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CSAT

The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), known in Korean as Suneung (수능), is a standardized nationwide examination administered annually in South Korea by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation to assess high school graduates' aptitude for university admission.^[1] Conducted typically in mid-November over approximately eight hours, it covers subjects including Korean language, mathematics, English, Korean history, integrated social studies or sciences, and an optional second foreign language or Chinese characters.^[2] Around 500,000 to 600,000 students, primarily high school seniors and repeat test-takers, participate each year, with scores serving as the primary criterion for entry into competitive universities.^[3] The CSAT profoundly shapes South Korean society, functioning as a meritocratic gateway to higher education and professional opportunities, where placement at elite institutions like Seoul National University correlates strongly with future earnings and social prestige.^[4] Its high-stakes nature has fueled a massive private tutoring industry known as hagwon, where students often endure 12- to 16-hour study days, contributing to South Korea's top rankings in international assessments like PISA while exacerbating educational inequality for lower-income families unable to afford supplemental coaching.^[5] On test day, nationwide measures halt normal activities—airplanes delay takeoffs during listening sections, military barracks quiet down, and parents avoid driving to minimize noise—underscoring the exam's cultural dominance.^[6] Critics highlight the CSAT's role in generating extreme psychological pressure, with empirical data linking its demands to elevated rates of adolescent mental health disorders and suicide, where academic stress accounts for a significant portion of youth fatalities in the country.^[7] In response, the government in 2023 mandated the removal of so-called "killer questions"—ultra-difficult items designed to differentiate top performers but often requiring rote memorization beyond standard curricula, which disproportionately benefited privately tutored students and intensified inequality.^[8]^[9] Despite reforms, the exam persists as a defining mechanism of South Korea's exam-oriented education system, credited with driving human capital development but faulted for prioritizing test performance over creativity and well-being.^[10]

Overview

Purpose and Scope

The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), known colloquially as Suneung, functions as South Korea's principal standardized assessment for undergraduate admissions, designed to measure high school graduates' mastery of curriculum-based knowledge and cognitive skills deemed necessary for university-level study.^[3] Administered by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), a quasi-governmental body tasked with developing test items, printing materials, and overseeing scoring, the CSAT establishes a meritocratic framework for allocating spots in competitive higher education institutions.^[11] The exam's core purpose centers on delivering an objective, nationwide evaluation that reduces variability from regional disparities or institutional biases, thereby prioritizing scholastic aptitude as the primary admissions criterion.^[12] By standardizing question difficulty and content alignment with national curricula, it enables universities to rank applicants on verifiable performance metrics, influencing placement for the majority of the over 522,000 participants who registered for the 2024 iteration.^[13] This scope encompasses mandatory testing in foundational areas like Korean language, mathematics, English, and Korean history, supplemented by elective components in inquiry fields (social studies, sciences, vocational studies) and second languages or Chinese characters, without delving into specialized or extracurricular qualifications.^[2] Introduced in its current form in 1994 under KICE's purview, the CSAT supplants prior fragmented recruitment mechanisms with a singular, high-stakes instrument that underscores academic preparation over alternative pathways, thereby shaping equitable access to elite programs amid South Korea's hyper-competitive educational landscape.

Societal and Cultural Significance

The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), known as Suneung in Korean, functions as a pivotal rite of passage in South Korean society, where success determines access to prestigious universities and, by extension, socioeconomic advancement. On test day, typically held annually in November, the nation effectively pauses to accommodate the approximately 500,000 participants: aircraft takeoffs and landings are restricted nationwide for 35 minutes during the English listening section to minimize noise distractions, military drills are postponed, and government office hours are delayed to reduce traffic congestion around exam centers.^[14] These measures, alongside increased public transportation and parental practices such as fasting or ritualistic preparations, reflect a cultural emphasis on academic diligence as a pathway to familial honor and national progress, rooted in Confucian values prioritizing education over hereditary privilege.^[15] This high-stakes environment underscores the CSAT's role in channeling human capital investment, a cornerstone of South Korea's postwar economic transformation from one of the world's poorest nations in the 1950s to a high-income economy by the 1990s. Government policies emphasizing universal education and merit-based university admissions via the CSAT facilitated rapid industrialization, with skilled graduates fueling sectors like electronics and shipbuilding; empirical analyses link such investments to sustained GDP growth rates averaging over 8% annually from 1962 to 1994.^[16] CSAT performance directly gates entry to elite institutions, where graduates command substantial earnings premiums—studies estimate that alumni from Seoul National University, the top-ranked university, earn 20-30% more over their lifetimes compared to those from lower-tier schools, reinforcing education as a meritocratic equalizer amid limited natural resources.^[17]^[18] Participation statistics highlight the test's societal grip: in 2024, over 522,000 students registered, comprising roughly 65% current high school seniors and 31% repeat test-takers (graduates seeking improved scores), with the latter often comprising the majority of top performers.^[19] This phenomenon illustrates a collective societal wager on exam outcomes for upward mobility, prioritizing rigorous assessment over nepotistic alternatives and sustaining South Korea's competitive edge in global innovation indices, though it amplifies pressures on youth to embody national aspirations for prosperity.^[20]

Test Format

Subjects and Sections

The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) assesses proficiency across mandatory core subjects and optional elective domains, emphasizing foundational knowledge in language arts, quantitative reasoning, historical awareness, and specialized inquiries relevant to academic tracks. Mandatory sections encompass the Korean Language, Mathematics, English, and Korean History, which all examinees must complete regardless of intended major.^[2]^[21] The Korean Language section, lasting 80 minutes, includes a common component evaluating reading comprehension of literary and non-literary texts, grammar, and vocabulary, followed by an elective module of 10 minutes focused on either speech and writing (analyzing rhetoric and composition) or language and media (examining information processing and media literacy).^[22]^[21] Mathematics, allocated 100 minutes, offers two variants: Type A, tailored for humanities students with emphasis on algebra, geometry, and probability; or Type B, designed for natural sciences students incorporating calculus, vectors, and advanced functions.^[23] The English section, 70 minutes, tests listening comprehension via audio and reading skills through passages on diverse topics. Korean History, a 40-minute mandatory segment since 2017, employs descriptive short-answer formats introduced in 2018 to gauge interpretive understanding of national chronology from ancient to modern eras.^[23]^[24] Elective components allow customization based on career aspirations. The Inquiry domain permits selection of up to two subjects from 17 options spanning social studies (e.g., economics, law, politics) and natural sciences (e.g., physics, biology, earth science), administered in 120 minutes without differentiation by field, alongside an optional vocational education subject; examinees allocate time proportionally among choices.^[2]^[25] A subordinate elective, the Second Foreign Language or Chinese Characters and Classical Chinese section (40 minutes), covers one of 16 languages (e.g., German, Japanese, Spanish) or hanja interpretation and hanmun translation, taken by many to bolster applications to competitive programs.^[2] Administered over approximately 8 hours across morning (Korean Language, Mathematics, English, Korean History) and afternoon sessions (Inquiry, Second Foreign Language/Chinese Characters), the 2025 CSAT preserves the common-plus-elective framework in Korean Language and Mathematics for balanced evaluation of baseline and advanced skills.^[1]^[21] Reforms slated for 2027 intend to introduce integrated elective options in select areas to streamline subject interconnections and adapt to evolving curricula.^[26]

