September Mock CSAT: Korean and Math Remain Discriminating, Top English Scores Expected to Near 20%

More Than 111,000 Graduates—An All-Time High of 22.4%

Repeat Test-Takers Could Near 200,000 for the CSAT

The September mock test for the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), held on September 2, saw the Korean language and mathematics sections designed to differentiate student performance, while the English section was notably easier, according to analyses.

On September 2nd, the date of the September mock test for the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test, examinees are reviewing their exam papers at Bangsan High School in Songpa-gu, Seoul. 2026.09.02.

According to combined analyses by the EBS field teachers’ team and the college admissions industry, the Korean language section was more difficult than this June’s mock test and was set at a level similar to—or perhaps a bit easier than—the CSAT from the previous year.

Kim Jinseok, a teacher at Semyung Girls’ High School in Gyeonggi Province and a member of the EBS field teachers’ team, stated during a briefing, “Overall, the September mock test appears to have been set at a level similar to last year’s September exam and the CSAT, or perhaps slightly easier.”

Although killer questions were excluded, there was a significant amount of information to check, especially in the sections on speech and composition, so it is believed that time management played a key role in differentiating scores among examinees.

The mathematics section also received reviews indicating it was either similar to or somewhat harder than last year’s CSAT. While the EBS field teachers’ team assessed the difficulty to be close to the level of last September’s mock exam and the CSAT, some admissions consulting firms analyzed that it was tougher compared to last year’s CSAT. In particular, questions that distinguished mid- and high-performing students were placed in the common section, heightening the perceived difficulty.

Jinhaksa, a college admissions service, explained, “Mathematics was set at a similar difficulty to last year’s CSAT and this June’s mock test. While 2- and 3-point questions were relatively straightforward, certain 4-point questions offered greater differentiation. As the structure and arrangement of questions differed somewhat from previous exams, some examinees may have found them unfamiliar.”

In contrast, the English section was evaluated as easier than both last year’s CSAT and this June’s mock test.

Last year’s CSAT saw a historically low rate of 3.11% of examinees achieving a top (Grade 1) score in English, and this June’s mock test had a similar rate, remaining in the 4% range.

Jongro Academy predicted that the proportion of students achieving Grade 1 in English in the latest September mock test could approach 20%. A spokesperson from Jongro Academy said, “We expect the proportion of Grade 1 scores in English to reach about 18–19%, making it difficult to distinguish top-performing students.” They also pointed out that fluctuations in the English section’s difficulty may inevitably cause confusion for students preparing for the final CSAT.

An increase in repeat test-takers (known as ‘N-susaeng’) has emerged as the single greatest variable for this year’s CSAT. According to the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), this September’s mock test had 500,128 applicants, among whom 111,925 were graduates or GED-holders—an increase of 6,235 from the previous year. This group accounted for 22.4% of total applicants, marking an all-time high in both number and proportion since KICE began disclosing applicant statistics for the 2011 academic year. In contrast, current students totaled 388,203, a decline of 22,007 compared to a year earlier.

The proportion of repeat test-takers is likely to rise even further during the actual CSAT. Typically, after September’s mock exam, around 80,000 additional students—such as those in their first year of college who opt to try again—join the CSAT, meaning this year’s cohort of N-susaeng could approach 190,000 to 200,000. The increase in medical school intakes due to the launch of the regional physician program, along with significant changes to the admissions system such as the abolition of elective subjects and the adoption of a five-grade system for high school records starting from the 2028 academic year, are seen as factors behind the rising number of students seeking another chance under the current system.

The trend of natural science stream students choosing social studies instead of science subjects—known as “satam-run”—has become clearer. In this September’s mock test, the number of applicants for social studies was 432,504, up 10.5% compared to last year, while science subject applicants dropped by 18.7% to 201,060. A similar phenomenon, called “hwaktong-run,” emerged in mathematics, where students opted for probability and statistics over calculus, creating a variable in how shifts in applicants by subject will impact standard scores and grades on the actual CSAT.

The actual number of test-takers by subject and the grading results will be announced on September 29.

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