The Real Issue Lies in the Selection Method: "CSAT Alone Cannot Identify Talented Students" [University Transformation] ⑩

Universities Must Reform Admissions to Fulfill Their Mission of Nurturing Talent
CSAT Admits Students with Lower Academic Achievement and Higher Dropout Rates
University Presidents Call for Greater Autonomy in Admissions Systems
"Transform the CS

Is it possible to select the "creative talents" desired by universities and society through the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)? Many experts are skeptical about this question. The CSAT system has been maintained based on its ability to distinguish among students and its perceived fairness. The CSAT is considered the flattest playing field, excluding external factors, so students who put in the effort can achieve high scores, and those students are clearly positioned to enter top universities and departments.

However, a limitation of the CSAT is that it is difficult to assess a student's academic ability or suitability for a major, which are essential for university coursework. Universities are institutions that cultivate talent through higher education and supply talent to society. "What kind of talent is selected" is as important as internal reforms within the university itself. No matter how much a university innovates its curriculum and systems, it is essential that students with the appropriate abilities and qualities for academic success are admitted.

For this reason, there are increasing calls to boldly change the CSAT-based, rank-order admissions system. The suggestion is to convert the CSAT into a "qualification exam" that only verifies whether a student has the academic level suitable for university studies, and to expand universities' autonomy in selecting the talents they need.

CSAT-Based Entrants Had the Highest Dropout Rate

Students admitted based on CSAT scores were found to have lower academic achievement or higher dropout rates in university education. According to the results of "Characteristics and Implications of Freshmen by Admission Type," presented at the 2028 University Admissions Reform Expert Forum on the 29th, the dropout rate among students at 14 universities in the Seoul metropolitan area was highest for those admitted via CSAT (regular admission), at about 16%. This figure is up to 10 percentage points higher than for those admitted via school records (10.6%), comprehensive student records (6.8%), or essay-based admissions (6.1%). In terms of average GPA by admission type, students admitted through the CSAT (regular admission) had the lowest scores. An analysis of 14 universities, with a maximum GPA of 4.5, showed that CSAT-based students had an average GPA of 3.33, which was 0.3 points lower than the highest group, comprehensive student record entrants (3.74).

Universities are demanding greater autonomy in admissions so they can select students according to their own unique perspectives on talent. According to a survey conducted by the Korean Council for University Education of 148 university presidents between April and May, "expanding autonomy in university operations, such as academic affairs, admissions, and enrollment quotas" was the most frequently chosen policy recommendation for the new government. Kim Sungcheon, a professor at Korea National University of Education, said, "Since the CSAT is mainly multiple-choice, it does not align well with essay-type exams and various activities required at university. As a result, universities themselves are recognizing the limitations of selecting students primarily based on the CSAT."

Some universities have already established admissions systems that exclude the CSAT. Since 2010, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has admitted all freshmen through admissions officer screening, without considering CSAT scores. Even now, all freshmen are selected through the comprehensive student record system. This year, POSTECH ranked 102nd in the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings and 4th among Korean universities. In five specific academic fields, including materials science, physics and astronomy, and mechanical engineering, POSTECH ranked within the global top 50. Kim Moo Hwan, former president of POSTECH, who devised the "CSAT-free admissions" system, commented, "The current CSAT only evaluates the amount of uniformly imparted knowledge, despite the fact that the knowledge and qualities required differ greatly depending on the university's founding purpose and major. It cannot evaluate creativity, integrative ability, or collaboration skills." He added, "The CSAT is an easy way to underestimate students with potential and growth prospects, who could contribute to the future of our society."

Former president Kim also pointed out the issue of "fairness" in the CSAT. He said, "In order for universities to most effectively nurture students into the talents society needs, it is ideal for the composition of university entrants to reflect the actual proportions of gender, region of origin, and family wealth in society. The current CSAT cannot account for regional educational disparities, making it too advantageous for students from better educational environments."

Transforming the CSAT into a 'Qualification Exam'

The idea of turning the CSAT into a qualification exam has emerged as an alternative. Professor Kim stated, "The CSAT should be used to verify basic academic ability, but admissions processes should be diversified to carefully examine students' motivation for their chosen major or project experience, and to reflect the unique characteristics of each university." Park Dosoon, professor emeritus at Korea University and one of the CSAT's designers, also suggested that the CSAT should return to its original purpose of verifying university-level academic ability, while universities should be responsible for talent selection.

Former president Kim said regarding the transformation of the CSAT into a qualification exam, "Universities should be free to select the talents they need according to their founding purpose or major, but the students selected must have at least a minimum level of academic ability. It is reasonable to present an objective standard that society can accept, and transforming the CSAT into a qualification exam could be one such method." He added, "Universities should take the time to thoroughly explain their selection criteria to society and present concrete plans as needed. Rather than relying on fragmented evaluations, universities should conduct in-depth document reviews and verify them through interviews, investing sufficient time in the process."

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In Europe, including France and Germany, admissions systems based on absolute evaluation qualification exams have already been adopted. Unlike the multiple-choice format of the Korean CSAT, these exams include essay and oral questions, allowing for the assessment of academic abilities actually needed for university coursework. When it is necessary to select students due to over-enrollment, various materials such as high school activities and academic records are used.

France's "Baccalaur?at" serves as both a high school graduation exam and a university entrance exam. Students who score at least 10 out of 20 points through essay and oral exams are granted university entrance qualifications. The concept of university "selection rights" has also emerged. Previously, applicants who passed the Baccalaur?at could choose their university, and if the number of applicants exceeded available places, universities were assigned by random draw. Since 2018, France has introduced the "Parcoursup" integrated university admissions platform, allowing universities to review students' activity records and statements of purpose before Baccalaur?at scores are released and to pre-select candidates for admission.

Germany's "Abitur" is both the graduation exam for Gymnasium (middle and high school) and the university entrance exam. The final score is calculated by combining 600 points from academic records and 300 points from oral and written exams. Students who exceed a certain score are admitted. For majors without enrollment limits, passing the Abitur guarantees admission regardless of score. For highly competitive majors such as psychology and pre-medicine, a certain proportion of students is selected based on Abitur scores, waiting time, and university-specific criteria.

Utilizing Academic Records and Interviews Instead of University-Specific Exams

As the proposal to turn the CSAT into a qualification exam gains traction, some are concerned about the possible revival of university-specific entrance exams. There are worries that universities might reintroduce difficult, memorization-based, written exams to distinguish among applicants. If such exams were to return, private tutoring and other forms of private education could intensify. Two years ago, during discussions on the 2028 CSAT reform plan, concerns spread that university-specific exams would return at top universities if the CSAT were converted to absolute evaluation.

If universities select students through diverse methods other than university-specific exams, the admissions system could be normalized. This would lead to changes in the admissions preparation process for elementary, middle, and high school students suffering under the current admissions pressure. Furthermore, if elementary, middle, and high schools transition to creative and forward-thinking teaching methods utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), experts believe this could revive public education and create a virtuous educational ecosystem that alleviates excessive private education burdens.

Professor Kim analyzed that if universities establish talent selection systems through sufficient investment, they could select students without relying on university-specific exams. He emphasized, "Most universities can select students through a combination of qualitative elements in the student record and subject-specific weighting between the CSAT and academic records. In addition, universities need to strengthen their competitiveness by investing in sophisticated interviews and expanding admissions officer systems to build their selection capabilities."

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