Seoul: Over 520,000 students are gearing up to participate in the annual college entrance exam, which is set to commence nationwide on Thursday. This year's examination sees an unprecedented number of retakers, largely influenced by a rise in medical school admissions. According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of 522,670 students, comprising high school seniors and graduates, have registered for the state-administered College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). This marks an increase of 18,082 participants compared to the previous year. Among the test-takers, high school seniors make up 340,777, representing 65.2 percent of the overall total, whereas graduates account for 161,784, the highest number recorded since 2003. Jongro Academy reports that around 93,195 of the graduates are believed to be first-year university students who are retaking the exam in hopes of securing admission to more prestigious schools next year.