Scoring, Grading, and Question Types

The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) employs an absolute evaluation framework within subjects, converting raw scores to standard scores with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 20, followed by assignment of grades from 1 (highest) to 9 (lowest) based on percentile ranks relative to test-takers in that subject.^[22]^[27] Grade 1 corresponds to the top 4% of performers, grade 2 to the next 7% (top 11% cumulative), and so on, with grade 9 encompassing the bottom 4%; this structure avoids direct national rankings to mitigate excessive competitive pressure and stigma among participants.^[28] Unlike aptitude-focused exams such as the U.S. SAT, CSAT grading prioritizes alignment with national curriculum mastery over innate ability, reflecting South Korea's emphasis on standardized educational outcomes.^[29] Question formats predominantly consist of multiple-choice items, scanned via optical mark recognition (OMR) systems for automated, objective tallying of responses, which minimizes human error and ensures consistency across the approximately 500,000 annual test-takers.^[30] Select subjects incorporate short-answer or descriptive elements, notably Korean History, which since 2021 features 20 questions including 14 multiple-choice and 6 subjective responses requiring brief written explanations to assess interpretive skills.^[1] Following 2024 reforms, test designers have eliminated "killer questions"—overly complex items solvable only by a minuscule fraction of elite performers—in favor of queries emphasizing fundamental competencies and broad accessibility, aiming to enhance fairness by reducing reliance on rote memorization of esoteric tricks.^[31] Grading integrity is upheld through post-exam appeals, allowing examinees to request re-evaluation of OMR-scanned answers or subjective scoring within specified windows, typically yielding minor adjustments in isolated cases but reinforcing procedural transparency.^[32] This system contrasts with purely norm-referenced models by capping grade distributions to promote equitable university admissions, though critics argue it perpetuates relative competition despite the absolute labeling.^[28] Standard scores and percentiles accompany grades in score reports, enabling universities to apply subject-specific weightings without public disclosure of raw aggregates.^[27]

Administration and Logistics

Annual Schedule

The College Scholastic Ability Test is administered annually on the third Thursday of November by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, with the November 14, 2024, administration serving as the qualifier for 2025 university admissions.^[2]^[33] Applications for the test open in late August and close in early September, typically spanning a period of about two weeks for form submission, corrections, and fee payment via designated test districts.^[2] Results are released in early December, with score reports distributed to examinees through schools or directly via the KICE portal, enabling university application processes shortly thereafter.^[34]^[35] Logistically, the test operates across approximately 1,280 to 1,300 supervised centers in 85 nationwide districts, ensuring capacity for over 500,000 examinees while maintaining standardized security protocols under KICE oversight.^[33] Limited overseas testing options exist for Korean nationals abroad, primarily at select centers in Japan and the United States, to accommodate expatriates without requiring return to South Korea.^[36] Special provisions include extended time allocations for examinees with verified disabilities, determined during the application phase based on medical documentation reviewed by KICE. Makeup examinations are scheduled in instances of national emergencies, natural disasters, or widespread disruptions, as occurred in prior years affected by events like wildfires or pandemics, to uphold fairness without altering core test integrity. For the 2025 administration, no substantive changes to scheduling or delivery deviated from the 2024 model, preserving the established timeline amid ongoing format stabilization efforts.^[37]

Test Day Procedures and Accommodations

Test-takers must arrive at designated exam centers by 8:10 a.m., presenting their admission ticket and valid identification for verification before entering supervised rooms.^[38] Electronic devices, including smartphones and smartwatches, are strictly prohibited to prevent cheating, with violations resulting in disqualification.^[15] Breaks between subjects, typically 20 minutes, occur under proctor supervision to maintain security.^[39] National measures minimize distractions and logistical disruptions: aircraft takeoffs and landings are restricted for approximately 35 minutes during key exam segments to reduce noise pollution over testing sites.^[40] Government offices, businesses, and schools often delay opening hours by one hour to alleviate morning rush-hour traffic, facilitating timely arrivals for over 500,000 participants.^[41] These protocols, enforced by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), reflect the exam's high stakes, where severe penalties for infractions deter widespread fraud despite isolated incidents.^[42] Accommodations for students with disabilities ensure equitable access, tailored to visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments as approved by KICE.^[43] Visually impaired examinees receive braille materials or enlarged print, while those with hearing impairments get text scripts for listening sections and, where necessary, sign language interpretation.^[43] Motor and cognitive accommodations may include extended time or assistive devices, with eligibility verified via medical documentation prior to the test.^[44] Following the exam, KICE releases official answer keys immediately, enabling self-scoring by participants.^[45] ^[46] Individual scores, standardized and percentile-ranked, are officially notified three to four weeks later, such as December 6 for the November test, via secure distribution to schools or directly to graduates.^[34] ^[47] This timeline allows prompt university application processing while upholding grading integrity through centralized evaluation.^[48]

Preparation Methods

Official Preliminary Tests

The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) administers official preliminary tests for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), consisting of the National United Achievement Tests in June and September, which are conducted nationwide for high school students to assess academic levels in core subjects.^[49] These tests replicate the CSAT structure, including timed sections on Korean language, mathematics, English, and electives, with results released shortly after to aid self-evaluation.^[50] Complementing these, KICE organizes CSAT Simulations in April, July, and October, open to eligible participants including high school students and graduates, providing additional opportunities to practice under exam-like conditions without fees.^[51] These simulations mirror the CSAT's difficulty and format, helping users predict scores and identify weaknesses through percentile rankings and subject breakdowns.^[52] By offering free, standardized practice materials and exams, these official tests aim to equalize preparation access, reducing the need for costly private mocks while allowing schools to mandate participation and use aggregate results for curriculum refinement.^[49] Approximately 950,000 students typically participate in these nationwide evaluations, ensuring broad exposure to official question styles untainted by commercial influences.^[49]

