Your bookmarked countries have an update since your last login. View Bookmarks x

Emergent News

South Korea Education Ministry announces plan to reduce choice on college entrance exam from 2028

Dec 11, 2023, 15:00 PM
The Education Ministry announced the 2028 college admission plans, emphasizing the primary goal of the changes is to improve the fairness of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).
Title : South Korea Education Ministry announces plan to reduce choice on college entrance exam from 2028
Source : Korea Joongang Daily
External URL : https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2023-10-10/national/kcampus/In-2028-choices-on-college-aptitude-test-to-be-limited-/1886785
Every middle school student in their second year this year will be required to take the same Korean language, math, social studies and science exams on their college aptitude test from 2028.
 
The Education Ministry on Tuesday announced the 2028 college admission plans, emphasizing the primary goal of the changes is to improve the fairness of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).

In recent years, college entrance exam students were provided with a broader range of subject choices.
 
However, some students expressed concerns about being disadvantaged due to significant variations in the difficulty levels of questions depending on the subjects they chose.
 
The government also noted the need to promote a more comprehensive and integrated education approach.
 
Currently, 75 percent of the questions in the Korean language test in the CSAT are the same for all students. These questions pertain to comprehension and literature.
 
However, students can choose the remaining 25 percent from options such as speech and writing or language and media.
 
The situation is similar in math, where students can choose between calculus, geometry, probability and statistics.
 
The government is also changing the grading system for high school students' academic reports. 
 
Beginning in 2025, the grading system will be simplified from nine grades to five for all students.
 
In 2021, the Moon Jae-in government announced a plan in which, starting in 2025, a relative nine-rank grading system would be applied to first-year students.
 
Second and third-year students were to be evaluated absolutely in a five-rank system.
 
According to the education ministry, the relative evaluation of first-year students would likely spark intense competition to secure admission to top schools by aiming for the highest ranks.
 
This would likely further fuel the already high demand for private tutoring.
 
As a solution, the ministry said it will expand the ratio of students included in the top rank from the current 4 percent to 10 percent in 2025.
 
The education ministry will also encourage schools to incorporate more written tests instead of relying heavily on multiple-choice exams.
 
This approach aims to enhance students' problem-solving skills and reduce the emphasis on memorization in education.
 
“It is important to strike a balance between reality and the ideal of education,” said Lee Ju-ho. “We plan to listen to the opinion of everyone, including students, parents, high schools and colleges, to improve fairness and stability of the CSAT and academic reports.”

BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. JOIN THE AACRAO EXCHANGE. JOIN NOW

Upcoming AACRAO Events

On-Demand Learning

Self-Paced | Online

Self-paced courses aligned with our competency and proficiency framework, AACRAO's on-demand training will build your skills and enhance your resume. 

Courses in:

  • Compliance
  • FERPA
  • International
  • and more

Learn More

SEM_2020_1440x400 update

The International Institute

The AACRAO International Institute covers promising practices for the evaluation of international credentials that combines AACRAO’s On-Demand International Series with five, two-hour, virtual instructor-led training sessions.

Learn More
AACRAO International Institute Banner