In the era of the high school credit system, looking at the problems reveals the direction of study.
Perfect preparation for the 2028 college entrance reform plan
The popular YouTube channel "Mom Reading for Entrance Exams" boasts 20 years of teaching experience.

Ahead of the 2028 college entrance exam reform, what parents need is not information, but strategy.
After the implementation of the high school credit system, universities will consistently evaluate six core competencies (academics, self-directedness, inquiry, career fit, character, and communication) rather than simply grades.
"6 Keyword to Passing the Entrance Exam: Mom's Guide to Reading" presents the revised exam questions and evaluation criteria with real-life examples, offering a way to transform vague anxiety into strategy.
In addition, it connects the 12 years of elementary, middle, and high school into a single roadmap, informing you of “what you need to prepare for now,” and providing specific preparation measures that lead up to school grades, the CSAT, essays, and oral exams.
The author runs the YouTube channel “Mom Who Reads Entrance Exam Information” and has consistently provided parents with vivid information about entrance exams.
As an education journalist with 20 years of experience covering schools and college entrance exams, and as an admissions expert who has conducted over 200 special lectures for parents in the Gyeonggi and Seoul areas, I share my expertise in this book.
This book provides concrete guidance on what colleges ask and what children need to prepare for, providing a reassuring and actionable compass for anxious parents.

Many people feel that the high school credit system has significantly changed the curriculum and college entrance exams, but in reality, the core of the system has already been established and predicted by the comprehensive student record selection process.
The high school credit system based on the 2022 revised curriculum places career-related subject selection and school activities at the center of evaluation, a point made even more evident in the 2015 revised curriculum system.
The important thing is that if you make good use of the high school credit system, it can actually make it easier to get into college.
The era of "quantitative qualifications" like dozens of awards in school competitions, hundreds of hours of volunteer work outside of school, dozens of books read, and numerous short essays is over.
Now, the reflection items have been simplified, and the evaluation has shifted to a quality- and story-centered approach.
Understanding the core of change makes admissions easier.

--- 「Part 1.
Competency: 6 Factors That Determine Success

Having observed the college admissions process for over 20 years, I've closely observed the criteria universities use to evaluate students.
Although the evaluation method changes with the times, there are common criteria that are repeatedly revealed throughout the entire process, from school records, self-introductions, oral interviews, essays, and even the CSAT.
And the students who passed always had six distinct characteristics.
Academics, self-directedness, inquiry, major suitability, character, and communication skills - these six are essential strengths that go beyond college entrance exams and are essential for a child to live as an adult.
As parents, our role is to provide opportunities and encouragement for these six competencies to grow naturally in our children's lives.

--- 「Part 1.
Competency: 6 Factors That Determine Success

There is a reason why I was able to avoid feeling anxious or impatient about my child's studies.
Instead of worrying about the progress of the child next door's pre-learning, I analyzed the 'types' of school exam questions.
We looked into the skills children need to have to solve the types of questions given in schools, such as multiple choice, short answer, descriptive, essay, and performance assessment, and guided them to become familiar with these types of questions.
For example, during elementary and middle school, when my children were studying for midterms and final exams, I, as their mother, helped them study directly.
After my child has completed the basic learning of understanding and memorizing the content from textbooks, workbooks, and school handouts, he or she asks me to ask him or her what he or she has memorized.
I took advantage of this opportunity.

--- 「Part 2.
Strategy: 7 Strategies for 12 Years of Elementary, Middle, and High School Entrance Exams That Will Absolutely Work

If you want to raise a child who excels academically through high school, not just middle school, I would advise you to analyze school grades and entrance exam questions.
Because understanding how your school evaluates students is the most certain way to improve your study efficiency.
Looking at the problem reveals the direction of study and also clarifies what skills the child needs.
When you approach the problem from the center, it becomes clear what you need to prepare for now and how.

--- 「Part 2.
Strategy: 7 Strategies for 12 Years of Elementary, Middle, and High School Entrance Exams That Will Absolutely Work

Explaining something in more than a few hundred characters is only possible when the knowledge is fully embodied and structured.
However, there are many children who do not have this ability to structure things.
A bigger problem is that these children also have difficulty reading and understanding other people's writing or following along in class.
Because we are only accustomed to the problem of memorizing fragmentary knowledge.
This type of assessment makes it difficult to develop the ability to grasp the overall context and also makes it difficult to expect a transfer effect between knowledge.
In addition, because they often end up with only fragmented knowledge, they easily forget the content after the test, and above all, they have difficulty motivating themselves to learn the knowledge, which leads to a loss of interest or enjoyment in the study process.
Ultimately, studying becomes a arduous process for the sake of results (grades), and children become absorbed in learning through memorization without context.