Role of Private Education and Hagwons

Private education, particularly through hagwons (for-profit cram schools), dominates CSAT preparation in South Korea, with approximately 80% of students participating in 2023 amid total national spending of 29 trillion won on supplemental tutoring.^[53] ^[54] Hagwons specialize in targeted drills on CSAT question types, offering intensive practice sessions that emphasize speed, accuracy, and strategies for high-difficulty items not always covered in depth by public schools.^[55] This supplemental instruction addresses gaps in standard curricula by providing repetitive exposure to exam-specific formats, enabling students to refine skills like time management and problem-solving under pressure.^[56] Empirical analyses indicate that hagwon attendance correlates positively with CSAT performance, as students engaging in private tutoring achieve higher scores through accumulated practice and exposure to advanced techniques, with studies showing measurable gains in academic outcomes attributable to such programs.^[57] ^[58] Top percentile scorers frequently emerge from intensive hagwon regimens, reflecting how extended preparation hours translate into competitive edges via disciplined effort.^[59] This dynamic rewards individual motivation and perseverance, fostering meritocratic advantages where voluntary investment in study time yields tangible skill enhancements beyond baseline public education.^[60] Despite these benefits, hagwons amplify competitive pressures by intensifying an "arms race" dynamic, where escalating enrollment drives families to outspend rivals for marginal score improvements, correlating with widened performance gaps between high- and low-investment students.^[61] Market-driven hagwon proliferation fills voids in public schooling's capacity to meet hyper-competitive demands, rather than stemming from CSAT design flaws, as tutoring demand persists due to university admissions' heavy reliance on test results.^[62] Government interventions, including a 2006 hagwon curfew limiting operations to 10 p.m., have historically failed to curb participation or spending, as underground tutoring and online alternatives proliferated, with hagwon numbers rising from 92,433 in 2008 to over 105,000 by 2013 despite restrictions.^[63] ^[64] Such policies underscore the ineffectiveness of prohibitions, as parental demand for specialized preparation overrides regulatory curbs, sustaining hagwons' role in bridging instructional shortfalls.^[65]

Historical Development

Origins and Early Iterations

The college entrance examination system in South Korea originated in the immediate post-liberation period following the end of Japanese colonial rule in 1945, when individual universities conducted their own independent written admission tests to manage limited enrollment amid rapidly expanding demand for higher education.^[66] This decentralized approach, persisting through the 1940s and 1950s into the 1960s, allowed institutions like Seoul National University and others to assess applicants via subject-specific essays and problems, but it imposed heavy administrative burdens and enabled inconsistencies in evaluation standards across the roughly 20 universities operational by the late 1960s.^[67] To address these issues and introduce elements of scholastic aptitude screening, the government under the Third Republic implemented the Preliminary College Entrance Examination (대학입학예비고사) in 1969 as a national preliminary test covering core subjects such as Korean language, mathematics, English, social studies, and science.^[67] ^[66] Applicants who passed this standardized multiple-choice and short-answer format—administered once annually to over 100,000 high school graduates—proceeded to university-specific main achievement tests, which retained subjective components like interviews and essays. This two-stage model from 1969 to 1981 aimed to filter candidates on basic academic readiness while preserving institutional autonomy, though it still fueled intense private tutoring (hagwon) reliance due to the high-stakes nature of the final university exams.^[67] By the early 1980s, persistent problems with university-conducted main tests—including documented irregularities such as question leaks, proxy test-taking, and unequal access favoring urban or connected applicants—prompted a shift toward greater national standardization to emphasize verifiable merit over subjective assessments.^[66] In 1982, the government replaced university-specific achievement tests with the national College Admissions Scholastic Achievement Test (대학입학 학력고사), a prototype for the modern CSAT that featured expanded multiple-choice questions in language, mathematics, and foreign languages, alongside descriptive elements, to minimize corruption and ensure fairness in selecting approximately 200,000 successful applicants annually from growing pools exceeding 400,000.^[67] ^[66] This system, paired with the retained preliminary exam through 1993, marked the early iteration of a unified scholastic ability evaluation, reducing reliance on interviews amid public outcry over 1970s scandals that had undermined trust in elite institutions like Yonsei and Korea University.^[66]

Major Reforms and Evolutions

In the early 2010s, the CSAT shifted toward absolute evaluation in select subjects to lessen the pressure of relative rankings, with the English section adopting this system in 2018 by grading based on predefined achievement cutoffs rather than percentiles.^[68]^[69] This change, implemented by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), sought to reward individual mastery over zero-sum competition while preserving the exam's emphasis on core competencies.^[70] Absolute grading capped the number of top scores (e.g., grade 1 limited to those scoring 92+ raw points out of 100), aiming to stabilize outcomes amid societal concerns over escalating private tutoring and mental health strains.^[68] Recent adaptations addressed imbalances in subject specialization, particularly for STEM pathways. Between 2022 and 2024, numerous universities relaxed mandatory CSAT requirements for science-track majors, phasing out the conventional "two sciences" rule that compelled candidates to select two science electives alongside mathematics.^[71] Instead, institutions increasingly applied bonus scoring for science performance or allowed flexibility in elective choices, responding to data showing track-switching trends and uneven preparation burdens.^[71] This evolution maintained the CSAT's rigorous baseline—retaining common subjects in Korean, mathematics, and English—while adapting to feedback on accessibility without diluting overall standards. Looking ahead, the Ministry of Education outlined structural overhauls announced in 2023, set for implementation starting in 2027-2028, which include abolishing elective options in key areas like Korean language and mathematics in favor of unified, integrated subjects.^[72] These reforms aim to streamline the exam into a more cohesive format, potentially requiring exposure to both humanities and sciences, to curb disparities from specialized hagwon (cram school) preparation and align closer with high school curricula.^[26] By eliminating choice-based divergence, the changes seek to foster broader skill equity, driven by enrollment trends and equity analyses, though core test duration and subject rigor remain intact.^[72]

Reforms and Debates

Removal of "Killer Questions"

