Highest Korean scores: Language and Media 149, Speech and Composition 147
Math: Calculus & Geometry 147, Probability & Statistics 144
Different subject selection rates by grade
Top grade favors Language & Media and Calculus; grade 3 favors Probability & Statistics and Speech & Composition
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] An analysis of the 2022 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) revealed that the score difference caused by elective subjects was 3 points in Mathematics and 2 points in Korean Language.
On the 10th, Jongno Academy analyzed that the highest standard score in the Korean Language section was 149 points for Eoneowa Maeche (Language and Media) and 147 points for Hwabeopgwa Jakmun (Speech and Composition). During the June mock exam, the scores were 146 for Eoneowa Maeche and 141 for Hwabeopgwa Jakmun, showing a 5-point difference, and in September, the scores were 127 and 124 respectively, showing a 3-point difference.
In the Mathematics section, students in the science track who mainly took Calculus and Geometry had the highest standard score of 147 points, while Probability and Statistics, which many liberal arts students chose, had 144 points. In the June mock exam, Calculus scored 146 and Probability and Statistics 142, a 4-point difference, and in the September mock exam, the scores were 145 and 139, a 6-point difference.
Although this year's CSAT was conducted as an integrated test for both liberal arts and science tracks, the phenomenon of higher scores appeared in top-tier subjects mainly taken by science students, such as Eoneowa Maeche and Calculus. Similar patterns were observed in mock exams conducted by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation and education offices.
Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongno Academy, said, "It is structurally difficult to adjust the score differences between elective subjects through test difficulty," adding, "Calculating university-specific weightings for Mathematics and Korean Language has become very important in this year's regular admissions."
The standard score differences analyzed by Etoos were the same. The highest standard score difference was 2 points in Korean Language and 3 points in Mathematics. Compared to the mock exams held this year, the score differences were smaller, reflecting efforts to minimize advantages and disadvantages between elective subjects.
Looking at the grade-wise share of elective subjects analyzed by Etoos, in the 1st grade, the share for Eoneowa Maeche was 67.3%, and for Hwabeopgwa Jakmun, 30.7%. In Mathematics, the 1st grade share was highest for Calculus (78.4%), while Geometry and Probability and Statistics both had 10.8%.
In the 3rd grade, the share of Hwabeopgwa Jakmun (57.6%) exceeded that of Eoneowa Maeche (42.4%), and in Mathematics, Probability and Statistics (56.7%) surpassed Calculus (34.4%) and Geometry (8.9%).
Kim Byung-jin, head of the Etoos Educational Evaluation Research Institute, said, "In both Korean Language and Mathematics, the share of elective subjects reversed between the 1st and 2nd grades and the 3rd grade. While this ratio might suggest that Eoneowa Maeche is advantageous, it can also be interpreted that students who excel in Korean Language tend to choose Eoneowa Maeche. Regarding Mathematics, the affinity for learning is likely higher among those who choose Calculus and Geometry than those who choose Probability and Statistics."
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