Grade 10 Admissions: Public School Admissions Cool Down

TP - The number of candidates taking the exam has decreased, the quota has increased, these are two factors that experts have given when assessing the chances of candidates in Hanoi being admitted to grade 10 public high schools this year.

Benchmarks may increase slightly

After the 2025 public high school entrance exam ended, teachers and experts said that the expected score range would increase slightly compared to 2024. Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Hong, Principal of Chuong Duong Secondary School, said that the 3-subject exam (Math, Literature, English) for 10th grade admission this year in Hanoi had good differentiation. The score range of Literature was concentrated at 6-7, not many were 8 and 9. The score range of English and Math was higher. This year, the coefficient of Literature and Math was not multiplied, so Ms. Van Hong expected the standard score to increase slightly.

Students taking the 10th grade entrance exam in Hanoi recently. Photo: DUC NGUYEN

Mr. Pham Kim Thu, Principal of Mai Hac De Private High School, commented that the score distribution of the 3 subjects in the 10th grade entrance exam in 2025 in Hanoi is predicted to be quite positive and accurately reflects the students' abilities. In Literature, the exam is open-ended, encouraging individual thinking, so the score distribution mainly ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 points, students with good skills can achieve over 8 points. English has a reasonable structure, moderate difficulty, the score distribution is concentrated at 7-8 points; there are not many scores from 9 and above. For Math, the exam follows the program closely, enhances practical elements, helping average students to achieve 7-8 points; the high score distribution fluctuates around 8-9 points.

In general, the total score range of 3 subjects is predicted to mainly fall between 19-21 points, in which the peak range is around 20-21 points (the peak range is understood that in the total number of candidates taking the exam, the group with a total score of 3 subjects from 20-21 points will account for the highest proportion).

Teachers' general assessment shows that the pressure to enroll in 10th grade public high schools this year in Hanoi has decreased compared to previous years.

Compared to 2024, when nearly 29,000 candidates in Hanoi scored over 40 points (an average of over 8 points per subject), the total score range of the 3 subjects in 2025, according to Mr. Thu, will shift slightly to 20-21 points (each subject is about 6.7-7 points). This reflects that this year's exam is balanced, suitable for students' ability, helping to differentiate better.

The University of Natural Sciences (VNU) is the first specialized school in Hanoi to announce the admission scores for grade 10 specialized high schools. Successful candidates will enroll on July 5, 1-2 days before the Hanoi Department of Education and Training announces the exam scores/admission scores for grade 10 specialized and non-specialized public high schools. Therefore, parents must make choices and consider carefully when deciding where to send their children.

This year, this pressure has been significantly reduced. Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Hong shared that every year, about 70% of the school's junior high school graduates take the entrance exam for public high schools, 30% either study at private schools based on academic records or learn vocational skills.

Increase quota, reduce students taking the exam

Mr. Pham Kim Thu analyzed that this year the competition rate of schools in the inner city is lower than in 2024. Hanoi has more high schools, while the number of students has decreased by 6,000. In general theory, the chance of being admitted to public grade 10 this year has increased compared to last year. However, in reality, the number of students may have decreased in the suburbs, not in the inner city. Mr. Thu stated that Hoang Mai district has 9 middle schools, this year there is Do Muoi High School, bringing the number of schools to 4 (Truong Dinh High School, Hoang Van Thu High School, Vietnam - Poland High School).

According to the benchmark scores of recent years of Hanoi's top schools, the average score for each subject is from 8 to 8.5. For example, Tran Phu High School, Hoan Kiem, the benchmark score in 2024 is 7.9 points/subject, in 2023 it is 8.35 points/subject; Phan Dinh Phung High School, the average benchmark score is 8.35 points/subject and 8.55 points/subject, respectively.

Many secondary school leaders commented that this year's benchmark scores did not change dramatically. Because candidates with good academic performance were admitted to specialized high schools under universities or 4 high schools of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training (this year Hanoi added 2 specialized high schools: Chu Van An and Son Tay). Therefore, the average score of 9-10/subject will not be large. In 2024, the number of candidates with an average score of 9 points/subject or higher will be only about 5,000 out of a total of about 106,000 candidates taking the exam. Top schools must accept fluctuations because many students registered for their first choice but passed the specialized schools. These are also the number of students who are likely to fall into the small group of students who scored 9-10 points/subject and the benchmark scores of this group of schools fluctuate little.

In the middle-ranking schools, the inner-city area may have more obvious fluctuations. Partly because the percentage of students scoring 7-8/subject may increase compared to last year, on the other hand, this group of schools is considered a safe haven for the majority of candidates.

According to the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, this year the department assigned enrollment targets for grade 10 high school for the 2025-2026 school year to 122 public and autonomous public high schools with nearly 80,000 students. The department assigned over 78,000 enrollment targets to 199 public high schools; assigned 1,340 enrollment targets to 3 autonomous public high schools.

If calculated based on the total number of candidates graduating from junior high school this year (about 127,000 students), the target for studying in public and autonomous public high schools is about 63%. If calculated based on the number of candidates taking the exam of nearly 103,000 students, the rate of students studying in public and autonomous public high schools is nearly 78%. This figure does not take into account the fact that Hanoi will soon have 3 public high schools in operation, including Do Muoi High School (Hoang Mai), Phuc Thinh High School (Dong Anh) and 1 high school in Cau Giay district. Students' opportunities to study in public schools will also increase.

The decrease in admission to public schools is clearly shown when this year there are only 4 schools with a ratio of 1 to 2 or more, compared to 10 schools last year. The decrease in admission to public schools does not mean that the standard score will decrease. Because the standard score of each school depends on factors such as the quality of registered candidates, the quality of the questions, the competition ratio, etc.

NGHIEM HUE

Source: https://tienphong.vn/tuyen-sinh-lop-10-suat-vao-truong-cong-giam-nhiet-post1750042.tpo