The term "killer questions" refers to the most challenging items on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), typically those requiring obscure knowledge or advanced problem-solving techniques not covered in standard public school curricula, often solved correctly by fewer than 0.5% of test-takers without specialized private tutoring.^[73]^[32] In June 2023, South Korea's Ministry of Education mandated the exclusion of such questions from the CSAT starting with the November 2023 administration, aiming for full implementation by 2024 to diminish dependence on private cram schools (hagwons) and promote reliance on school-based education.^[9]^[74] Proponents of the removal, including Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, argued that killer questions incentivize excessive rote memorization of niche tricks in hagwons, diverting focus from core competencies and exacerbating educational inequality by favoring affluent students with access to intensive private preparation.^[8] The policy sought to standardize question difficulty around fundamental concepts aligned with national curriculum standards, potentially stabilizing score distributions and reducing the financial burden of private tutoring, which consumes a significant portion of household education spending.^[75] Critics, including some educators and test preparation experts, contended that eliminating killer questions diminishes the exam's ability to identify exceptional talent, effectively lowering overall standards and advantaging average performers over high-achievers who excel through rigorous preparation.^[76] They warned that such changes could homogenize outcomes, undermining meritocratic selection for top universities and perpetuating reliance on other private education elements if core difficulties persist.^[77] Implementation faced challenges, with the September 2023 mock exam criticized for inconsistent difficulty control, leading to perceptions of failure in balancing accessibility and rigor.^[78] Post-2023 CSAT analyses revealed persistent high difficulty, as surveys indicated 75% of teachers and 86% of examinees still identified killer-like elements, suggesting incomplete removal due to definitional ambiguities and test design complexities.^[77] Mock exams in subsequent cycles showed more stabilized variances in difficulty but ongoing debates over whether the reforms truly curbed hagwon advantages without diluting evaluative precision.^[79]

Elective System Changes and Standardization Efforts

Prior to the 2028 reforms, the CSAT's elective system permitted students to select subjects tailored to their strengths or majors, such as choosing between Calculus and Geometry in the mathematics section or up to two from 17 options in the social studies/science inquiry area, including subjects like Korean Geography or Physics II.^[26] This structure aimed to align testing with high school curricula but contributed to disparities, as affluent students disproportionately benefited from specialized hagwon instruction for high-yield electives, amplifying achievement gaps between socioeconomic groups.^[80] Empirical trends showed widening inequality in college admissions linked to such choices, with private tutoring expenditures correlating to better performance in selective subjects.^[81] In response, the South Korean Ministry of Education announced in December 2023 a comprehensive overhaul for the 2028 CSAT, fully integrating elective options into mandatory common subjects across Korean language, mathematics, and inquiry domains to standardize preparation time and mitigate uneven access to resources.^[82] The inquiry area shifts to "Integrated Social Studies" and "Integrated Science," each comprising 25 questions over 40 minutes, synthesized from prior elective curricula without student selection, marking the first such unification of 17 social/science subjects in 23 years.^[83] The 2027 CSAT represents the final iteration with elective choices, as the transition enforces uniform testing to foster equity by curbing divergent prep strategies that favor wealthier households.^[84] Proponents, including education officials, cite data on elective-driven prep disparities—where subject-specific hagwon costs varied significantly—as justification, arguing integration equalizes opportunities without altering core content depth.^[85] Critics, however, contend that mandating broad coverage risks underemphasizing specialized talent, potentially homogenizing skills and overlooking students' aptitudes in a system already criticized for rigidity.^[86] Complementing these efforts, select universities adjusted 2024 admission policies by easing mandates for multiple science electives in non-STEM programs, which correlated with a surge in social studies takers (225,135) surpassing science enrollees for the first time, reflecting broader flexibility in applicant profiles. These shifts aim to balance specialization with accessibility amid ongoing debates over merit versus uniformity.

Impact and Criticisms

Positive Outcomes and Meritocratic Benefits

The CSAT serves as a standardized, objective mechanism for university admissions in South Korea, minimizing subjective biases and corruption risks inherent in alternative systems like interviews or recommendations, thereby promoting merit-based selection.^[80] Its format, emphasizing verifiable knowledge through timed assessments, aligns with first-principles evaluation of cognitive abilities, enabling fair competition among over 500,000 annual participants regardless of socioeconomic networks.^[87] CSAT scores demonstrate strong predictive validity for subsequent academic and professional outcomes, with higher percentiles correlating directly to admission at elite institutions such as the SKY universities (Seoul National, Korea, and Yonsei), where top performers—typically in the upper 1-4%—secure the majority of spots in competitive programs.^[88] Graduates from these CSAT-driven admissions pathways exhibit elevated performance in university coursework and achieve higher lifetime earnings, as scores reflect foundational competencies that translate to real-world productivity.^[30] This meritocratic filtering has bolstered South Korea's human capital formation, contributing causally to economic ascent by channeling talent into high-value sectors like technology and engineering. From a GDP per capita of approximately $158 in 1960 to $33,121 in 2023, the nation's growth trajectory—averaging over 7% annually from 1960 to 1990—owes much to an education system that prioritizes rigorous selection over quotas, producing a workforce with superior skills as evidenced by consistent top rankings in international assessments.^[89]^[90] South Korean students' high PISA scores in mathematics, science, and reading—often exceeding OECD averages by 50-100 points—underscore the CSAT's role in cultivating deep foundational knowledge, outperforming less selective systems in allocating talent efficiently without diluting standards.^[91]^[92] This approach has sustained innovation-driven industries, with CSAT-prepared graduates powering firms like Samsung and Hyundai, yielding productivity gains that quota-based alternatives in other nations have struggled to match.^[93]

Mental Health and Inequality Concerns

South Korea's youth exhibit the highest suicide rates among under-30s in OECD countries, with approximately 17 or more suicides per 100,000 in this demographic, a figure linked by researchers to intense academic pressures including CSAT preparation.^[94] High school students often endure 14 to 16 hours of daily study, encompassing school, hagwons, and self-study, fostering chronic stress and conditions like depression and anxiety.^[95] Government surveys indicate that 9 to 14 percent of students suffer from general anxiety disorder, with academic competition exacerbating mental health declines, particularly among teens facing CSAT's high-stakes nature.^[10] The CSAT system amplifies inequality through unequal access to hagwons, where affluent families invest heavily—up to billions annually nationwide—enabling superior preparation and perpetuating socioeconomic divides in admissions outcomes.^[55] Wealthier students disproportionately attend elite universities, widening achievement gaps tied to parental income and education levels, as evidenced by persistent socioeconomic gradients in test performance.^[96] However, empirical measures of intergenerational earnings mobility in South Korea surpass those in the United States, with higher upward mobility for disadvantaged cohorts attributable to merit-based selection over quota-driven alternatives like affirmative action, which can entrench lower mobility by prioritizing non-performance factors.^[97]^[98] Causal analysis reveals that while CSAT intensifies pressure, root drivers lie in broader cultural emphasis on education as a pathway to economic rewards in a hyper-competitive society, rather than the exam mechanism alone; historical bans and curfews on private tutoring have repeatedly failed to curb participation, driving underground alternatives and underscoring individual and familial agency over systemic coercion.^[65]^[99] This persistence suggests that redistributive interventions overlook demand rooted in perceived returns to effort, with evidence indicating that meritocratic frameworks, despite stresses, facilitate greater absolute mobility than less selective systems.^[100]

