High school seniors write messages of determination on a whiteboard at a high school in Gyeongsan, South Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday, to mark the start of the 50-day countdown to Suneung. (Yonhap)
High school seniors write messages of determination on a whiteboard at a high school in Gyeongsan, South Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday, to mark the start of the 50-day countdown to Suneung. (Yonhap)

High school seniors across the country are bracing for the College Scholastic Ability Test, known locally as Suneung, which is now just 50 days away. This year’s exam takes place on Nov. 13 at testing centers across the country.

High school seniors study for the College Scholastic Ability Test on Wednesday at a high school in Gyeongsan, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)
High school seniors study for the College Scholastic Ability Test on Wednesday at a high school in Gyeongsan, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)

According to the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, 554,174 test-takers have registered for this year's exam, up by 31,504 from last year. The rise was partially attributed to an increase in the number of high school seniors, as South Korea's birth rate had seen sharp growth in 2007, when this year's high school seniors were born.

Meanwhile, the number of repeat test-takers fell by 1,862 from last year.

The number of students choosing social studies subjects is expected to reach a record high, as major universities now accept social studies scores to fulfill minimum Suneung requirments, even for students on a science track.

Scores will be released Dec. 5.

High school seniors study on Wednesday at a high school in Gyeongsan, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)
High school seniors study on Wednesday at a high school in Gyeongsan, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)

seungku99@heraldcorp.com