What are the chances for students who fail the 10th grade public school entrance exam?

Students need clear guidance to choose the right path.

Nearly 80 public high schools in Ho Chi Minh City have reduced their 10th grade admission scores compared to last year, the 10th grade enrollment quota has increased, the number of candidates has decreased, but still about 6,000 students "left the race" for public 10th grade this year.

Waiting for additional admission round

Mr. Tran Minh, a parent in Hoc Mon district (HCMC), said that in the recent entrance exam, his child scored 17 points, but still failed all 3 wishes to enter public grade 10. With this score, he could have passed another public school, but because according to the admission regulations, all schools in Hoc Mon area this year have good scores, his child was not admitted to any school. This parent hopes for the additional admission round of the HCM City Departmentof Education and Training (GD-DT) to get a place for his child to study in public grade 10.

Parent Hoang Quoc Truong, whose child placed his first choice (NV) into Trung Vuong High School, scored 19.5 points, but failed NV 1, and NV 2 into Marie Cuire High School, still missing 0.25 points. Mr. Truong said he was hesitant about whether to confirm NV 3 admission for his child to a high school in District 4 because it was inconvenient to pick him up. "Otherwise, we have to decide to choose another type of school outside of the public school," said Mr. Truong.

According to data from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, in this year's 10th grade entrance exam, the number of 9th grade students decreased by 27,330 students (about 23.5% compared to last year), possibly because students born in 2010, the year of the Tiger, have a low birth rate. In fact, in this year's 10th grade entrance exam, 74 public high schools in Ho Chi Minh City reduced their 10th grade benchmark scores compared to last year. Many public high schools only have a NV 1 benchmark score of 10.5 points, meaning that you only need more than 3 points per subject to be able to enter a public school. However, in this year's 10th grade entrance exam, there were still about 6,000 candidates who failed the public 10th grade entrance exam. However, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, there are still many ways to go if you do not pass the public school entrance exam.

In the 2025-2026 school year, 64 non-public schools in Ho Chi Minh City and vocational education centers (VET), continuing education centers (GDTX), colleges, and intermediate schools are recruiting 10th graders with more than 50,000 targets. Although the source of enrollment is abundant, up to now, schools are still worried about difficulties in recruiting, especially when the Department of Education and Training announced the benchmark scores; with low benchmark scores, the possibility of "failing" 10th grade is very unlikely.

In Hanoi, with more than 100,000 candidates taking the exam each year, only about 60%-65% of students are admitted to public schools, the rest will have to find other ways. Hanoi will announce the exam scores and benchmark scores for grade 10 from July 4 to 6. The principal of a high school in Cau Giay district emphasized that failing grade 10 is not the end, but an opportunity for students to explore paths that are more suitable to their abilities and personal interests. Parents need to carefully research information about private schools, continuing education centers or vocational schools, and refer to the list of reputable educational institutions.

According to this principal, students also need to be given clear guidance to choose the right path. If they want to pursue an academic path, private schools or continuing education are good choices. If they want to enter the labor market early, vocational schools are the way to go. It is important that students maintain an optimistic spirit and the will to strive to continue their journey of learning and development.

Candidates after finishing math at Nguyen Khuyen High School (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City) Photo: Hoang Trieu

Private schools "waiting" for students

As one of the few schools with a 10th grade enrollment quota of over 1,000 candidates, Mr. Huynh Kim Tuan, Principal of Tran Cao Van School System (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City), said that in the 2025-2026 school year, the school will enroll more than 1,600 10th grade students, although this quota is still lower than previous years.

According to Mr. Tuan, under the pressure of competition between public and private schools, and between private schools, the school aims to gain the trust of parents to affirm its brand and training quality. Mr. Tuan said that in addition to facilities such as swimming pools, soccer fields, classrooms with air conditioning, projectors, cameras, etc., the school has 5 campuses throughout the city, creating conditions for students to study anywhere. According to the principal of Tran Cao Van School, the important thing that the school focuses on is the school's discipline. Currently, parents are worried that their children are easily drawn into harmful behaviors such as electronic cigarettes, addictive substances, game addiction, electronic devices, etc., so the school strictly manages these factors.

