Record 110,000 Repeat Test-Takers for September Mock Exam Ahead of University System Overhaul

A record number of over 110,000 repeat test-takers have applied for the September mock college entrance exam for the 2027 academic year, signaling a surge in students aiming for university admission. This marks the highest figure since the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation began releasing application statistics in 2011.

The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation announced that a total of 500,128 students applied for the September mock exam. While the number of current high school students decreased by 22,007 compared to last year, the number of repeat test-takers and those who passed the GED increased by 6,235 to reach 111,925.

Experts attribute the rise in repeat test-takers to several factors. The introduction of a regional quota for medical school admissions has likely motivated top-tier students to retake the exam. Additionally, the upcoming overhaul of the college entrance system for the 2028 academic year, which will eliminate elective subjects in Korean, Math, and Social Studies and implement a 5-grade system for internal high school grades, is pushing students to secure their spots under the current, more familiar structure. The phenomenon known as 'Satam-run,' where students strategically choose social studies subjects, has also reached its highest level.