'A's body was found floating in the ocean on the morning of November 15 in the Haeundae district in the city of Busan. Her parents confirmed that it was her, and revealed that their daughter had run away from home on the 14th. Police are currently investigating into the situation, and thus far believe that 'A' threw herself into the ocean due to her anxiety over her CSAT scores.
The CSAT, much like the SAT in the United States, is an exam that is believed to determine one's future. Unlike the SAT, the CSAT is only given once a year in November. Students only have one shot per year to attempt to get into their dream schools with a good score. Many believe that even if you have outstanding grades in high school or have other accomplishments, the most important part of your application is your CSAT score, which can make or break your future. Many have blamed the anxiety that surrounds the CSAT for causing students to commit suicide.
On November 13, students took the 2015 CSAT. As students await to hear their results, it's possible that 'A' was so concerned that she did not reach her desired score, she committed suicide. Korean news outlets have reported that this is highly regrettable, considering that 'A' had actually gotten accepted into a highly prestigious university.
Netizens have commented that suicide cases like this reveal a problem in the Korean society, saying, "They teach us to that college is everything in elementary and middle school, but now that this happens they are saying that college is not your whole life…?", "Up until now they have been teaching us that college is everything. [Yet] when there's a suicide incident the exam people and colleges say that college is not everything and tell us not to commit suicide. Every year they just talk a lot without changing anything and simply feel bad for the kids who die," and, "This is all society's fault. The tragedy of a grade-competitive society."
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