student retaking entrance exams while enrolled elsewhere
Colloquial term for a student who is already attending one university but continues to prepare for and take entrance exams for a more desirable university, keeping their current enrollment as a backup. The word combines 仮面 (mask) with 浪人 (ronin, a student who has graduated high school but not yet entered university), suggesting they are a 'masked ronin' hiding their true intentions.
See also: 浪人
He is a 'kamen ronin,' attending his current university while aiming for the University of Tokyo.
浪人 generally refers to a high school graduate who is not enrolled in any university and is studying for entrance exams. 仮面浪人 specifically describes someone who is already enrolled in one university but secretly preparing for another.
Compound of 仮面 (kamen, 'mask') and 浪人 (rōnin, 'masterless samurai; student waiting for another chance to enter university'). The term likens a student hiding their current enrollment while aiming for a different school to a masked ronin.