Scores steadily decline from March mock exam to CSAT... "Essential to have strategies to address weaknesses"

National, Math, and Science Average Percentile: March Mock Exam 79.8% → CSAT 73.4%

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Last year, the CSAT scores of high school seniors steadily declined from the March academic assessment to the CSAT. This result is the exact opposite of what test-takers expected, as they anticipated scoring higher on the CSAT compared to mock exams.

According to Jinhaksa on the 13th, an analysis of scores from high school seniors who entered all their scores from the March academic assessment, June and September mock evaluations, and the CSAT last year showed that their average percentile ranks in Korean, Math, and Inquiry subjects steadily decreased as the CSAT approached. However, the English section, which is graded on an absolute scale, showed patterns depending on the test difficulty, with the highest grades recorded in the relatively easier September mock evaluation.

The average percentile ranks of high school seniors in Korean, Math, and Inquiry subjects dropped from 79.8% in March to 75.3% in June, 74.9% in September, and further down to 73.4% on the CSAT. The largest decline occurred between March and June.

Unlike the March academic assessment, graduates join from the June mock evaluation onward, so some decline in high school seniors’ scores is somewhat expected. Additionally, the March academic assessment is administered by the local education office, whereas the June and September mock evaluations and the CSAT are created by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation.

On the 9th, when the 2023 College Scholastic Ability Test score reports were distributed, high school seniors at Gyeongbok High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul, were checking their score reports. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Due to the nature of high school seniors, they must manage their school records, including internal grades, alongside CSAT preparation until the first semester, making it difficult to fully focus on the CSAT. However, the results from the September mock evaluation, after summer vacation, did not show significant changes. The small difference between June and September mock evaluation scores supports this. Moreover, actual CSAT scores declined further.

Some students did improve their scores. About 8.4% of students showed a meaningful increase of 5 or more percentile points on average in the CSAT compared to the March academic assessment. However, more than half, 53.5%, experienced a decline of 5 or more points, and approximately 4 out of 10 students (38.2%) maintained their average percentile within 5 points.

Expanding the comparison to September mock evaluation and CSAT scores, 17.6% of high school seniors raised their average percentile by 5 or more points on the actual CSAT. The percentage of students who dropped by 5 or more points was 31.4%, a decrease compared to the March-based figure. The highest proportion maintained their scores within 5 points, indicating that about half of the students scored at similar levels on the September mock evaluation and the CSAT.

Woo Yeon-cheol, head of the Jinhaksa Admissions Strategy Research Institute, advised, “While it is common for March academic assessment scores to be similar through to the CSAT, this is only a proportion. It is most important to accurately identify your strengths and weaknesses by subject area and develop and implement strategies to improve your weaker areas.”