Gwangnam High School Achieves Consecutive Perfect Scores Again After 2014 and 2015
Dinner Service and Self-Study Room Open Until Midnight
Success Attributed to Creating a "Self-Directed Learning Environment"
As the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is being evaluated as more difficult than last year, a student at Gwangnam High School, a regular public school in Seoul, has achieved a perfect score for the second consecutive year.
According to the education sector on this day, preliminary scoring results show that Student A, a third-year student at Gwangnam High School in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, received perfect scores in all subjects. Student A has applied to the medical schools at Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University through the early admission process and is currently awaiting the results.
On the morning of the 13th, the day of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test, examinees are waiting for the exam to start at Gwangnam High School in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. 2025. 11. 13 Photo by Joint Press Corps
Choi Jaeil, principal of Gwangnam High School, told The Asia Business Daily, "Student A has maintained the top rank in the entire school throughout all three years of high school," adding, "Until the second year, he served as both class president and a member of the student council, and he excels not only academically but also in character." He continued, "He is fluent in English and Chinese, chose Arabic as his second foreign language, and has even studied French, Spanish, and Sanskrit, demonstrating his passion for learning." The principal also described him as a "bookworm" who continued to bring books to school even after the CSAT. Thanks to this, he was able to achieve perfect scores in Korean and English, which were especially difficult this year.
This year, the highest standard score in the Korean section was 147 points, which is 8 points higher than last year (139 points). Analysts say the test was as challenging as the 2024 CSAT, which was dubbed a "killer test" with a top score of 150 points. English was also considered difficult, with the proportion of students expected to achieve the top grade estimated at only 3-4% (compared to 6.22% last year).
As a result, the number of perfect scorers on the CSAT is expected to decrease significantly from last year (11 in total: 4 current students and 7 graduates). Im Seongho, CEO of Jongro Academy, said, "This year, the number is expected to be about half of last year," and added, "So far, no perfect scorers have been confirmed among repeat test-takers."
Gwangnam High School, where Student A attends, has produced a perfect scorer for the second straight year, making it the only regular high school to hold the title of "two consecutive years with a perfect scorer" this year. However, since these are preliminary scores, there is a possibility that the results could change if the actual answers differ or if there are marking errors. The school stated, "We expect the results to match the student's own scoring."
One of the reasons Gwangnam High School, despite being a regular public school, has produced perfect CSAT scorers for two consecutive years is its systematic school-wide management. When Principal Choi was vice principal, the school produced perfect scorers for two consecutive years in the 2014 and 2015 academic years, and now, in his third year as principal, it has again produced perfect scorers for two consecutive years (2025 and 2026 academic years). Last year's perfect scorer from the school entered the Department of Computer Science at Seoul National University.
Gwangnam High School is located close to the Gangnam 8th School District, so many students receive private tutoring, but the school itself focuses on creating an environment for self-directed learning. Of the approximately 980 students, about 220 sign up for dinner and study at school late into the night. The "self-study room" (with 261 fixed seats), which is open year-round until midnight, is always in high demand. Since many students prefer the school's study spaces over private study cafes, Principal Choi recently opened a new study cafe with free seating, which has proven even more popular than the fixed-seat option.
Principal Choi said, "Rather than relying on private academies, what matters is 'winning the battle against oneself.' I believe that focusing on creating an atmosphere where students can study independently has led to these positive results."
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