On the September mock evaluation for the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which took place on the 3rd, the difficulty level of the Korean section was analyzed to be similar to the previous year’s 2025 CSAT. It was noted that the exam had passages with an adequate amount of information and uncomplicated structures, allowing students to prepare effectively using reading skills learned in school, without including so-called “killer questions.”
Han Byeong-hoon, a Korean language teacher at Deoksan High School in Chungnam and a lead instructor at EBS, remarked during a briefing on the Korean section’s question trends held at the Government Complex Sejong that the exam faithfully reflected the achievement standards and core concepts of the 2015 revised curriculum. He stated, “The overall trend is similar to last year’s CSAT, with a difficulty level that is comparable to the previous CSAT and slightly more challenging than the June mock evaluation.”
Last year, the highest standardized score in the Korean section of the CSAT was 139, a decrease of 11 points from the previous year (150 points), indicating an easier exam. In the June mock evaluation of this year, the top score was 137, which was easier compared to last year’s CSAT. Additionally, the number of perfect scorers (1,926) surpassed that of the previous CSAT (1,055).
Standardized scores indicate how much an individual’s raw score differs from the average score. Generally, if an exam is difficult and the average score is lower, the highest standardized score increases, and if it is easier, it decreases.
Given that the Korean section in this September mock evaluation was analyzed to be of a similar difficulty level to last year’s CSAT, it is unlikely that test-takers experienced significant pressure in solving the problems. However, Teacher Han emphasized that it is difficult to predict the ease of this year’s CSAT based solely on the mock evaluation’s difficulty, stating, “Mock evaluations offer practice opportunities for students and help them address their weaknesses.”
EBS’s overall question linkage rate was 51.1%, with a total of 23 linked questions. Han emphasized the importance of regular practice in reading comprehension through public education and diligent study of EBS’s CSAT-related materials (CSAT Special Lectures and CSAT Completion).