Choosing Calculus is Advantageous Compared to Probability and Statistics
In this year’s university entrance exam, it was observed that students who chose ‘Probability and Statistics’ received lower scores than those who selected ‘Calculus’ or ‘Geometry’. Even if students correctly answered all questions, liberal arts students scored up to 5 points lower than science students, an analysis by the entrance exam industry revealed. It is expected that science students will have a significant advantage in the admission process for major universities offering increased flexibility in choosing majors.
According to an analysis by Jongro Academy on December 8th, the maximum standard scores for the 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test in mathematics were 140 points for Calculus, 138 points for Geometry, and 135 points for Probability and Statistics. The maximum standard score is awarded to students who achieve perfect scores. This means that a student who correctly answered all questions in Calculus received 140 points, while those in Geometry and Probability and Statistics received 2 and 5 points less, respectively.
The proportion of top scorers was overwhelmingly among those who chose Calculus and Geometry. In a sample of 3,135 students surveyed by Jongro Academy, 96% of the top scorers selected Calculus or Geometry. The figures were 74.8% for the second tier, 71.6% for the third tier, and 63.6% for the fourth tier. This trend of science students using their math score superiority to apply to top-tier liberal arts universities has persisted since the introduction of the integrated CSAT in the 2022 academic year. This year, the Ministry of Education greatly expanded the option to decide on majors in the second year. Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongro Academy, commented, “The ‘Type 1’ category, which allows applications regardless of stream, is quite disadvantageous for liberal arts students. It’s an important factor to consider when planning application strategies.”