Economic and Demographic Effects

The intense competition surrounding the CSAT has spurred significant private investment in education, contributing to South Korea's highly skilled workforce and elevated R&D expenditures, which reached 4.93% of GDP in 2022, among the highest globally.^[101] This human capital formation supports innovation-driven growth, as evidenced by the country's leadership in patents and technology exports, where educationally competitive systems produce graduates capable of sustaining R&D-intensive industries.^[102] However, annual household spending on hagwons and private tutoring exceeded 29 trillion won (approximately $21.5 billion USD) in 2023, representing a substantial diversion of resources from other economic activities and family consumption.^[53] ^[103] Repeaters, who comprised 31% of CSAT participants in 2023, prolong educational timelines, delaying university enrollment and workforce entry by at least one year for many, thereby extending periods of youth dependency and reducing immediate labor supply contributions.^[104] This deferral aligns with observed earnings premiums for university graduates, whose starting salaries averaged 36.75 million won annually in 2023, often exceeding those of non-graduates by 30-50% over lifetimes, rationalizing high-stakes preparation in a global economy where elite credentials confer competitive advantages.^[105] ^[18] Such voluntary investments, while critiqued for opportunity costs, reflect adaptive responses to merit-based systems rather than inherent inefficiencies. Demographically, CSAT-driven pressures exacerbate South Korea's fertility crisis, with total fertility rates dipping to 0.72 in 2023, the world's lowest, partly due to delayed marriage and childbearing amid prolonged education and career prioritization.^[106] Heavy private education expenditures, averaging over 700,000 won monthly for high schoolers in 2023, strain family finances and correlate with fertility declines, as prospective parents anticipate multi-decade costs for child-rearing in a hyper-competitive environment.^[107] ^[108] These effects underscore causal links between educational intensity and reduced family formation, independent of broader economic factors like housing, though policy interventions targeting only symptoms overlook the structural incentives of credentialism.^[8]

Statistics and Trends

Participation and Demographics

The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), administered annually by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), attracts approximately 500,000 to 550,000 participants each year. In 2023, 504,588 students registered for the exam, reflecting a slight decline of 3,442 from the previous year. In 2024, registration rose to 522,670, the highest retaker proportion in 21 years, amid expansions in medical school quotas that encouraged repeat attempts.^[109] Actual participation in 2024 totaled 444,870 examinees, with the uptick in registrants partially offset by no-shows or administrative adjustments.^[110] Overall trends show stable total numbers despite a shrinking pool of high school seniors due to South Korea's declining birth rates, supplemented by increasing graduate retakers seeking improved scores for competitive admissions.^[104] Breakdowns by participant status highlight the role of repeats: in 2024, high school seniors comprised about 65% (287,502 takers), while graduates and equivalents accounted for roughly 35% (157,368).^[110] Similar proportions held in 2023, with approximately 65% current seniors and 31% prior graduates, indicating that nearly one-third of examinees are motivated by prior unsatisfactory results.^[111] Gender distribution remains near parity, with males slightly outnumbering females at 51.3% (258,692) to 48.7% (245,896) among 2023 registrants.^[112] Urban-rural divides persist in access and preparation, as metropolitan students benefit from denser concentrations of private tutoring (hagwon), leading to lower proportional participation from rural areas relative to population despite national test availability.^[55] International and overseas Korean takers represent a minor fraction, typically under 1% of total participants, accommodated via dedicated test centers abroad for expatriates and returnees.^[113] Recent reforms, including the removal of extreme-difficulty items, have coincided with modest fluctuations, such as the 2024 retaker surge, but have not reversed the long-term stabilization around half a million examinees.^[114]

Score Distributions and Admissions Outcomes

CSAT scores in core subjects—Korean Language, Mathematics, and English—are converted to standard scores with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 20, producing bell curve distributions that account for annual variations in test difficulty.^[115] These standard scores range from 0 to 200, with percentiles provided in official reports to facilitate direct comparisons and outcome predictions.^[30] Elective subjects use a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10. Raw score averages fluctuate by year and subject; for instance, English raw scores in recent exams have averaged approximately 70 out of 100 due to relatively accessible content, while Mathematics raw averages vary significantly by type (e.g., higher for probability/statistics tracks than calculus-based ones).^[116] Top performers, such as the three students achieving perfect scores in the 2022 CSAT, represent outliers in these distributions.^[117] University admissions heavily emphasize CSAT performance, with regular recruitment processes assigning 70% or more weight to scores over high school grades or other factors, countering documented grade inflation in secondary education.^[88] ^[30] The SKY universities (Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University) primarily admit from the top 2% of test-takers, requiring near-perfect standard scores (e.g., 129+ for grade 1 in Korean) across key subjects to meet cutoffs.^[90] ^[27] Public percentile data from prior years allows precise forecasting of placement; for example, grade 1 status (top ~4% per subject) is a prerequisite for competitive SKY programs. Comparisons to international exams highlight the CSAT's elevated difficulty, featuring longer duration (up to 9 hours), deeper subject integration, and lower perfect-score rates than the SAT or ACT, which cover narrower scopes in shorter formats.^[118] This rigor ensures selective outcomes, with only ~5% of participants securing SKY entry annually amid over 400,000 test-takers.^[90]

