HCM CITY — Many universities have lowered their admission scores for the upcoming academic year, citing lower scores on the national high school graduation examinations this year compared to last year.

Academies and universities that train new police recruits and military officers will enroll students with a score of nine points lower than last year. However, these institutions have the highest admission scores, from 16.5 to 27.15, in the country.

Universities in medicine and pharmacy have cut their scores by six points, a higher amount compared to universities in other fields.

The HCM University of Medicine and Pharmacy, for instance, this year has a maximum score of 24.95 for medical training majors, the highest admission score compared to its other majors. However, the score is 4.3 points lower than the one last year.

Member schools of Việt Nam National University in HCM City and Hà Nội have reduced admission scores by between 4 and 4.75 points.

The admission scores of HCM City University of Science’s 22 majors, for example, will be 16 to 22.75 points this year.

Top universities in the southern region such as Foreign Trade University and University of Economics in HCM City have set admission scores from 20 to 25, while universities in the central region are low, from 13-18.  

Prof Dr Nguyễn Hữu Tú, vice rector of Hà Nội Medical University, told Người Đưa Tin online that, compared to last year, tests for high school graduation were more difficult, leading to low scores.

The Ministry of Education and Training has reduced priority scores for students and ethnic minorities in rural and mountainous areas, Tú said.

Reduced admission scores would not affect the quality of students enrolled by universities, he said.

Dr Trần Văn Tớp, vice rector of Hà Nội University of Science and Technology, said that admission scores of 14-15 are not low.

The scores on examinations are only a partial reflection of students’capacity, Tớp said.

According to the former minister of education and training, Trần Xuân Nhĩ, universities’ scores do not really show the aptitude or capability of students.

Many people still prefer their children to study at universities so the rate of unemployed university graduates is high, Nhĩ said, adding that university study was not necessary for success in life.

Nhĩ also said that universities should pay more attention to the quality of training and should not admit too many students. — VNS