Gov't announces major overhaul to college entrance exam

The Education Ministry announced on Wednesday its finalized college admission plans, requiring exam candidates to take an “integrated” College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) from the 2028 admission year.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho speaks at a press briefing held to announce the finalized college admission plans at Seoul Government Complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The Education Ministry announced on Wednesday its finalized college admission plans, requiring exam candidates to take an “integrated” College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) from the 2028 admission year.

The latest revision to the CSAT system will be applied to current middle school second-graders, eliminating the current elective choices within subjects such as Korean language, math, humanities and science.

The “integrated” exam plan comes as Korean high schools are set to adopt a credit system in 2025, which also aims to minimize the distinction between students focused on liberal arts-related subjects and natural science-related subjects.

The current exam system requires all candidates to take common and elective sections in Korean and mathematics. Takers must also choose two from among 17 humanities and science subjects and five job skills subjects.

However, the revised exam system from 2028 will require test candidates to take both humanities and science subjects, returning to the early years of suneung when some elective choices were unavailable.

The ministry believes the revised system will “resolve the unfair results that arise depending on which subjects students select and ultimately lead to an integrated education system.”

Grade discrepancies among test-takers based on subject choices deepened particularly in the 2022 exam, as some takers of the calculus exam received higher standardized grades than others. The “unfair” results were blamed for exacerbating the discrepancy between liberal arts-centered and science-centered exam takers.

For second language subjects, test-takers will still need to choose one subject from among nine options.

The ministry also scrapped its consideration of introducing advanced mathematics, including Calculus II and Geometry. The plan was proposed to foster talent in cutting-edge industries but was not adopted upon the National Education Commission's urging.

The commission expressed concerns that the subject might increase reliance on private education, creating additional burdens on students and parents.

The high school evaluation system will go from a nine-grade system to a five-grade system, making the percentage of those in the first rank roughly equivalent to those in the first and second ranks under the current nine-grade system.

To calculate student GPA, an absolute grading system will be applied to nine science and humanities subjects, including modern history, economics, climate change and environmental ecology, as well as physical education and arts subjects.

“The competition among students will decline as major math questions will appear from the 2028 CSAT, and as the high school evaluation system will transform into a five-grade system,” the ministry said. “Demand for private education on the CSAT and GPA is expected to decrease.”

Based on the revised measure, the ministry will develop and release exemplary questionnaires for “integrated” humanities and science subjects.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]