"Killer questions excluded but discrimination secured"
Focus on difficulty level as in last year's CSAT
Mass influx of repeaters due to 'medical school expansion' variable
Including half-year repeaters, difficulty adjustment is key
The last mock evaluation conducted by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) before this year’s College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was held on the 4th. Since the September mock test serves as a preliminary indicator of the difficulty level of that year’s CSAT, there is keen interest in whether the ‘Bulsunung’ (extremely difficult test) trend seen in last year’s CSAT will continue. Additionally, the large influx of repeat test-takers (graduates or above) due to this year’s increase in medical school quotas may also impact the difficulty level.
KICE announced that on this day, the 2025 academic year CSAT September mock evaluation was simultaneously conducted at 2,154 high schools nationwide and 523 designated academies. The exam was held from 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. KICE explained, “In accordance with the Ministry of Education’s measures to reduce private education, so-called ‘killer questions’ (ultra-high difficulty questions) were excluded. However, considering the results of the June mock test and the characteristics of each subject area, questions of appropriate difficulty were evenly selected to ensure discrimination power using only content covered in the public education curriculum.”
On the 4th, examinees were preparing for the 'September Mock Test for the 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test' held at Yeouido Girls' High School in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
They also stated, “We aimed to set questions aligned with the content and level of the high school curriculum to measure abilities learned through school education. In particular, by focusing on core and basic content, we intended to help normalize high school education.”
However, despite applying the policy of excluding killer questions in both the June mock test and last year’s CSAT, reactions indicated that the tests were difficult enough to be called ‘Bulsunung.’ Especially, the September mock test is administered directly by KICE, the CSAT organizing body, and serves as a test to gauge the CSAT’s question trends, types, and difficulty levels. Therefore, whether this test will maintain the ‘Bulsunung’ trend is a key issue.
From this year, with the expansion of medical school admission quotas, it is possible that a large number of top-tier repeat test-takers have entered. Moreover, from the September mock test onward, students who have completed their first semester final exams and are retaking the test (known as ‘bansu’ students) will fully join, allowing a realistic sense of the actual scale of repeat test-takers taking the CSAT.
According to KICE, 488,292 examinees registered for this September mock test. Among them, 381,733 (78.2%) are current students, and 106,559 (21.8%) are graduates, including those who passed the qualification exam. The proportion of graduates is the second highest since KICE began publishing mock test registration statistics in the 2011 academic year.
KICE explained that for the Korean and English sections, questions were created using a variety of passages and materials based on the scope of the test. For mathematics, social/science inquiry, vocational inquiry, and second foreign language/Chinese characters sections, the evaluation focused on thinking skills based on the characteristics of each subject. KICE added, “In sections with elective subjects, we aimed to minimize advantages or disadvantages depending on subject choice.” The EBS linkage rate is approximately 50% based on the number of questions per section and subject.
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