Record Number of Graduates and N-Students Take June Mock Exam

Students prepare for the June mock exam at Seoul Women's High School in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on June 4, 2026. [Photo=Yonhap News]

The first mock exam for the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test has begun, signaling significant changes in the college admissions landscape due to a record influx of graduates and a trend of science students focusing on social studies, known as "social studies rush."
The Ministry of Education and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation announced that the June mock exam was conducted nationwide at 2,124 high schools and 564 designated academies starting at 8:40 a.m. on June 4. This mock exam is the first nationwide assessment reflecting the impact of increased medical school admissions and is expected to serve as a key indicator of the test's content and students' academic levels.
A total of 488,343 students registered for this June mock exam. Due to a decline in the school-age population, the number of current third-year students decreased by 22,273 from the previous year, totaling 391,412. In contrast, the number of graduates and N-students increased by 7,044 from the previous year, reaching 96,931. Graduates now account for 19.8% of all test-takers, marking the highest percentage since the evaluation agency began releasing statistics in 2011.
The trend of selecting social studies over science subjects has intensified. Among those taking the social and scientific inquiry sections, 66.9% (417,935 students) chose social studies, the highest ever recorded. Conversely, the selection rate for science subjects fell to 33.1%, the lowest in history. This shift indicates that students are moving towards social studies, which has less academic burden, following the elimination of designated inquiry subjects for science-related programs, solidifying the "social studies rush" phenomenon.
Experts in the admissions industry have noted that the variables of increased medical school admissions and the influx of N-students have made it extremely difficult to predict subject advantages and cutoff scores. Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongno Academy, stated, "The solidification of the social studies rush and the significant increase in N-students make it very challenging to predict cutoff scores. It is essential to analyze the preliminary scoring results conservatively and develop a reverse strategy for applying to both early and regular admissions."

* This article has been translated by AI.

BAEK DUSAN