Universities plan to adjust admission combinations

In the first year of the reform of the high school graduation exam, in addition to the two compulsory subjects, candidates can choose two subjects from the ones they have studied at school. Given the number of candidates registering for each subject announced by the Ministry of Education and Training, many universities plan to adjust the subject combinations for admission.

Block B will reduce the number of candidates significantly.

2025 is the first year of high school graduation exams according to the 2018 GeneralEducation Program. Therefore, the number of candidates registering for elective subjects this year is data that universities are looking forward to considering and calculating in building appropriate subject combinations for admission.

Teachers guide 12th grade students to register for the 2025 high school graduation exam

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, biology and chemistry continue to have fewer candidates choosing them than social sciences . This trend is not new as last year, 63% of candidates registered for the social sciences exam and only 37% registered for the natural sciences exam.

Faced with this trend, Master Cu Xuan Tien, Head of Admissions and Student Affairs Department of the University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University), commented: "The number of candidates choosing subjects related to the Social Science subject group is almost overwhelming compared to the Natural Science subject group. This shows that the career orientation of students this year is more towards fields such as communications, economics, law, society, administration...".

Master Tien emphasized: "A noteworthy point is that the number of candidates registering for the biology exam in 2025 has decreased sharply, from 342,388 candidates in 2024 to only 72,669 candidates. This leads to this year's admission combinations with biology subjects such as block B (math - chemistry - biology) will have a significant decrease in the number of candidates".

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nhan, Head of Training Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, said: "Overall, universities are not too worried. The number of registered subjects for the PhD exam is small and only in a few narrow fields, such as biology - a compulsory subject for majors in the fields of health and life sciences. Information technology and technology are new subjects, universities use them to expand the admission combination. The main subjects are quite sufficient, even history and geography can be used for the service economic sector."

ADJUST SUBJECT COMBINATION TO MAKE IT MORE SUITABLE

Faced with the number of candidates registering for this year's high school graduation exam, representatives of some universities plan to adjust and add more suitable subject combinations for admission.

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nhan said that after having specific statistics of candidates registering for graduation exams for each subject, universities will review the admission combination to ensure that they recruit enough qualified students and create opportunities for candidates to participate in the admission process. For example, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry can review to add an admission combination with economic and legal education for technical and technological majors.

"Economic and legal education is a subject that equips learners with general knowledge of economics and law, which is needed in all fields and professions, not just in social sciences or economics. Therefore, after reviewing the training program of this subject at high school level, the school plans to add this subject among the elective subjects for candidates applying for admission to the technical technology sector," added the Head of Training Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry.

Although no specific direction has been given, Dr. Vo Van Tuan, Vice Principal of Van Lang University, also informed that the school is researching to adjust the subject combinations of some majors and groups of majors to be more suitable.

Master Cu Xuan Tien said that the University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University) will recruit 6 subject combinations applicable to all majors/specializations and methods this year. The specific combinations include: math - physics - chemistry (A00), math - English - literature (D01), math - English - physics (A01), math - English - chemistry (D07), math - English - information technology (X26), math - English - economic and legal education (X25).

"With the number of registrations for the high school graduation exam this year, this is a very good sign for the school. Because most of the subjects in the 6 groups for admission to the school have increased in number of registrations. Especially the subject of economics and law has many candidates registering, helping the school have a rich source of candidates suitable for the fields that the school is training in: economics, business and law", said the Head of Admissions and Student Affairs Department of the University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University).

Grade 12 students in Ho Chi Minh City listen to instructions on registering for the 2025 high school graduation exam.

Photo: Dao Ngoc Thach

Meanwhile, Master Hoang Thanh Tu, Deputy Head of the Information and Communication Department of the University of Natural Sciences (Ho Chi Minh City National University), said: "The lower rate of candidates choosing natural science subjects compared to social science subjects in the 2025 high school graduation exam will have certain impacts on admission to basic science majors. Accordingly, the source of potential candidates is limited, competition for admission between schools training in this field and the risk of a possible decrease in admission scores compared to previous years."

However, Master Tu said that to limit the above impacts, the school has also planned adjustments in the selection and access methods for PhDs, such as increasing flexible subject combinations for PhDs to choose from while still ensuring the capacity requirements of learners. At the same time, maintaining other selection methods besides the selection based on high school graduation exam results and building a scholarship policy to encourage potential PhDs in basic science fields.

Regarding flexible admission combinations, Master Tu said that this year the school is using new subject combinations (a combination of natural science and social science subjects) for interdisciplinary training majors with high applicability in life. For example, oceanography not only studies physical and chemical processes in the ocean but also deals with marine resource management, environmental protection and climate change adaptation. These issues are closely linked to the development history of coastal areas, local community culture and socio-economic policies. Similarly, environmental science requires students to understand the historical and geographical context to assess environmental impacts and propose sustainable solutions.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cac-truong-dh-du-kien-dieu-chinh-to-hop-xet-tuyen-185250504200724771.htm