"Estimating Support Universities and Considering EBS Linkage Rate"... How to Use the 'Mini CSAT' September Mock Test

Results Scheduled for Announcement on the 14th of Next Month
Preliminary Scoring Required
Must Review and Solve Incorrect Questions
Refine Winning Strategies for Early and Regular Admissions

High school seniors preparing for the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test are getting ready for the September mock exam on the 16th at Yeouido Girls' High School in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. This mock exam is the last practice test conducted by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, the organization responsible for the CSAT, before the actual exam. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The September mock exam, known as the 'mini CSAT,' is the last national-level test before the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) in which both current students and graduates participate, and it is evaluated to be very similar to the actual CSAT. The official results announcement for the CSAT mock exam conducted by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation on the 16th is scheduled for the 14th of next month. The results of the September mock exam are closely linked to early admission application strategies. This year, the exam was generally considered to be similar in difficulty to last year's CSAT. Some subjects were analyzed to be somewhat difficult for mid-tier students, as they were more challenging than the June mock exam.

In the Korean language section, the exam was easier than last year's CSAT and similar to the June mock exam. The speech and writing areas were straightforward, and the literature section had a very high degree of EBS linkage. Woo Yeon-cheol, head of the Admissions Strategy Research Institute at Jinhaksa, said, "In the reading section, the passages on administrative regulation laws and antimicrobial chemical agents contained a lot of information, which may have made comprehension difficult." He added, "In literature, a combination of literary theory and works that had not been tested since 2018 was presented, and a passage reflecting the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) included virus quarantine content."

In the mathematics section, Type A was slightly more difficult than last year's CSAT and similar or somewhat easier than the June mock exam. Mathematics Type B, which was very difficult in last year's CSAT, was somewhat easier but slightly more difficult than the June mock exam. The English section, which is graded on an absolute scale, was similar to last year's CSAT and somewhat more difficult than the June mock exam. Lee Manki, director of the Uway Education Evaluation Research Institute, analyzed, "Overall, there were no new question types, and the exam followed the June mock exam format, with traditionally difficult blank inference questions presented at a high difficulty level." The EBS linkage rate for the English section in the September mock exam was the highest at 73%.

Based on the preliminary scoring results, students should estimate which universities they can apply to in the regular admission round and establish strategies for both early and regular admissions. It is necessary to comprehensively analyze the mock exam scores taken so far. Depending on the scores, students need to determine whether they can meet the minimum CSAT requirements for early admission and which universities are within a safe range for regular admission. Since some universities do not apply minimum CSAT requirements, students should consider the admission process most advantageous to them. There are a total of six opportunities for early admission, and it is advisable to make two of these applications to safe choices.

With 77 days remaining until the CSAT, examinees should review their incorrect answers and select similar question types from EBS textbooks for study. Since the direct linkage rate with EBS is likely to increase, students should thoroughly master basic concepts and question types based on EBS textbooks while practicing with modified problems. For Korean and mathematics, solving the 2022 CSAT sample questions posted on the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation website can also be helpful. Lee Young-deok, director of Daesung Academic Development Research Institute, emphasized, "It is important to maintain mental stability while studying under difficult conditions," adding, "You have done your best so far, and as long as you maintain normal condition until the day of the CSAT, you should have confidence that you can do well. This is a more important time than ever."