First Mock CSAT Conducted... Will Academic Gaps Appear Between 3rd Year High School Students and Graduates?

Approximately 480,000 Students Took the Exam Nationwide at High Schools and Academies
About 800 Quarantined Students Took the Test Online
Scores of Current Students and Graduates Likely to Be Analyzed Separately

On the morning of the 18th, when the National Joint Academic Achievement Test organized by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation was conducted, third-year students were preparing for the exam at Sangam High School in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The first mock exam that will determine the direction and difficulty level of this year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was held on the 18th. Due to fairness concerns between current students and graduates amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the education community is closely monitoring the results of the mock exam.

From the morning of the day, the mock exam was conducted at 2,061 high schools and 428 academies nationwide, with about 480,000 test takers. This exam, organized by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, is called a "mini CSAT" because it includes not only third-year high school students but also graduates. Typically, the institute conducts two mock exams in June and September to adjust the difficulty of the CSAT.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, students who postponed school attendance or are in self-quarantine take the exam online. After each test session ends at the test site, they download the question papers, solve them, and submit their answers. As of the afternoon of the 17th, the number of online test applicants was 390 in Seoul, 123 in Gyeonggi, 253 in Jeonbuk, totaling 821. This year, with school attendance delayed for over two months due to COVID-19, there is public opinion that current students are at a disadvantage. Therefore, the institute is expected to analyze the scores of current students and graduates separately and reflect this in the CSAT difficulty level and other factors.

Lee Manki, director of the Uway Education Evaluation Research Institute, said, "The June exam is a turning point in planning CSAT study strategies," adding, "Students should set achievable target universities for both early and regular admissions." The linkage rate with EBS textbooks and lectures for this exam is 70%. Results will be notified to examinees by July 9. The score report will display standard scores, percentiles, grades, and the number of test takers by subject and area.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.