, independent-audit count, claim origin, denominator, period, campus scope, support boundary and final verification date. A republication can add a source page without adding a distinct story, independent audit or higher evidence grade.
An academy is named only where a current, visible source directly supports the relevant location, format, program or outcome claim.
Read the public Evidence Registry →04 / Matching logic
Constraints first, evidence second.
The finder removes the wrong program, then scores location and format fit. The chosen priority adjusts the order: evidence grade, public review sample, access breadth or subject breadth. A paid relationship cannot raise a result.
05 / Limits
What this dataset cannot tell you
Academy-level data cannot guarantee teacher quality, class chemistry, availability, current fees or individual outcomes. Public metrics may originate from academy-supplied figures even when a news outlet reports them. Naver counts cover an entire branch profile and are not SAT- or IB-course-specific; they are sample-size signals, not quality rankings. Families should treat every shortlist as the start of verification.