Two extremes of 10th grade entrance exam scores in Hanoi

The same admission score for grade 10 at non-specialized public high schools in Hanoi, but in some places, candidates who get 8 points per subject still fail, in some places, only need 10 points for 3 subjects.

Big difference

This year's admission scores for 10th grade public schools in Hanoi recorded the largest gap in many years between top inner-city schools and some suburban schools.

The differentiation in benchmark scores between schools, along with changes in scoring methods, curriculum and quota structure, and the distribution of the public school network, make the 10th grade entrance exam in the capital still a big challenge for students and parents.

The entrance scores of public schools in Hanoi this year have the highest difference in recent years.

Photo: Tuan Minh

D.HV is an excellent student in middle school and his score for grade 10 is also very high, with 25.25 points (7.75 in literature, 8.75 in English, 8.75 in math) but still failed to pass his first choice to enter Le Quy Don High School - Ha Dong because this year the standard score for this school is 25.5.

An average score of nearly 8.5 points/subject is too high, but still can't get into the dream school, so no matter how much consolation there is, it's impossible not to be sad and regretful.

Ms. Pham Thu Ha, Principal of Ngo Si Lien Secondary School (Hoan Kiem Ward, Hanoi), shared that every time the 10th grade entrance exam results are announced, her mood is "split in two." Half happy for her children who have achieved their goals, half sad for her less fortunate children.

"A parent called to ask me to encourage her child. She was still crying because she was 0.25 points short of getting into Viet Duc High School," said Ms. Ha.

In fact, every year during the 10th grade entrance exam season in Hanoi, hundreds of students "fail" because of such a miserable 0.25 point.

Exam score data shows that if the benchmark is lowered by 0.25 points, hundreds more students will be admitted. Therefore, for many years, Hanoi has carefully calculated the benchmark score plan to minimize additional recruitment.

This year, the pressure to get into public schools in general has decreased compared to many years ago because the quota for getting into public grade 10 has increased by about 3% compared to last year. However, the tension still occurs at top schools.

According to the standard score table for admission to grade 10 of public high schools in the 2025-2026 school year announced by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, out of 115 non-specialized public schools, more than 90 schools have a lower standard score compared to the previous school year.

The reduction ranges from 0.3 to 8.4 points, depending on the school. The school with the biggest reduction is Tho Xuan High School, with the total entrance score being only 10 points, equivalent to an average of 3.33 points/subject - while last year it was 30.75 points.

High schools such as Ung Hoa A, Phuc Loi, Thach Ban… also decreased by more than 4 points. Many middle-class schools such as Nguyen Trai, Phung Khac Khoan or Van Xuan decreased by 2-3 points.

Notably, there is a clear differentiation between school groups. The highest benchmark score is 25.5 points (average 8.5 points/subject) belonging to Kim Lien and Le Quy Don High Schools - Ha Dong.

In addition, to be admitted to the other top 11 schools (score of 23.75 or higher), candidates must achieve an average of nearly 8 points per subject.

Regardless of whether the benchmark scores increase or decrease, the "huge" benchmark scores for decades now still include schools such as Yen Hoa, Viet Duc, Phan Dinh Phung, and Nguyen Gia Thieu High Schools.

Meanwhile, the group of schools with the lowest standard score is only 10 points. Thus, the difference between the highest and lowest schools is up to 15.5 points, the largest gap in many years.

In the group of 11 schools with benchmark scores below 13.5 points, most are in suburban areas. Up to 28 schools have benchmark scores below the average (below 15 points), showing that the opportunity to enter public grade 10 has expanded, but also raises the issue of the difference in input quality between schools.

What does it mean when a school has to accept "overflow" applications ?

This year, Luu Hoang High School was assigned by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training to enroll 495 10th grade students, but only 447 students registered for the first choice.

Meanwhile, the number of students registering for the second choice, often called the backup choice, is up to 5,000.

Similarly, Minh Quang High School (Ba Vi) has thousands of students registering for all admission wishes every year, but always struggles to enroll enough students.

Many students have to choose to study far from home to get into public school.

Photo: Tuan Minh

This year, this school has an average subject score of 3.33 and last year the average standard score was 3.4 points/subject, so they had to recruit "overwhelming" wishes to meet the quota.

Some students register their second and third choices at these schools to ensure safety and "sure admission" to public schools.

Therefore, there are many cases in the inner city, nearly 100 km from the school, but still register for the third choice at these schools, even having to rent a room near the school to study.

Explaining the low benchmark score, Mr. Hoang Chi Sy, Principal of Luu Hoang High School, said that due to the characteristics of the population in the area, the school is located in the south of Ung Hoa District (old), where the population is sparse, the number of students is small while the number of high schools is increasing.

Meanwhile, many parents in the area often work far away or live in the inner city, taking their children with them, causing the number of students remaining in the area to also decrease.

This leads to the fact that schools in the area such as Luu Hoang High School often lack quotas compared to demand, so they can still recruit enough students through additional wishes (wish 2, wish 3).

Mr. Nguyen Manh Quyen, Principal of Dai Cuong High School, assessed that the school's 10th grade entrance score, although low, does not necessarily reflect the school's true quality.

In 2024, Dai Cuong High School was assigned the enrollment target of 450 10th grade students, but only 294 candidates registered for their first choice.

Therefore, the school has to rely more on students from the second and third choices not only in the district but also from other areas such as Thuong Tin, Hoang Mai, Thach Ban, Gia Lam...

However, the benchmark scores for entering grade 10 of public high schools in Hanoi in the 2025-2026 school year showed a downward trend in many schools, but this is not necessarily a sign that exam pressure has decreased.

The fact that the admission scores are too high for inner-city schools forces students in this area to choose schools nearly a hundred kilometers away from home and have to live in a boarding school, as long as they can study at a public school, partly demonstrates the above reality.

Being allowed to register for only 3 wishes, in which wishes 2 and 3 must have 1 to 2 more points to be considered, makes most students only have one "real" chance to get into the desired school.

There are still gaps in the distribution of enrollment quotas, school networks, and teaching quality between regions. This is the reason why the pressure of the 10th grade entrance exam is unlikely to decrease in the short term.

The most effective solution, there is no other way, is to build more public high schools in inner-city areas and places with rapid urbanization and population growth.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hai-thai-cuc-diem-chuan-dau-vao-lop-10-o-ha-noi-185250715200125371.htm