Mr. Do Minh Hoang, Director of Chu Van An Continuing Education Center (District 5), said that this year the center has 500 enrollment targets for grade 10. Before the exam took place, the unit had recruited 20% of the target, these are students who decided not to take the exam but to enter the Continuing Education system. As one of the centers that is selective in admission, according to Mr. Hoang, when considering admission, the center does not choose students with weak academic performance but focuses on conduct. Students with poor conduct or inappropriate parental attitudes will not be accepted by the school. These criteria are in line with the educational goals of the unit. The compulsory subjects to study are English, information technology and playing a sport . "Studying Continuing Education is not a few subjects, it is lighter, students have to study an additional profession, so that when graduating from high school, they can get a vocational certificate. After that, they can study in conjunction or go to work immediately" - Mr. Hoang said.

Ms. Pham Thi Anh Tuyet, Director of the District 8 Continuing Education Center, said that the center's enrollment target for grade 10 this year is 180 students, and has currently recruited half of this target. After the enrollment results were announced, many students submitted their applications, most of whom were not admitted. According to Ms. Tuyet, this year, private schools and continuing education centers are facing the risk of difficulty in recruiting, although in recent years, the units have always made efforts to improve the quality of training to attract students and trainees. "Last year, the center had to refuse to accept students because the class size was too large, with 40-50 students in each class. This year, some students with test scores of only 4-5 points were still accepted. The reason is that this year, public schools have high enrollment targets, and the possibility of failing grade 10 is very difficult," Ms. Tuyet said.

According to Mr. Bui Gia Hieu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tre Viet School System (Tan Phu District), the school is currently enrolling 10th graders with a target of 600 students. To compete with public schools, private schools must create a difference to attract students and gain the trust of parents. "The curriculum is optimized, increasing foreign language learning and extracurricular programs to improve students' skills. The school also organizes a 2-session program so that students can study and practice more. Along with strengthening the maintenance of order, morality, and discipline to reassure parents" - Mr. Hieu informed.

Private schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are increasingly improving in terms of education quality and facilities, also opening "future doors" for many students. In the 2025-2026 school year, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training assigned 77 private high schools in Hanoi to enroll 27,919 students in grade 10. Prestigious private schools such as Luong The Vinh High School, Marie Curie High School, Doan Thi Diem High School, Ta Quang Buu High School, Nguyen Sieu High School... have a high school graduation rate of 100%, a high university admission rate, so they are the first choice for students who fail the public grade 10 exam. With high quality education, modern facilities and diverse study programs, these schools not only ensure a learning journey but also open up opportunities for comprehensive development.

Vocational choice

Vocational training is a suitable direction for students who want to be independent early or do not intend to go to university. Some schools also combine cultural studies, helping students get a high school diploma. The quality of training at vocational schools is being improved to meet the needs of the labor market, with a short study time (1-3 years) and low cost. This is an ideal choice for students who want to enter the labor market early.

Tuition barriers

Tuition fees at private schools are a major barrier for many middle-income families. Tuition fees range from 4 to over 10 million VND/month, depending on the quality and reputation of the school. Vocational education and continuing education centers are the second choice, especially in big cities, with tuition fees ranging from 95,000 to 217,000 VND/month, depending on the area and support policies of each center. In the 2025-2026 school year, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training assigned 13,485 targets for studying the high school continuing education program to 46 vocational education institutions, with 312 classes corresponding to 13,485 students. The advantage of continuing education centers is low tuition fees, suitable for many families. Students here still study the cultural program equivalent to high school and are awarded a graduation certificate, eligible to take the university entrance exam.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/co-hoi-nao-cho-hoc-sinh-rot-lop-10-cong-lap-196250628194625893.htm