Introduction

           What does the “CSAT” mean in Korea? Besides meaning the exam for evaluating students’ studying ability, it is considered as “the test in which one must be successful” and “the difficulty young students face first in their lives”. The Korean university admission system has changed over a long period of time. Among these, the most dramatic change was the introduction of the CSAT. In the case of the previously conducted achievement test, it was most important to check how much knowledge students possessed. After CSAT was introduced in 1994, it has become much more important to prove students’ sense of reasoning and thinking skills. However, over time, criticism over the CSAT was inevitable. For example, there are some criticisms like that the CSAT is just a means for entering university. But now in 2017, the CSAT is preannouncing reorganization of the admission system. It is an “extension of the absolute grading system of the CSAT” So far, there are two plans for absolute grading systems of the CSAT, and the first plan consists of changing English, Korean History, and Integrated Society & Science Subjects into an absolute grading system. Also, the second plan consists of changing all subjects. It will take effect after 2021, when the current 2nd grade middle school students will take the CSAT. There is a still controversy over “the expansion of the absolute grading system” among students, parents, teachers and, politicians. Then, let’s take a closer look.
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