College Scholastic Ability Test

College Scholastic Ability Test
Hangul	대학수학능력시험
Hanja	大學修學能力試驗
Revised Romanization	Daehak suhak neungnyeok siheom
McCune–Reischauer	Taehak suhak nŭngnyŏk sihŏm

College Scholastic Ability Test also known as Suneung (수능) is a type of standardized test accepted by all South Korean universities. Suneung is managed by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation.^[1] The test is offered on the second Thursday of November of every year.

On the test day, government employees arrive to work later than the ordinary time to avoid traffic jams that could prevent students from getting to testing sites. The CSAT is one of the most rigorous standardized tests in existence, and students start preparing for it as early as elementary school. Since South Korea has one of the highest number of post-secondary degree holders in the world, the extreme pressure felt by students culminate to teenage depression and high rates of suicide.

Often, students are escorted by police, especially if students don't think they will arrive at the test center on time and planes are grounded to reduce noise pollution. Since the test is almost a life-or-death exam for students, the preparation for it is so secure and strict that since its beginning from 1993, Suneung questions were never leaked. Questions are made by chosen professors and teachers, who are locked in a hotel with blacked windows, no communication and a full library of questions until the end of Suneung.

Content

• First period (제1교시) : Verbal^[2] (언어 영역), 50 questions including 5 listening items, 08:40~10:00 (80 minutes)
• Second period (제2교시) : Mathematics (select 1 type) (수리 영역), 30 questions including 8 short-answer questions, 10:30~12:10 (100 minutes)
  • Mathematics Type 'Ga','가' : MathⅠ, MathⅡ, and 1 selection (Further Calculus, Probability and Statistics, Discrete Mathematics)
  • Mathematics Type 'Na','나' : MathⅠ

- MathⅠ: index numbers and logarithm, matrix, sequence, limit of sequences, exponential and logarithm functions, permutation and combination, probability, statistics. - MathⅡ: equation and inequality, limit of a function and continuity, differentiation of a polynomial function, integration of a polynomial function, quadratic curve, space figure and coordinates, vector.

• From CSAT 2012, Ranges in mathematics will be changed:^[3]
  • Mathematics Type 'Ga','가' : MathⅠ, MathⅡ, Integral calculus and Statistics, Geometry and Vector
  • Mathematics Type 'Na','나' : MathⅠ, Basic calculus and Statistics
• Third period (제3교시) : English with listening (외국어 영역), 50 questions including 17 listening items, 13:10~14:20 (70 minutes)
• Fourth period (제4교시) : Social Studies/Sciences/Vocational Education (select 1 type, and select max. 4 subordinate subject)(탐구영역; 사회탐구, 과학탐구, 직업탐구 영역)
  • Social Studies (사회탐구)
    • Ethics (Ethics & Thought + Korean Traditional Ethics)
    • Korean History, Korean Modern and Contemporary History, World History
    • Politics, Economics, Society and Culture, Law and Society
    • Korean Geography, Economic Geography, World Geography
  • Sciences (과학탐구) (Ⅱ-subjects cannot be chosen up to 2 subjects)
    • Physics Ⅰ, Chemistry Ⅰ, Biology Ⅰ, Earth Science Ⅰ
    • Physics Ⅱ, Chemistry Ⅱ, Biology Ⅱ, Earth Science Ⅱ
  • Vocational Education (직업탐구)
    • 1 subject can be chosen out of 4 computer-related subjects : Agricultural Information Management, Basic Information Technology, General Computers, Fishery and Shipping Information Processing
    • Up to 2 subjects can be selected : Understanding of Agriculture, Techniques in Basic Agriculture, Introduction to Industry, Basic Drafting, Commercial Economy, Principles of Accounting, Introduction to Fisheries, General Marine Affairs, General Oceanography, Human Development, Food and Nutrition, General Design, Programming
• Fifth period (제5교시) : Foreign Languages or Chinese Characters and Classics (제2외국어 영역, 한문)
  • German I, French I, Spanish I, Chinese I, Japanese I, Russian I, Arabic I, Chinese Characters and Classics (select 1 subject)

See also

• Education in South Korea
• Suicide in South Korea

References

1. ^ College Scholastic Ability Test Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation
2. ^ Korean Language with listening)
3. ^ "2012수능 탐구 선택 최대 3과목…수리범위는 확대" (in Korean). Yeonhap News. 2010-04-22. http://app.yonhapnews.co.kr/YNA/Basic/article/new_search/YIBW_showSearchArticle.aspx?searchpart=article&searchtext=2012%20%ec%88%98%eb%8a%a5&contents_id=AKR20100422080600004. Retrieved 6 May 2010. 

External links

• Ministry of Education, Science and Technology