More than 15 out of every 100 test-takers earned the top grade in English on the September mock exam for the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test, held on the 2nd. Education officials appear to have sharply lowered the difficulty after criticism over last year's punishing English section. With difficulty swinging widely from one test to the next, confusion is expected to grow among students preparing for this year's exam.
According to the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation's scoring results for the September mock exam released on the 28th, 15.54% of test-takers scored 90 points or higher on a raw-score basis, placing them in the top grade for English. Another 22.58% landed in the second grade and 23.48% in the third, meaning 61.6% of all test-takers placed in the top three grades in English.
Admissions consultants say the institute overcorrected for last year's criticism and failed to calibrate difficulty. On last year's CSAT, only 3.11% of test-takers reached the top grade in English, drawing heavy criticism and eventually leading to the resignation of the institute's president. In June's mock exam this year, the top-grade share still stood at 4.13%. In just three months, the figure jumped from around 4% to above 15%.
Because English is graded on an absolute scale, shifts in its difficulty are a particularly sensitive variable for high school seniors applying through the early admissions track. Many students admitted early must still meet minimum CSAT score requirements set by universities, so a difficult English section can leave more applicants falling short. Conversely, an exam that is too easy weakens differentiation among top students and raises the stakes in other sections.
"When English difficulty fluctuates this much, it is hard for students to set a study strategy," said Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongro Academy. "They should keep in mind that English on the November CSAT could be far harder than this September mock exam."
Korean and math were also somewhat easier than on last year's CSAT. The highest standard score in Korean was 144, three points lower than last year, while math came in at 137, down two points. Because higher top standard scores indicate a harder test, both sections are seen as having been easier than last year's CSAT.
In the elective subjects, the shift away from science to social studies grew more pronounced. According to Jongro Academy, the number of students taking science electives fell 33.0% from last September's mock exam, while those taking social studies electives rose 10.8%. "If this shift carries through to the actual CSAT, it could become a variable in the applicant landscape for top science-track programs," said Woo Yeon-cheol, head of the admissions strategy research institute at Jinhak Apply.
