While the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is being evaluated as more difficult than last year, a student at Gwangnam High School, a regular public high school in Seoul, has achieved a perfect score for the second consecutive year.

According to the education community on this day, a preliminary scoring of the CSAT revealed that Student A, a third-year student at Gwangnam High School in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, achieved perfect scores in all subjects. Student A has applied to the medical schools of Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University through early admission and is currently awaiting the results.

On the morning of the 13th, the day of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test, examinees are waiting for the exam to start at Gwangnam High School in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. 2025. 11. 13 Photo by Joint Press Corps

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Choi Jaeil, Principal of Gwangnam High School, told The Asia Business Daily, "Student A has maintained the top rank in the entire school throughout all three years of high school," adding, "He has served as both class president and student council executive until his second year, and he excels not only academically but also in character." Principal Choi continued, "He is fluent in English and Chinese, chose Arabic as his second foreign language, and has even studied French, Spanish, and Sanskrit, demonstrating his passion for learning." He added, "Even after the CSAT, he brings books to school every day, showing he is a true book lover." Thanks to this, it is said that he was able to achieve perfect scores in Korean and English, which were particularly difficult this year.

This year, the highest standard score for the Korean section was 147 points, which is 8 points higher than last year’s 139 points. Analysts say the test was as difficult as the 2024 CSAT, which was considered a "killer CSAT" with a top score of 150 points. English was also challenging, and the proportion of students achieving the top grade is expected to be only 3-4%, compared to 6.22% last year.

As a result, the number of perfect scorers in the CSAT is expected to decrease significantly from last year’s total of 11 (4 current students and 7 graduates). Lim Seongho, CEO of Jongro Academy, said, "This year, the number is expected to drop to about half of last year," adding, "No perfect scorers have been confirmed among repeat test-takers yet."

With Student A’s achievement, Gwangnam High School has become the only regular high school this year to earn the title of "producing perfect scorers for two consecutive years," following last year’s result. However, since these are preliminary scores, the results may change if the actual answers differ from what was recorded or if there are marking errors. The school stated, "We expect the outcome to match the student’s self-scoring."

Yonhap News Agency

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Gwangnam High School’s ability to produce CSAT perfect scorers for two consecutive years, despite being a regular public school, is attributed to systematic management at the school level. The school also produced perfect scorers for two consecutive years in the 2014 and 2015 academic years, when Principal Choi was the vice principal, and has achieved the same feat for the 2025 and 2026 academic years, his third year as principal. Last year’s perfect scorer from the school was admitted to the Department of Computer Science at Seoul National University.

Gwangnam High School is close to the Gangnam 8 School District, so many students receive private education, but the school itself is focusing on creating a 'self-directed learning' environment.

Among the approximately 980 students, about 220 apply for dinner and study late at school, and the 'Self-study Room (261 fixed seats)', which operates until midnight year-round, is always in high demand.

More students prefer the school's self-study space over private study cafes, so Principal Choi recently opened a new free-seat style study cafe.

It is said to be even more popular than the fixed seats.

Principal Choi said, "Rather than relying on private academies, it is important to win the battle with oneself," adding, "Focusing on creating an environment where students can study on their own seems to have led to these positive results."