HCM CITY – More than 859,800 candidates completed registration for the national high school examination on April 20, with nearly 75 per cent opting for college admission via high school exam results, according to the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).

Compared to previous years when many candidates took exams merely to qualify for high school graduation, 643,151 candidates this year have applied to use exam results for college admission, up five per cent year-on-year.

Candidates have also listed more desired colleges this year on their applications than in previous years.

Though candidates were not limited to a certain number of application choices for college admission, they only selected four to five desired choices, said Deputy Minister of Education and Training Bùi Văn Ga.

Some 13 per cent of applicants registered for one, while 30 per cent of them went with two options, demonstrating that applicants had identified careers which they want to pursue, he said.

However, this has presented a new challenge for college administration offices since they have to deal with a significant number of candidate files.

After each college determines a standard for admission and its list of potential students is submitted to MoET, the ministry will help colleges in administration by only retaining the names and scores of students who chose the respective college as a “main option” in their list of desired schools to attend. 

Social science exams

More than 417,330 candidates applied for social science exams, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of total registered candidates.

Meanwhile, more than 321,450 candidates will sit for natural science exams, accounting for more than 37 per cent, MoET said, adding that remaining candidates had signed up for both exams. 

Đà Nẵng City’s Department of Education and Training reported that of 11,000 candidates registered for national high school exams, 6,000 will take natural science exams, 5,000 will take social science exams, and 1,000 will sit for both of them.

Students who signed up for social science exams would have to take history exams this year, Nguyễn Minh Hùng, deputy chairman of provincial department, said.

Compared to previous years when candidates were required to take either social or natural science exams, they are now allowed to take both and use the exam with a higher score to apply for high school graduation or college admission.

This has encouraged more students to choose what is more suitable for them, and in this case, it has been social science, according to Ga.

Also, a recent change from essay to multiple-choice exams, which require more  understanding than memorisation, has also explained why more candidates have chosen to take social science exams.

Many colleges have offered various groups of subjects to help applicants increase their admission chances.  – VNS