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Nov 18, 2021 · The infamous Suneung is increasingly linked to mental health woes, and critics are questioning its effectiveness and demanding a rethink.<|control11|><|separator|>
[8]
South Korea is cutting 'killer questions' from an 8-hour exam some ...
Jul 1, 2023 · Hoping to solve some of these issues, the South Korean government took a controversial step this week: making the college entrance exam easier.
[9]
South Korea to Drop College Entry Exam's 'Killer Questions'
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[10]
South Korean students still struggle under a draconian system - ICWA
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5 Things You Should Know About the Life-changing College ...
Feb 10, 2020 · It is the responsibility of the KICE to decide the questions, print the tests and supervise the evaluation process. All the questions are ...
[12]
South Korea: Understanding the CSAT and Where AP Fits In - Sparkl
The CSAT is South Korea's national college entrance exam. It's held once a year on a fixed day and is famously intense: for millions of students, it represents ...
[13]
College entrance exam kicks off amid record number of retakers
Nov 14, 2024 · A total of 522,670 students, including high school seniors and graduates, were registered to take the state-administered College Scholastic ...
[14]
Flight takeoffs, landings to be temporarily restricted for noise ...
Nov 14, 2023 · According to the transportation ministry, aircraft takeoffs and landings will be restricted for 35 minutes between 1:05 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. on ...
[15]
Transportation increased, work hours delayed for college entrance ...
Nov 15, 2023 · The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport announced that all planes will be prohibited from taking off and landing between 1:05 p.m. ...
[16]
Education policy in South Korea: A contemporary model of human ...
South Korea today is the ninth largest economy in the world, with an economy known for high levels of technology and education. Much of the nation's rapid ...
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Does college level the playing field? Socioeconomic gaps in the ...
Aug 13, 2021 · The premium for graduates from Seoul National University, for example, one of the most prestigious institutions in South Korea, is estimated to ...
[18]
Estimating the university prestige effect in South Korea's labor market
Aug 10, 2025 · The findings indicate that a university prestige effect exists on earnings, with the wage premium for the "name" of Seoul National University ...
[19]
Number of Repeat Test-takers Applying for CSAT This Year Highest ...
Sep 11, 2024 · Among the applicants, 340-thousand-777 are high school students, 161-thousand-784 are high school graduates, while 20-thousand-hundred-and-nine ...Missing: 2023 | Show results with:2023
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In 2023 CSAT, Repeat Test Takers Remained Dominant... 60% of ...
Feb 13, 2023 · In 2023 CSAT, Repeat Test Takers Remained Dominant... 60% of Top 1st and 2nd Grade Students Were Graduates · N-Susaeng Especially Strong in ...
[21]
University Entrance Exam Format for 2025 to Remain Unchanged ...
Aug 24, 2022 · Students will be able to choose up to two subjects from a total of 17 in social studies and science, while Korean history will be mandatory.
[22]
Korean SAT 2025: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility & Difficulty
Sep 15, 2025 · The Korean CSAT exam is a national standardized test called Suneung, used for university admissions in South Korea. · Eligibility criteria of the ...<|separator|>
[23]
The government announced that the 2025 College Scholastic Ability ...
Mar 29, 2024 · The government announced that the 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), scheduled for November 14, will further increase the ...
[24]
[PDF] A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS ON KOREAN HISTORY TEST ... - NADIA
Dec 15, 2020 · The Korean history test in the CSAT has limitations, half the questions focus on hostile relations, and narratives are from the ruling class ...
[25]
The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) will take place on ...
Jun 30, 2024 · In the field of social and scientific inquiry, you can choose up to two out of 17 elective subjects regardless of social and scientific ...
[26]
Suneung reform plans unveiled for 2028 school year
Oct 10, 2023 · The ministry also proposed creating an advanced mathematics subject covering Calculus 2 and Geometry for the Suneung to nurture talent in ...
[27]
College Scholastic Ability Test/Grade Division Score - NamuWiki
Oct 1, 2025 · [201] The standard score for perfect scorers was 77 points (2 students/0.06%), the lowest perfect score rate ever among 2 subjects after the 2- ...
[28]
A New Grading System for Korea's College Exam: What Will Change?
Jun 9, 2025 · Under the current system, students who take the CSAT are given grades from 1 to 9 for each subject, based on their performance compared to other ...
[29]
EJ1306290 - The Characteristics of Absolute Grading of the College ...
The purpose of this study was to critically examine the absolute grading system applied to the English section of South Korea's College Scholastic Ability ...
[30]
What Is the CSAT Examination in South Korea? - Sobot
Jun 8, 2025 · The CSAT examination is South Korea's key standardized test for college admissions, shaping academic futures and influencing societal and ...
[31]
South Korea Removes 'Killer Questions' from College Entrance Exam
Jun 27, 2023 · South Korea has taken a bold step to eliminate the notorious “killer questions” from the annual College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).
[32]
[PDF] What Makes a Killer Question Killer? A Text Mining Analysis of High ...
Oct 14, 2025 · (2024). What we need are not killer items but savior items: Confusion caused by killer questions and a new perspective on CSAT reform.
[33]
The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) will begin at 1,282 ...
Nov 14, 2024 · The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) will begin at 1,282 test sites in 85 test districts nationwide on the morning of the 14th.
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Results of 2024 CSAT Announced - Ministry of Education
The 2024 CSAT results will be announced on December 8, and report cards will be sent to test takers and posted on the CSAT website.Missing: period | Show results with:period
[35]
The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test, which was held on the ...
Dec 6, 2024 · The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test, which was held on the 14th of last month, counted a total of 11 perfect students as all major subjects such as Korean ...
[36]
Korean SAT 2025: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility & Difficulty
Sep 21, 2025 · The Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is a nationwide standardized exam used for university admissions in South Korea.
[37]
2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) just 100 days away
Aug 6, 2024 · The upcoming 6th is 100 days before the College Scholastic Ability Test, and this year's College Scholastic Ability Test will be held on November 14.Missing: replaces Joint
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"Can I Bring a Blanket?"... Checklist for the Day Before the Suneung ...
Nov 15, 2023 · - Examinees taking the CSAT must bring their admission ticket and identification card and enter the designated exam room by 8:10 AM on the test ...
[39]
8 Hours, 5 Tests In A Day: All You Need To Know About World's ...
Nov 14, 2024 · South Korea's Suneung Test, also known as the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), is regarded as one of the toughest exams globally.
[40]
Korea to pause temporarily on Thursday for college entrance exam
Nov 13, 2024 · All aircraft takeoffs and landings across Korea will be restricted for about 35 minutes to keep the noise down during Thursday's annual college entrance exam.
[41]
Planes to be grounded, businesses to open late as students take ...
Nov 13, 2024 · This year, a total of 522,670 students are registered to take the CSAT, up by 18,082 from last year. The number of repeat test-takers this year ...
[42]
How to stop Asia's SAT cheats - The Korea Herald
Nov 24, 2014 · ... fraudulent recommendation letters, and half had used false transcripts. Though Zinch didn't reveal the incidence of test fraud, it seems ...
[43]
Suneung for all: Opportunity, redemption and the right to dream
Dec 19, 2024 · Students with a range of disabilities -- visual, auditory, motor and cognitive -- are given accommodations to provide a “fair” chance at the ...
[44]
June Mock Evaluation for College Scholastic Ability Test Surpasses ...
May 27, 2025 · Among the examinees, those eligible for test accommodations include 16 severely visually impaired examinees, 46 mildly visually impaired ...