--- From "Part 3 Study Methods: Redesigning Your Child's Study Methods in the Era of the High School Credit System"

With the full implementation of the high school credit system, the direction of education is changing clearly.
Various forms of performance assessment, such as essay writing, presentations, and research reports, have already been introduced in schools, and the high school credit system is further strengthening this trend.
In other words, the importance of language skills is increasing in all subjects, and the ability to write and speak based on reading comprehension and thinking skills has become key.
Since these abilities cannot be developed overnight, calm and systematic preparation is necessary starting from elementary and middle school.

--- From "Part 3 Study Methods: Redesigning Your Child's Study Methods in the Era of the High School Credit System"

Don't you think the essay and descriptive questions in Korean high schools are similar to those in the French Baccalaureate, the high school graduation exam and university entrance exam? Comparing these questions reveals that while they may appear to be based on different countries, systems, and academic disciplines, they are fundamentally similar.
Although there are differences in the presence or absence of a presentation and the format, the core is that they are common in that they evaluate 'students' thinking and expressive skills.'
Students are required to think, interpret, and logically develop their own perspectives, rather than simply finding the right answer.

--- From "Part 4 Evaluation: General High School VS Specialized High School VS Private High School, What's the Difference in Internal Grades?"

With the implementation of the high school credit system and the reorganization of the curriculum, the CSAT will also undergo significant changes starting in the 2028 school year.
The scope of the test is reduced and the discriminatory power is lowered.
Accordingly, some top universities are either abolishing the 100% CSAT-based admissions process or changing their admissions process to include factors other than the CSAT (grades, interviews, school records, etc.).
Seoul National University has already officially announced that it will reflect school records in the regular admission process.
However, it is difficult to conclude that the influence of the CSAT has diminished.
The national college entrance exam is still the standard for measuring 'objective ability'.
Even if your grades at the school you attend are in the top tier, if your score on the national college entrance exam is low, the number of top universities you can attend is extremely limited.
If you want to be evaluated as having truly objectively good grades, not just studying well in school, you need to support your CSAT scores with your school grades.

--- From "Part 5: Overcoming the Four Gates of College Admission"

Research reports have become a daily routine for middle and high school students.
This is because it is a key piece of information that demonstrates self-directed learning experience, interests and concerns, and problem-solving methods in the comprehensive student selection process.
It is written about all aspects of school life, both academic and non-academic, and topics related to career paths in particular serve as strong evidence of suitability for the major or department.
The student's academic record records the topics of study he or she has undertaken, and admissions officers use this to determine the student's aptitude, identity, and career direction.
Therefore, it is very important to choose a topic that reflects your own questions and proactive exploration.

--- From "Part 6: The Art of Expression: Writing Skills to Win the Entrance Exam"

A child who is good at reading is not simply a child who reads a lot of books.
A child who can read quickly and accurately and express what he or she understands in his or her own words.
High school exams are a race against time.
You have to read a huge amount of text and solve problems within 45 to 50 minutes.
The phrase, “I knew it, but I didn’t have enough time” is ultimately a sign of a lack of reading skills.
The test assesses your ability to read a passage and extract the main points within a given time limit.
You can learn skills and tricks at school, but when it comes to difficult problems, it's ultimately your deep reading comprehension and critical thinking skills that will determine the outcome.
From descriptive and essay-type questions, performance assessments, research reports, presentations, and even college entrance exam essays and oral presentations - reading and expressive skills are the fundamental skills that support children throughout the entire college entrance process.

--- From the "Appendix: 12-Year Entrance Exam Roadmap for Elementary, Middle, and High School"

High school seniors are plagued by exams and schedules every month.
Rather than pushing yourself too hard and expecting a rapid increase in grades during this period, maintaining your own pace will actually bring better results.
If your mental state is shaken, it will have a bigger impact than your grades.
Maintaining your condition by managing not only your studies but also your sleep, diet, and exercise is just as important as your strategy.
The third year of high school is not a new beginning, but a time to steadily build on what you have achieved so far.
Chapter 6 of the application form is the final opportunity to encapsulate all the efforts and choices you've made so far, and the CSAT is the stage where you can realize that opportunity.
The best support a parent can give their child is to maintain a routine and mentality that will not waver.

--- From the “Appendix Elementary, Middle, and High School 12-Year Entrance Exam Roadmap”