It was found that applicants to many science and engineering departments can apply even without choosing calculus or geometry on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) math section for the 2027 academic year.
Jongno Academy on the 5th released an analysis of the regular admissions plans for the 2027 academic year with these findings. According to it, 166 of 174 four-year universities (95.4%) did not designate calculus and geometry as required test subjects for science and engineering departments (excluding medical and pharmaceutical sciences).
Seoul National University was the only university (0.6%) in the science and engineering field to require CSAT calculus or geometry. Seoul National University requires applicants to take either calculus or geometry in the CSAT math section for science and engineering recruitment units, excluding the departments of food and nutrition, clothing and textiles, and the College of Nursing.
Only seven universities (4%) required calculus or geometry for select departments. These include the Cloud Engineering Department at Gachon University (Global), the Mobile Engineering major at Kyungpook National University, the mathematics education departments at Jeonbuk National University and Jeju National University, the mathematics, mathematics education, and information statistics departments at Chungnam National University and Chungbuk National University, and the mathematics, mathematics education, and mechanical engineering departments at Chonnam National University.
Medical schools were different. It was found that 17 of 39 medical schools nationwide (43.6%) designated calculus or geometry as test subjects.
Amid this trend, some predict more students will choose "probability and statistics," which carries a relatively lighter test burden. Currently, the CSAT math section consists of common subjects Math I and Math II, plus one elective from probability and statistics, calculus, or geometry.
In addition, starting with the 2028 academic year CSAT, the division between humanities and science tracks will be abolished, and math elective subjects will be eliminated. This is expected to bring continued changes to the admissions environment.
Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongno Academy, said, "There is a possibility that the share of students taking probability and statistics will increase on this year's CSAT," and added, "Starting with next year's CSAT, the humanities-science division will be removed, raising concerns about a decline in math proficiency among students entering science and engineering."