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Suneung might not see perfect scorer for first time in 13 years
Nov 21, 2023 · Students in Korea are able to grade their scores by themselves right after the test, based on the answer sheet released by the examination ...Missing: self- | Show results with:self-
[46]
Four perfect CSAT scores from same Daegu school
Dec 3, 2014 · Answers for the CSAT are announced right after the exam, so students are able to predict their scores before they are officially reported by ...
[47]
CSAT report cards arrive with 11 students getting perfect scores
Dec 6, 2024 · Among the 11, four are current high school seniors and the rest are those retaking the test. There was only one test taker who received full ...<|separator|>
[48]
The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which will be held ...
Nov 13, 2024 · The 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which will be held on the 14th, will have the largest number of N students (recipients or higher) in 21 years ...
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First Nat'l United Achievement Test of this year - Korea.net
Mar 24, 2022 · About 950,000 high school students in their first, second and third year nationwide took the exam.Missing: June September
[50]
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Jun 18, 2023 · The KICE, which is responsible for producing the CSAT, said on Sunday that the mock test set for September 6 will be based on the curriculum ...Missing: National United Achievement
[51]
The June mock evaluation of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability ...
May 31, 2025 · The June mock evaluation of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) will be held on the 4th, shortly after the presidential election.
[52]
September Mock Exam Featuring New 'Killer Questions ... - 아시아경제
Sep 7, 2023 · The September mock exam conducted by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) on the 6th, in preparation for the 2024 ...<|separator|>
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Private education spending hits all-time high of 29 trillion won ...
Mar 13, 2025 · Private education spending in Korea reached a record 29 trillion won in 2023, despite a declining student population, with 80 percent of ...
[54]
Private education spending in Korea hits fresh high in 2023
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[PDF] The Impact of Korea's 'Hagwon' Culture on Academic Pressure ...
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[PDF] The Impact of Hagwon (Private Tutoring Centers) on High School ...
Jul 4, 2024 · Parents view Hagwons as essential for rigorous CSAT ... While the immediate benefits of Hagwon attendance, such as improved test scores and.Missing: empirical | Show results with:empirical
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[PDF] Private Tutoring and Educational Inequality: - paa2013
Dec 25, 2012 · This paper studies the effect of private tutoring on academic achievement and edu- cational inequality in Korea. Korea has the largest ...
[58]
[PDF] A Game Theoretical Approach to Private Tutoring in South Korea
In the PT game, students receive a higher score on the CSAT as a result of PT while in the job competition model, people show their credentials as the ...
[59]
Hell to touch the sky? private tutoring and academic achievement in ...
4 Kim (2004) shows that expenditure in private tutoring in Korea is positively correlated with the level of education of the mother, living in a big city and ...
[60]
(PDF) Optimal levels of private tutoring investment in South Korea
Jan 31, 2021 · However, since the 1960s, a powerful parallel for-profit private tutoring sector (hagwons) has emerged with significant effect on families.<|separator|>
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Private tutoring linked to student disengagement, researchers find
Jul 9, 2025 · In South Korea, over 80% of students participate in some form of private tutoring, fueling significant family expenditures and deepening ...
[62]
The Cause of Institutionalized Private Tutoring in Korea
Jul 2, 2023 · The same is true for limiting hagwon operating hours. Specifically, in accordance with the “Act on the Establishment and Operation of Hagwons,” ...
[63]
Regulating private tutoring consumption in Korea - ScienceDirect.com
In 2006, state education authorities imposed a restriction on operating hours of hagwon (private tutoring academies) in an attempt at reducing the economic and ...Missing: bans effectiveness
[64]
[PDF] the impact of the hagwon curfew on the consumption of private ... - UB
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Why South Korea's Latest Cram School Crackdown Is Doomed to Fail
Jul 7, 2023 · As a demographic crisis looms, authorities are taking aim at the country's hagwons, or “cram schools”—for-profit tutoring institutions attended ...
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[PDF] Back and Forth: History of College Admission in Korea Bok-rae Kim ...
Let‟s look back on the successive changes in the education policies of the university entrance exam: (1) main test by university (1945-1968), (2) preliminary ...
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Oct 28, 2013 · The co-requisites of the College Admissions Preliminary Test were seven subjects—Korean literature, national history, mathematics, Chinese ...
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[PDF] The Characteristics of Absolute Grading of the College Scholastic ...
The purpose of this study was to critically examine the absolute grading system applied to the English section of South Korea's College Scholastic Ability Test ...
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Education in South Korea - WENR
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The Characteristics of Absolute Grading of the College Scholastic ...
The purpose of this study was to critically examine the absolute grading system applied to the English section of South Korea's College Scholastic Ability ...
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Science vs. Humanities: Why South Korean students switch their ...
Nov 14, 2024 · University admission strategies lead top science students to humanities, threatening South Korea's tech growth.
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South Korea Government announces major overhaul to college ...
The CSAT will be "integrated" from 2028, eliminating elective choices, requiring both humanities and science, and the high school system will change to a five- ...
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'Killer' CSAT questions require obscure knowledge
Jun 26, 2023 · The Yoon Suk Yeol government has raised issues regarding the so-called “killer questions” on the annual College Scholastics Ability Test (CSAT).
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Gov't to exclude 'killer' questions from college entrance exam
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'Killer' questions axed from CSAT to reduce reliance on cram schools
Jun 26, 2023 · The Ministry of Education announced Monday that super difficult "killer" questions will be removed from the annual state-administered College Scholastic ...
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CSAT demands fundamental reform - Korea JoongAng Daily
Jun 26, 2023 · The ministry has decided to exclude “killer questions” in CSAT to normalize public education after President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered it. A killer ...
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Suneung without 'killer questions' still not easy, results show
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'Killer Questions' Getting Axed from 'Suneung' amid Education ...
Jun 26, 2023 · South Korea will drop “killer questions” from the state-administered university entrance exam, known in Korean as “suneung,” as part of ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Suneung to omit killer questions, maintain EBS connection at 50 ...
Mar 25, 2025 · The exam will omit 'killer questions' (extremely difficult questions) for the third consecutive year, following government policy.Missing: mandate remove
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Effectively Maintained Inequality of Educational Opportunity in Korea
We examine socioeconomic differences in the likelihood of making transitions into different types of high school and college with a goal of testing the ...Missing: Suneung elective
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Widening Gap in College Admission and Improving Equal ...
We confirm the widening gap in academic achievement and college admission in recent years by using source materials on Korea's College Scholastic Ability Test ...
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Gov't announces major overhaul to college entrance exam
