According to experts, the benchmark for this year's high school graduation exam will have unexpected changes.
Candidates find it difficult to get high scores.
Dr. Pham Hong Danh, Principal of Vinh Vien High School (HCMC), commented: "Compared to last year, the natural science exam this year is easier, and the difficulty level of the questions is also lower. However, the scores that candidates achieve will be lower than last year. The reason is the change in the way the exam is made."
Candidates taking the 2025 high school graduation exam, the exam has many innovations in exam questions
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Giving an example of math, Dr. Danh said that only the first 12 questions of the exam were easy, the next 3 questions were also not easy to score. In particular, the last 6 questions were in the form of subjective multiple choice, candidates had to write their own answers instead of choosing from the given answers like in the previous objective multiple choice test. "With this new form, it can be said that candidates are facing a situation of "all or nothing". Candidates only need to give the correct answer to get full points, but cannot get points for presentation like in the essay test," said Dr. Danh.
According to this expert, other natural science subjects are similar to math, the questions are not as difficult as last year but the scores will be lower. "The reason is partly because candidates are not familiar with the new way of doing things. More importantly, this subjective test format reduces the risk of luck much more than the objective test format. Candidates no longer have many opportunities to cheat like in previous years. With the way the questions are set like in previous years, out of 1,000 candidates, about 4 students will be able to cheat to get 10 points, but this year this is no longer the case," the Principal of Vinh Vien High School analyzed.
Dr. Danh also said that this year's geography exam was considered more difficult than last year's, while the economics and law exams were easier. Notably, the English exam was considered much more difficult, especially in the reading comprehension section, making it harder for candidates to get 10 points than last year.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Anh, Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, also said that the 2025 high school graduation exam takes place in the context of the comprehensive implementation of the new generaleducation program, leading to significant changes in the exam structure of many subjects. This year's exam still follows the direction of the Ministry of Education and Training and is part of the curriculum, but is considered more difficult to score than in 2024, clearly demonstrating the requirement to apply knowledge, synthesis skills and practical thinking.
In particular, literature - the only essay subject - is considered to have good questions, is suggestive and limits "cramming". In particular, the social argument with the statement "any homeland's sky is the Fatherland's sky" creates conditions for candidates to express their emotional depth and current affairs perspective.
Math has changed significantly according to the new program, with high differentiation and is predicted to have a score range of 6-7, with very few candidates achieving 9-10. Similarly, the exam for foreign languages and other subjects also shows a trend of increasing comprehensive assessment of ability, with high classification, while minimizing the element of chance.
The emergence of new subjects such as computer science and technology has expanded the options for PhDs, but the exams for these subjects are also of considerable length and complexity.
Candidates leave after the math exam, one of two subjects considered "too difficult" in this year's high school graduation exam.
Photo: Nhat Thinh
The benchmark for the combination of literature, math and English will decrease.
Based on the above analysis, Dr. Pham Hong Danh believes that there will be changes in the trend of university admission scores according to different subject combinations when considering admission based on high school graduation exam scores. Specifically, the benchmark scores of some subject combinations are forecasted to be lower than last year, such as: A01 (math, physics, English); A00 (math, physics, chemistry); combinations containing English... Meanwhile, the benchmark score of combination C00 (literature, history, geography) is likely to remain stable, the benchmark score of the combination containing economic education and law subjects will increase compared to 2024.
Master Cu Xuan Tien, Head of Admissions and Student Affairs Department of the University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University), also acknowledged: "The 2025 high school graduation exam is a major step forward in testing in Vietnam with the application of the 2018 general education program. The exam is highly appreciated for its quality, differentiation and assessment of students' practical abilities, limiting the situation of rote learning".
Through the exam questions of each subject, Master Cu Xuan Tien commented: "The two compulsory subjects of math and literature will have lower average scores than in 2024, especially the number of candidates with high scores will decrease significantly. Among the elective subjects, English has a high level of differentiation compared to the old program, so there will be fewer 9 and 10 points than last year. The remaining elective subjects have exam questions that are not too difficult, suitable for average-good and good students, but at the same time, there are still questions at a high level of application to classify candidates".
Based on this reality, according to Master Cu Xuan Tien, this year the admission combinations related to math, literature, English; especially combination D01 (math, literature, English) the benchmark score will decrease. For the University of Economics and Law, math and English are the two main admission subjects, so the benchmark score may decrease compared to 2024.
The 2025 high school graduation exam takes place in the context of the comprehensive implementation of the new general education program, leading to significant changes in the exam structure of many subjects.
Photo: Ngoc Duong
Benchmarks remain the same or decrease slightly in some industries
With the general level of this year's exam, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Anh said that the score distribution of the entire exam is predicted to be mainly concentrated in the range of 6 - 7. Traditional combinations such as A00 (math, physics, chemistry); B00 (math, chemistry, biology); D01 (math, literature, English) tend to differentiate clearly with common scores from 18 - 22 points, the number of candidates achieving 25 points or more is not much. "This score distribution basically meets the graduation assessment goal, and at the same time, it is predicted that the university standard score will remain the same or decrease slightly in some majors," Dr. Quoc Anh predicted.
Representatives of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH) expect the benchmark score based on the 2025 high school graduation exam scores for all majors to range from 16 to 21. Majors that attract many students to register still maintain high competitiveness, with benchmark scores expected to range from 18 to 20, such as: information technology, multimedia communications, graphic design, public relations, marketing, digital marketing, logistics and supply chain management, automotive engineering technology, English language, etc.
Master Pham Thai Son, Director of the Admissions and Communications Center of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, also commented that the score distribution of some subjects is similar to last year, such as geography and history, with an average score range of 7 - 7.5. Biology and chemistry subjects have moderate questions, with a score range of 7 - 7.5; physics has a score range of 6 - 7 points. Literature has an open test, so the expected score distribution is from 6.5 - 7.5 points. Meanwhile, the score distribution of 2 subjects is predicted to be lower than last year, including math and English.
"The benchmark scores for majors using math and English in the admission combination may be 1-2 points lower than last year. For example, for Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, the benchmark scores for majors using the combination A00 and A01 may be 0.5-1 point lower than last year. At that time, the admission scores for majors in marketing, logistics and supply chain, food technology, information technology... may fluctuate around 22.75-23.5 points. Majors in tourism, law, language, engineering and technology are likely to be similar to last year," commented Master Son.
Simultaneous implementation of admission methods
Master Cu Xuan Tien said that candidates should not worry when participating in the admission process. With this year's admission process, the admission methods are implemented simultaneously and the admission scores between the methods are converted to equivalent ones, candidates have many opportunities when participating in the admission process using high school graduation exam scores. "Candidates need to carefully refer to the admission information of the schools to have a strategy to register and arrange their wishes scientifically and optimize their chances of being admitted," advised the Head of the Admissions and Student Affairs Department of the University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University).
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/diem-chuan-xet-tuyen-vao-dh-bang-ket-qua-thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-co-giam-185250629182323784.htm
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