Beware of test preparation centers for competency assessments.

Understanding the anxieties of candidates taking the 2025 competency assessment exam under the new program, many tutoring courses are being heavily advertised on social media...

Students at Phu Nhuan High School (Ho Chi Minh City) in a classroom setting. Photo: MA

Diverse and varied

With just a click of the internet using the keyword "aptitude test preparation," candidates can easily find thousands of results. In particular, on Facebook groups dedicated to the aptitude test, anonymous posts asking for test preparation addresses appear every few hours.

Below the post, numerous comments introduced themselves as staff members or former students of these centers who had achieved good results. Candidates only needed to respond to the comments, and someone would proactively contact them to offer courses. Most of these groups and "centers" for aptitude test preparation on social media platforms are organized in the form of online learning, with mock exams.

Specifically, after leaving contact information on a center's Facebook page, a staff member called shortly afterward and offered enthusiastic advice. According to this staff member, the exam preparation course consists of three stages: Foundation, Comprehensive Review, and Practice Tests. The foundation stage teaches basic 12th-grade knowledge included in the exam. The comprehensive review stage systematically covers knowledge from grades 10 to 12. Students actively learn these two parts through videos .

At the end of December, the center began offering online practice tests (live stream). Candidates will interact online with teachers for 30 sessions, each lasting 90-120 minutes.

The staff member said: "If you have a solid grasp of the 12th-grade curriculum, you should choose the accelerated package, which includes comprehensive review and practice tests. The original tuition fee is 7.2 million VND, but due to the center's 'Golden Day' promotion, it's reduced to 4.3 million VND. Or you can choose the comprehensive package with 3 parts, which is reduced from 11.5 million VND to 6.9 million VND."

Posing as a prospective student interested in registering for exam preparation courses, a reporter from the Education and Times newspaper was informed by the administrator of a Fanpage with over 19,000 followers that the first aptitude test organized by the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City will be held in March 2025. To prepare for this exam, aptitude test preparation classes will begin on December 7th.

However, if needed, the "center" can still enroll students in this class. The online learning format includes the following in the first phase: 9 mock exams and detailed feedback sessions; core materials on scientific reasoning and language use; 35 modules covering the knowledge of 7 subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Economics and Law; and 10 modules covering language use, logic, data analysis, etc.

This person also stated that after registration, students are guided to start learning from the beginning. The tuition fee is 850,000 VND, reduced to 779,000 VND if registered before December 26th. Each week, classes last approximately 3-4 hours, ending after the first aptitude test.

When the reporter asked for the address to deposit the money, the employee provided the bank account number of a registered individual at a branch in Binh Thuan province. The employee assured the reporter that there was no fraud and added, "This is an online teaching group, with no physical office."

Candidates participating in the 2024 aptitude test of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: TT

Study well at school, hone your skills at home.

Ms. Ngo Ngoc Tuyet, Vice Principal of Ly Thuong Kiet High School (Ho Chi Minh City), said that every year, all 12th-grade students at the school participate in the aptitude test organized by the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, recognizing it as a great opportunity to enter university. The school also encourages students to participate in the aptitude test and provides transportation to take them to the exam.

"Due to lack of time for review, teachers only guide students in finding materials and outlines for self-study. In previous years, many students achieved high results when participating in the competency assessment exam."

"Of course, the school also recognizes that this exam is not the only path to university, and some top universities will require high high school graduation scores or other exams. Therefore, teachers advise students to balance their time and the importance of both exams," Ms. Tuyet said.

Similarly, Mr. Ho Ngoc Dang Khoa, Vice Principal of Nguyen Huu Cau High School (Ho Chi Minh City), said that most of the school's students participate in the competency assessment exam. Closer to the exam date, the school organizes sessions teaching exam-taking methods for each subject, and students who need it can proactively participate.

"According to the structure of the sample exam, the 2025 exam will include questions that test knowledge from subjects not studied in school. However, these questions are based on given data and require logical reasoning, rather than being heavily focused on specialized knowledge. Therefore, students who perform well in school and possess the necessary skills will do well on the exam; they don't necessarily need to attend tutoring centers," Mr. Khoa emphasized.

Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chinh, Director of the Center for Examination and Quality Assessment of Training (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), stated that the unit does not organize exam preparation courses or sell exam preparation materials in any form. The teachers involved in building the question bank also do not participate in any exam preparation groups.

This is something that is strictly controlled and monitored. Currently, there is no system for reviewing or evaluating these tutoring groups, so learners must be cautious and consult with many people to make the right choice.

“Students have a very reliable source of information in their high school teachers. At the same time, they must cooperate and exchange ideas with their friends to find the best way to study. The important thing is that candidates must trust themselves and avoid trusting a single person or center whose teaching methods sometimes don't align with the exam requirements,” Dr. Chinh emphasized.

Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chinh advises: "Candidates should not participate in cramming courses but should proactively study scientifically. Because the exam aims to assess the candidate's university-level academic abilities, including the ability to use the Vietnamese language, English, mathematics, logical thinking, scientific thinking, data processing, and problem-solving."

These abilities cannot be acquired overnight but are developed throughout the high school learning process. With all the knowledge taught in school, students must approach the subject systematically, explore and deeply understand its essence, rather than simply memorizing it. If they practice this over a long period, they will develop a habit of studying scientifically.”

Source: https://danviet.vn/can-trong-voi-lo-luyen-thi-danh-gia-nang-luc-20241227111605281.htm