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2028 Suneung will 'aim to ensure fairness' - The Korea Herald
Dec 27, 2023 · For the first time in 23 years, the textbooks and curricula that cover 17 electives for social and science studies will be integrated as well.
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Currently, the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test, which will be ...
Aug 15, 2024 · It is expected to be the last CSAT to choose elective subjects in the areas of Korean language, mathematics, and job search. On the 15th, the ...
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South Korea Education Ministry announces plan to reduce choice ...
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# Starting with the 2028 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) system, the factors that increase test difficulty and discrimination compared to 2023 have ...
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The College Scholastic Ability Test or CSAT also abbreviated as Suneung (수능; 修能), is a standardised test which is recognised by South Korean ...
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Investigating the relationship between CSAT scores and prefrontal ...
Aug 26, 2024 · This indicates that these tasks were more highly associated with the academic achievement of the group with higher CSAT scores than those with ...
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5 Facts about Higher Education in South Korea - The Borgen Project
Sep 27, 2022 · Overall, higher CSAT scores are highly correlated with better job prospects and higher income potential. Spending on College Prep Classes: ...Missing: predict | Show results with:predict
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GDP per capita (current US$) - Korea, Rep. - World Bank Open Data
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Jun 18, 2024 · Within Korea, the correlation between students' creative thinking and mathematic performance is 0.59, and 0.59 between creative thinking and ...
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Korea • NCEE - National Center for Education and the Economy
As of 2018, more than 70 percent of Korean primary and secondary school students worked with private tutors, often at after-school tutoring centers (hagwons).
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The Price of Excellence: South Korea's Education System and the ...
Apr 5, 2025 · South Korea's education system has undoubtedly played a critical role in the country's rapid economic rise, producing a highly skilled workforce ...
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Suicides: Society at a Glance 2024 - OECD
Jun 20, 2024 · Suicide rates among under 30s are the highest in Korea, New Zealand, Japan and Estonia with 17 or more suicides per 100 000 youth. The rates ...
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Why Korean Students Study 16 Hours a Day | SchoolMyKids
Jun 22, 2025 · Due to the high stakes of this exam, students spend years preparing for it, often studying 14–16 hours a day in the final years of high school.
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Educational inequality in South Korea: The widening socioeconomic ...
This study examines trends in the relationship between socioeconomic background and student achievement.Missing: elective | Show results with:elective
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Intergenerational mobility in Korea
Dec 6, 2017 · This study investigates intergenerational earnings mobility in Korea for sons born between 1958 and 1973 and compares Korea's mobility to that of other nations.
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[PDF] Intergenerational Mobility and the Role of Education in Korea
Comparing Korea with the United States, intergenerational mobility difference appears to come from both differential upward mobility of the least advantaged and ...
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[PDF] Regulating private tutoring consumption in Korea
However, these reforms have also failed to be effective and have actually ushered in new forms of private tutoring that specialize in the enhancement of the new ...
[101]
[PDF] The Cause of Institutionalized Private Tutoring in Korea - ERIC
Abstract. Purpose: In Korea, private tutoring is considered a social evil that damages the capacity of public schooling and undermines social justice.
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Excelsior: The Korean Innovation Story
Korea's innovation success stems from massive investments in human resources and R&D, a strong human resource base, and an outward-looking strategy.
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[PDF] Innovation Spurred: Evidence from South Korea's Big R&D Push
Oct 29, 2024 · South Korea's R&D program led to doubled patenting and tripled exports in targeted tech classes, with benefits exceeding costs by over three ...
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Korean parents spend record US$20 billion on cram schools and ...
A staggering 78.3 per cent of Korean school children attend cram schools, Hagwon in Korean, for an average of 7.2 hours a week, according to Statistics Korea.Missing: annual | Show results with:annual<|separator|>
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Proportion of Repeat CSAT Takers Rises by 11.4% Over 10 Years
Jun 11, 2025 · In the 2016 CSAT, the proportion was 23.3%, meaning about 20 out of every 100 test-takers were graduates. By the 2023 academic year, this number ...<|separator|>
[106]
Editorial: High starting salaries highlight wage inequality in South ...
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Spending on private education hits another record in South Korea
Mar 14, 2024 · They spent $27.4 billion on private education in 2023, a 4.5% rise from 2022 ... The lion's share of the spending went to so-called hagwons ...
[108]
Spending on Private Education Hits Another Record in South Korea
Mar 13, 2024 · In particular, high school students attending private educational institutions spent 740,000 won per month, the stats showed. Hagwon Costs.
[109]
Implications of Demanding Private Education Expenditure on Low ...
May 7, 2024 · South Korea's total fertility rate has been below 1.3 for two decades, the longest duration among OECD countries. Using vital statistics and ...
[110]
South Korea's annual college scholastic ability test retakes hit record ...
Nov 15, 2024 · With the highest number of retakers in 21 years, a total of 522,670 students, including high school seniors and graduates, were registered to ...
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[PDF] Results of 2024 CSAT Announced
On December 8, the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, KICE. (President Oh Seung Keol), will announce the results of the 2024 College.
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Recently, an explosive increase in the number of "N students" who ...
Feb 20, 2024 · Of the 4,230 students who were in the first grade in 2023, 3386 (80.0%) were also in the first grade in the 2024 CSAT. On the other hand, among ...
[113]
Graduates Flock to Suneung Test Centers After 'Killer Question ...
Sep 11, 2023 · The number of male students was 258,692 (51.3%), down by 1,434 from last year, and female students were 245,896 (48.7%), down by 2,008. By ...
[114]
5 Misconceptions About Korea's Suneung (CSAT) Exam
Oct 2, 2024 · Researchers, YouTube creators, and blog post writers describe it as an intense, all-or-nothing exam that defines every Korean student's future.
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Suneung retakes hit record amid med school expansion
Nov 14, 2024 · With the highest number of retakers in 21 years, a total of 522,670 students, including high school seniors and graduates, were registered to ...
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[PPT] College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) in Korea - CRICED
Feb 19, 2010 · In 1999, KICE had chosen the NAEA as its major task. It planned to develop test items for Social Studies and Mathematics. In 2001, the NAEA was ...
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Last year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) showed that "N ...
Apr 18, 2024 · A year ago, in the 2023 CSAT, the average percentile score of N students was 72.16 points, but in 2024, it was down 0.82 points to 71.34 points.
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2023 Suneung test produces 3 perfect scorers | The DONG-A ILBO
Dec 9, 2022 · In the South Korean college scholastic ability test, or the Suneung test, on Nov. 17, a total of three testers scored the perfect score.
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South Korean CSAT vs. the SAT - The Coat of Arms
May 21, 2016 · However, one of the many differences between the two tests is that while the SAT lasts three hours with an extra 50 minutes for the optional ...