What About Math Dropouts? Math Trips Us Up Again... Finding Solutions to the 'Liberal Arts Invasion'

Korean 134 Points, Math 145 Points... 11-Point Gap
Concerns Rise Over 'Liberal Arts Invasion' in Math, Which Differentiates Top Ranks
"Hard to Judge Advantage or Disadvantage... Different Weighting by Subject in Regular Admissions"

On the 17th, the day of the 2023 College Scholastic Ability Test, examinees are waiting for the exam to start at the testing site set up at Gyeongbok High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] This year, mathematics has become the subject that distinguishes top-tier students in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), raising concerns that the "liberal arts invasion" (science students applying to humanities departments) will accelerate. However, the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) explained that it is not possible to determine advantages or disadvantages based on the difference in the highest standard scores between Korean and mathematics, as the reflection rates for each subject vary in the university regular admission process.

According to the "2023 CSAT Scoring Results" announced by KICE on the 8th, the highest standard score was 134 points in the Korean section and 145 points in the mathematics section. The standard score is a relative score that shows how much an individual's raw score differs from the average score. Typically, if the test is difficult and the average drops, the highest standard score rises; if the test is easy and the average rises, the highest standard score falls.

The highest standard score in the Korean section was 134 points, which is 15 points lower than last year's highest standard score of 149 points. The Korean standard score highest point dropped to the 130s for the first time in five years since the 2018 academic year (134 points). The cutoff score distinguishing the 1st and 2nd grades also fell by 5 points from 131 points last year to 126 points this year.

In the mathematics section, the highest standard score recorded 145 points, 2 points lower than the previous year (147 points). The 1st-grade cutoff was 133 points, down 4 points from 137 points last year.

On the morning of the 17th, the day of the 2023 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), a test-taker is holding both hands together at Changwon Munseong High School, Test Site 8, Changwon 88 District. Photo by Yonhap News

As the mathematics standard score appeared high, admission experts analyze that students who performed well in mathematics will have an advantage. Especially since the top-tier differentiation was determined by mathematics, it seems favorable for students in the natural sciences track.

In fact, after the first integrated liberal arts and sciences CSAT was introduced last year, the "liberal arts invasion" phenomenon was confirmed. According to an analysis by Jongno Academy in May of the "2022 Admission Results" recently released by Kyung Hee University, among 776 final successful candidates in the humanities and social sciences departments through the regular admission general track, 60.3% (468 students) were science students who chose mathematics calculus and geometry.

However, KICE explained that it is difficult to judge advantages or disadvantages based on the difference in the highest standard scores between Korean and mathematics. At a briefing on the "2022 CSAT Scoring Results" held at the Government Sejong Complex in the morning, Lee Kyu-min, President of KICE, said, "Generally, in regular admissions, both Korean and mathematics sections are reflected, so it is difficult to say unilaterally that one side is advantageous just because there is a score difference," adding, "Universities apply different weights to each subject in regular admissions."

He continued, "While the mathematics standard score was relatively high among top-tier students, the Korean standard score was higher among mid-tier students," and "We strive to minimize the difference in the highest standard scores between subjects as much as possible, but this year the difference seems relatively large. We will work to keep this difference small in the future."

Moon Young-joo, Head of the CSAT Division at KICE, also said, "In the regular admission process, since the reflection rates for each subject differ by university, it is expected that adjustments will be made according to the university context and situation in the college admission process."

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