In the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the highest standard score in Korean is expected to exceed that of math, making Korean scores the key to admission in the regular application round. A standard score is a figure that shows how far a raw score deviates from the average and indicates a test-taker's relative standing.
According to admissions companies on the 16th, the highest standard score for this CSAT is expected to form in the range of 141–149 points for Korean and 137–142 points for math. The harder the test, the lower the average score and the higher the highest standard score.
In last year's CSAT, the highest standard score in Korean was 139, one point lower than math. This year, however, the standard score in Korean is projected to be up to 12 points higher than math. That means test-takers found Korean more difficult than math. Because English is graded on an absolute scale, Korean is expected to decide admission outcomes in the regular application round, which selects mainly by scores.
With the phenomenon of science-track students taking social studies instead of science, often called the "social studies rush," scores in the inquiry section have also become a variable that will decide admissions in the regular round. Except for Seoul National University, Hongik University, and Kookmin University, major universities evaluate test-takers' inquiry scores using their own converted standard score systems. A converted standard score is a score adjusted to fit a university's scoring system, and the application method differs by university.
Some universities are expected to devise methods for applying converted standard scores by analyzing the CSAT scoring results to be announced on Dec. 5.