First-year high school students who took the October 2026 National Joint Academic Evaluation (October mock exam) found the test difficult, according to a survey. In an EBSi poll, about three-quarters of respondents rated the exam as 'difficult.'

As of 2:33 p.m. on the 20th, a survey on the perceived difficulty of the exam for first-year high school students posted on the EBSi website showed that 'very difficult' was the most common response at 48.1%, followed by 'somewhat difficult' at 25.9%. Combined, the two categories totaled 74.0%, meaning about three-quarters of survey respondents felt the exam was difficult.

By contrast, only 14.8% said the exam was 'very easy' and 7.4% said it was 'somewhat easy.' Even combining all responses indicating the exam was easy, the share was just 22.2%. 'Average' responses stood at a mere 3.7%. As a result, the gap between those who found it difficult and those who found it easy widened to 51.8 percentage points. Notably, the 'very difficult' response accounted for nearly half of all answers, drawing attention.

However, these results do not necessarily reflect the actual objective difficulty of the exam. As of 2:33 p.m., only 27 people had participated in the survey. As the survey is still in its early stages and the number of respondents is very small, it is difficult to judge the overall perceived difficulty among all first-year high school test-takers based on current figures alone. As more people participate in the survey going forward, the response ratios for each category could change significantly.

This October National Joint Academic Evaluation was administered by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education for first- and second-year high school students. For first-year students, this academic evaluation serves as an opportunity to assess the learning outcomes accumulated since entering high school and to identify their strengths and areas for improvement by subject.

[※ The perceived difficulty in this article is based on a survey conducted on the EBSi website. As of 2:33 p.m. on the 20th, only 27 people had participated, making the sample too small to represent the opinions of all test-takers. Results may change significantly as more respondents take part, and they may also differ from the actual exam difficulty and score distribution.]