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Wednesday was the big exam day for some 600,000 Korean high school students all looking to enter college or universities. Mothers wept and prayed as their sons and daughters anxiously set off to take the test College Scholastic Aptitude Test. "I'm so nervous, it feels like I'm taking the test. I just hope he will do his best," one said.
There are good reasons for worry. The students heading into designated schools are about to face the most important test of their lives. How well they do on it will decide whether they gain admission to one of the country's top colleges. It is crucial because getting into a top university remains for many their sole ticket to a successful career in Korea.
Inside the test centers, the students faced questions in math, literature, history and foreign languages. The students' families have paid millions for private lessons at crammers -- known in Korea as hagwons -- where the youngsters spend as many as 14 hours a day. "I slept around five hours a night -- probably too much actually,¡± a student said.
This year's CSAT was held amid concerns over endemic cheating. Last year, dozens of students used cell phones to send text messages to share answers. The widespread temptation to cheat is an indication of just how much pressure the students face in this make-or-break exam.
This time, test-takers were forbidden to carry mobile phones, and the Education Ministry has warned that cheaters could be sentenced to prison. Even students who are not taking the test today are nervous. "I'll be taking the test in two years, but I already feel uneasy. I will have to study hard in the coming years," a student said.
Arirang News
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