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The 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is about a month away. Because studying efficiently for the rest of the year can increase your scores, test takers should make all-out efforts to complete the CSAT with the determination to get even one more question right. Nam Yoon-gon, head of the Mega Study Education Entrance Strategy Institute, summarized five key strategies proposed to boost grades by the day of the CSAT.
Learn by considering the weights of each area of the CSAT reflected by the target university
They should do their best until the end, focusing on subjects with high possibility of improving grades, so that they can meet the minimum academic standards of the university they applied for in the occasional recruitment. In the case of regular recruitment, each university has a different reflection rate for each area of the SAT, so it is necessary to focus on learning areas with high weight considering the weight. Among middle-ranking universities, many universities have a large percentage of additional points given to specific areas, so it is better to check in advance how the target university reflects the CSAT.
Review the basic concepts and recap the trend of mock tests
You should get used to the type of CSAT questions by grasping the question structure and intention of the previously solved mock questions in detail. In the case of Korean and English, which are indirectly linked to EBS textbooks, the same questions are not presented, but are presented using fingerprints, data, and questions. Therefore, rather than learning the problem itself as it is, it is necessary to learn to develop the analytical power to solve the problem.
In particular, learning that is faithful to concepts and principles is the most important thing in mathematics. It is more important to review what you have studied so far than new, and you should study the direction of each area and the flow of characteristic changes.
Try to get one or two more questions right
Right now, the influence of one or two questions may not be significant. However, if one's grades are close to the grade cut, the results of the occasional application may vary due to the difference in grades by one or two questions, and on time, the percentile can be widened by one question because the equalizer accumulates a lot even with a one-point difference. In order to get one or two more questions correct, you have to practice reducing mistakes in the end. Many test takers tend to make more mistakes than usual in the tense situation of the CSAT, and reducing this will have the effect of increasing their scores.
In this case, it is better to target areas and questions that can achieve short-term grades. Except for the top ranks, where there are few incorrect answers, if the rest of the period is focused on areas that cannot be solved only by supplementing concepts, it may not be as effective as the time invested. Therefore, no matter how much you study, it is better to supplement the areas that may be effective when you finish learning the concept and learn the question type over and over again, rather than the areas that you keep getting wrong.
Finish with the familiar textbook you have studied so far
The biggest driving force behind the rise in CSAT scores is the conquest of vulnerable members. From now on, you have to focus on your vulnerable members. It is important to strengthen the basic concept of vulnerable units with the familiar textbooks you have seen the most during the rest of the year. Among the mock evaluation questions, incorrect or confusing questions should be thoroughly examined and accurately understood from the basic concept to the solution method.
It is desirable to organize around the core concepts rather than just sticking to problem solving because it is the closing time. In other words, the so-called 'shepherding study' habit of solving many problems must be abandoned. Instead, even if you solve a problem, you should learn strategically to read the problem accurately and grasp the intention of the question.
Focus on the actual training for the College Scholastic Ability Test
Assuming that you take the actual CSAT, you should carefully check the time it takes to solve the problem and practice so that you can solve the problem within a set time. At this time, it is better to check and supplement where you lack time. When practicing, it is good to boldly pass over questions you don't know and make a habit of solving easy questions first.
This is because we can secure extra time when difficult questions come out of the actual CSAT. If you do several practical training sessions to experience tension like this, you will be able to improve your adaptability to the CSAT. In particular, the top candidates should focus on reducing mistakes. Keep in mind that if you get one question wrong by mistake, the application university itself can change, and try to minimize mistakes through practical training.