Editorial: After the high school graduation exam scores showed clear differences in exam subjects, a solution being discussed is to convert scores between high school exam subjects. This is causing concern for many students, parents and experts.
Is a 7 in math really "equal" to a 7 in literature or chemistry...? And is it really fair to compare scores between subjects that are fundamentally different?
Dr. Sai Cong Hong, an expert on educational assessment and evaluation, shares an analytical perspective on this issue.
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Concerns about converting graduation exam scores: Perspectives from assessment objectives and the nature of competencies
In recent years, each high school graduation exam has sparked debates about "score conversion" between subjects.
Many students and parents wonder: if they all get 7 points, why are some subjects easy and some difficult? And is it fair to use subject scores to compare and evaluate students' abilities equally?
The answer from a professional perspective is: it is impossible and should not be possible to convert scores between subjects. Not only because the exam questions are different, but also because the nature of the assessment objectives and the specific competencies of each subject are completely different.
Dr. Sai Cong Hong (Photo: NVCC).
An exam with many purposes, no standardized scores
The current high school graduation exam serves a number of purposes, including two major ones: assessing the level of meeting the requirements of the 2018 general education program and providing data as a basis for graduation consideration as well as reference for university and college admissions.
Therefore, each test is designed in its own direction, aiming to measure different abilities. When the goals are not the same, the test cannot have the same structure, difficulty, or rating scale. Any conversion of scores between tests therefore lacks scientific basis.
Compulsory, but not compulsory subjects are similar in purpose
Math and literature are two compulsory subjects. However, not all candidates take these two subjects with the same goal. Some students only need enough points to graduate; others have to try their best to get high scores for university admission.
The stratification of objectives makes the same test score have different meanings. This further shows that: even within the same subject, it is impossible to evaluate scores according to a single standard, let alone compare between subjects.
Teachers and students of Tay Thanh High School, Ho Chi Minh City in a class (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).
Reasons why it is difficult to convert scores between subjects
First, the difference in assessment objectives: Score conversion can only be done when the tests are designed for the same purpose. When one test is for graduation and the other is for university admission, the nature of the assessment is different, making it impossible to convert scores.
Second, each subject measures a separate type of ability: Math is logical thinking and quantitative analysis. Literature is expression and argument. Chemistry is experimentation and application. English is language communication… These abilities are not on the same spectrum – there is no common yardstick to convert.
Third, the exam differs in structure and difficulty: A 7 in math may require hours of practice and higher-order thinking skills, while a 7 in literature depends on language comprehension and presentation. Same score, but different effort and skills required.
Fourth, the difference in score distribution between subjects: Analysis of the score distribution of subjects in 2025 shows a clear differentiation. English has nearly 50% of candidates below average, while chemistry has an overwhelming ratio of good to excellent scores. This reflects not only the difficulty of the exam but also the classification of each subject – it is impossible to use a common “score level” for comparison.
Candidates taking the 2025 high school graduation exam (Photo: Bao Quyen).
Fifth, lack of cross-subject standardization tools: In many countries, the conversion of scores between subjects is only done when there is a standardized competency system - for example, the SAT, ACT exams or the national competency framework assessment system. Vietnam currently does not have such a tool. Therefore, all current conversions are subjective and lack scientific reliability.
Sixth, the consequences of incorrect conversion: Arbitrary conversion will cause students to choose the wrong combination for admission, leading to unfairness among candidates. More seriously, it causes incorrect perception of one's own abilities, affecting future career orientation.
Grades are only meaningful in the context of the course.
A score only has real value when placed in the right context: subject characteristics, test structure, national score distribution, and intended use of the results. A score of 7 in math cannot be compared with a score of 7 in literature, and it is even more impossible to convert literature scores to chemistry scores, or English scores to history scores.
Those seemingly reasonable comparisons, if lacking professional knowledge, will lead to distorted conclusions and have negative impacts on the students themselves.
In any exam, ensuring fairness is important. But fairness does not come from “flattening” scores across subjects. On the contrary, fairness comes from understanding the assessment nature of each subject, each test, and each ability. Therefore, instead of trying to find a common measure for very different subjects, what needs to be done is to help students understand their strengths, choose the appropriate admission combination, and put their scores into the context where they make sense.
Dr. Sai Cong Hong
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/ban-khoan-quy-doi-diem-giua-cac-mon-thi-thpt-goc-nhin-tu-chuyen-gia-20250719073728023.htm
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