The September mock exam for the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test will take place amid an unprecedented influx of repeat test takers and a notable trend of science students opting for social studies. Education experts emphasize that given the numerous variables this year, students should approach their mock exam scores conservatively when determining their eligibility for early admissions.
The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation announced on August 25 that the September mock exam will be conducted simultaneously at 2,162 high schools and 574 designated academies nationwide on September 2. According to the institute, a total of 500,128 students have registered for the exam, with 388,203 current students (77.6%) and 111,925 graduates (22.4%).
A key feature of this mock exam is the overwhelming proportion of repeat test takers. Jongno Academy reported that the number of graduates registered for the September mock exam is 111,925 (22.4%), marking the highest figures in both number and percentage since statistics began being published in 2011.
Im Seong-ho, head of Jongno Academy, noted, "With the full-scale reform of the college entrance exam and internal assessments set for next year, many graduates view the 2027 academic year as their last opportunity and are actively reapplying. The introduction of a regional medical system has also contributed to the influx of top-tier repeat test takers." He cautioned that current third-year students should adopt a conservative approach to predicting their exam scores, as a strong presence of repeat test takers is expected in 2027.
Students are feeling significant pressure. Woo Yeon-cheol, head of the Jinhaksa Admissions Strategy Research Institute, cited a survey indicating that 52.6% of students identified the increased competition due to the rise in repeat test takers as their most concerning factor in early admissions strategies. He advised that rather than lowering their application levels solely due to the increased number of repeat test takers, students should consider their competitive edge and the potential for regular admissions comprehensively.
The trend of science students switching to social studies, known as 'social studies focus,' is a critical variable that could impact both early and regular admissions. The proportion of students registering for social studies in the September mock exam is 68.3%, an increase from 66.9% in the June mock exam and significantly higher than 61.3% in the previous September mock exam.
Woo emphasized that with the number of social studies examinees reaching an all-time high, the environment surrounding minimum score requirements for both humanities and science students is likely to differ from last year. He stressed the importance of conservatively assessing the likelihood of meeting minimum score requirements for target universities.
He added that science students who choose social studies should not overestimate their chances of regular admissions based solely on improved social studies scores and should carefully consider factors such as additional points for science subjects when deciding on early admissions.
Kim Byeong-jin, head of the Etoos Education Evaluation Research Institute, also noted that the September mock exam occurs just before early application submissions, urging students to base their early admissions applications on their mock exam results. He cautioned against relying on vague expectations or fears and recommended that students verify their understanding of each question to accurately predict their competitive standing.
In terms of difficulty, students should remain vigilant. Lee Man-ki, head of the Yuwai Education Evaluation Research Institute, pointed out that the adjustment of difficulty levels by the evaluation institute between last year's easier Korean and English exams and this year's June mock exam will be a key point of observation. He warned that, given the ease of the June Korean exam, there is a possibility that the difficulty will be increased in September, and it would be risky to assume that English will also be easier.
Most importantly, early application submissions will begin on September 7, just after the September mock exam, but official score reports will not be available until September 29. This places students in a situation where they must rely on their preliminary scoring results for their applications.
Lee Man-ki cautioned against making significant changes to early application choices based solely on the September mock exam score, stating, "The September mock exam should not be viewed as a final evaluation but rather as a diagnostic tool to identify what needs to be improved in the remaining 11 weeks to achieve the best possible results on the actual exam."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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