Daily College Admissions News — 2026-05-14

Today's Headline

"The era of relying only on the CSAT is over"... SKY admissions to heavily prioritize student records by 2028

• What's happening?: It has been confirmed that for the 2028 academic year, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University (SKY) will significantly increase the influence of student records (GPA/Credit System) in both early and regular admissions. This demands a fundamental change to existing CSAT-centric strategies.
• Who is affected?: Current 10th graders and middle schoolers (2028 applicants), especially those in areas where the CSAT is traditionally strong (e.g., Jeju and other regions).
• Why it matters?: As top-tier universities like SKY actively incorporate credit-based student records, the strategy of targeting elite colleges based on CSAT scores alone is becoming effectively obsolete. This is expected to have significant repercussions alongside existing regional education gaps.

1 sources

jejudomin.co.kr

jejudomin.co.kr

Universities begin "fine-tuning" admission designs ahead of 2028 reforms

• What's happening?: According to Veritas Alpha, universities have begun to "fine-tune" their admission designs through mutual discussion ahead of the 2028 reform. Even with the 2026 admission process not yet fully concluded due to remaining additional recruitment rounds, planning for the next cycle is already in full swing.
• Who is affected?: 2028 applicants (current 10th graders), university admissions offices, and experts.
• Why it matters?: It is rare for universities to design admissions through "joint coordination" rather than individual decisions, suggesting that the 2028 reform is a structural shift in the entire admissions system, not just a numerical adjustment.

The June Mock Exam: A critical factor in your final CSAT score

• What's happening?: The June mock exam, officially administered by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), is the most important test for gauging the direction of actual CSAT questions. Analysts suggest that how one utilizes this exam dictates the final result, reflecting the saying, "The June mock exam score is your CSAT score."
• Who is affected?: All current high school seniors, especially those prepping for the CSAT.
• Why it matters?: The June mock exam serves as the key benchmark for predicting CSAT difficulty, assessing one's relative standing, and establishing early/regular admission strategies. Your analysis and utilization of these results will be a turning point for your second-half admission strategy.

Key Trends by Admission Type

Early Admissions

Anticipated increase in student record-based admissions for 2028: The core of the 2028 reform is strengthening student record-based admissions (comprehensive/curriculum-based) during the early cycle. While 85.9% of early admissions were already student record-focused as of 2026, this proportion is expected to grow. Major universities, including SKY, are currently coordinating ways to refine how these records are reflected in early admissions.

Discussions on publishing early admission results: According to Veritas Alpha, there is ongoing discussion about whether to publish early admission results while the 2026 additional recruitment period is still underway. Balancing student/parent access to information with the strategic interests of universities remains a challenge.

Regular Admissions

Changes inevitable for regular CSAT-based admissions in 2028: With the inquiry field changing to "Integrated Social Studies" and "Integrated Science" (assessed via relative grading) starting in 2028, changes to regular CSAT-based admissions are expected. Although 92.2% of regular admissions were based on the CSAT as of 2026, it is highly likely that a system combining CSAT scores and student records will be adopted for 2028.

Regular application strategy: Pay close attention to English grade conversion: It was noted that differences in university-specific English grade conversion methods significantly impacted outcomes during the 2026 regular admissions. Since conversion scores vary widely between universities for the same English grade, calculating your specific score for each target school is essential.

CSAT & Mock Exams

2028 CSAT Reform: Inquiry fields confirmed for relative grading: Starting with the 2028 CSAT, the inquiry field will shift to "Integrated Social Studies" and "Integrated Science" under a relative grading system. Consequently, the current National United Achievement Test system is undergoing a major overhaul. Students should be aware that the curriculum framework is already shifting to reflect the 2028 structure starting in 2026.

Policy and Institutional Changes

Joint coordination for 2028 admission design: As reported by Veritas Alpha, universities have begun coordinating admission designs through mutual discussions. This is part of an effort to realign the admission system in response to the full implementation of the High School Credit System, signaling a move away from the traditional, independent design approach.

Admissions linked to the High School Credit System: As the High School Credit System goes into full effect (for 10th graders in 2025), universities are preparing standards for how to evaluate credit-based GPA where course selection is expanded. Major universities like SKY are considering increasing the qualitative assessment weight within comprehensive student record screenings.

News by University

Seoul National University (SNU): The initial announcement for 2026 early admission successful candidates is set for December 12, and for regular admissions on January 30, 2026. For the 2028 reform, the reflection of student records is expected to be strengthened across the board. The credit-based GPA reflection method, particularly for regional balance admissions, is a key point of interest.

SKY (SNU, Yonsei, Korea University): For the 2028 reform, these three universities have decided to significantly increase the weight of student records (GPA/Credit System) in both early and regular admissions. There is talk of combining student records with regular CSAT-based admissions, meaning the "getting into SKY with just the CSAT" structure is no longer viable. This requires a major strategic shift for top-tier students in non-metropolitan areas like Jeju.

Additional recruitment at major metropolitan universities: According to the Korea University Newspaper, notification of successful candidates for the 2026 regular admissions concluded on February 12, with final opportunities for enrollment remaining through additional recruitment. This serves as the last resort for students aiming to enroll in university this year.

Analysis and Outlook

A paradigm shift from CSAT-centric to student record-centric: Looking at the current trends, the 2028 college entrance exam is becoming a turning point where the paradigm of Korean admissions is shifting from a "CSAT-centric" model to a "student record (High School Credit System GPA)-centric" model. Major universities led by SKY are clearly pointing in this direction, and students and parents must now reconsider their strategies entirely.

Concerns over widening regional gaps: As student record reflection increases, differences in the level of internal management between schools and regions will have a greater impact on admission results. While the CSAT allowed for a degree of standardization, credit-based GPA is highly sensitive to school environments. Concerns are being raised that it may become more difficult for top-tier students in non-metropolitan areas like Jeju to enter SKY.

June Mock Exam is the core benchmark for second-half strategy: For high school seniors, the June mock exam (hosted by KICE) is a mid-term check for CSAT preparation and a standard for early admission applications. Assessing your potential CSAT grade through this exam and deciding where to allocate your efforts (early vs. regular) is the optimal strategy.

This Week's Checklist

Student/Parent Checklist

1. Current Seniors: Establish a strategy for the June mock exam. Analyze past KICE papers to grasp trends and focus on improving weak areas. Be ready to adjust your early application strategy based on these results.
2. Current 10th Graders (2028 Applicants): Immediately establish a strategy for managing your credit-based GPA. With top-tier universities expanding the weight of student records, your 1st-semester grades will directly impact your admission outcome. Elective course selection should also be strategic.
3. Parents/Students: Periodically check major admission sites like Veritas Alpha and Korea University Newspaper for university announcements regarding 2028 admissions.
4. Additional Recruitment Applicants: Confirm eligible university lists and schedules directly through admissions offices and weigh the likelihood of acceptance against your personal satisfaction with the program.

Issues to Watch

1. Official 2028 Admission Announcement: The biggest question is when and how the 2028 plans—currently in the internal coordination stage—will be officially announced. Key issues include how student records will be reflected (quantitative vs. qualitative), minimum CSAT requirements, and regional balance considerations.
2. Post-June Mock Exam Shifts: Keep an eye on how application strategies shift following the June mock exam results and if major universities issue additional guidance on application requirements.
3. Debate on Credit System GPA in Admissions: Discussions on how to reflect absolute-grade-based credit GPA in admissions are expected to intensify between universities and high schools, as a clear methodology for its use in regular admissions has yet to be established.