What opportunities are there for candidates?

Record number of candidates registering for the exam

More than 95,000 candidates from many localities across the country attended the first round of the 2024 Competency Assessment Exam held by Ho Chi Minh City National University on April 7. This is the exam with the highest number of candidates since it was first held in 2018.

The first round of the exam was held in 24 provinces and cities, with 51 exam clusters. Thus, this year's exam was expanded to 3 more localities compared to 2023.

Candidates attend the competency assessment exam organized by Hanoi National University. Photo: VNU.

The 2024 Ho Chi Minh City National University Competency Assessment Exam will be held in two rounds. The second round will take place on June 2 in 12 localities.

As one of the largest capacity assessment exams in the country, the capacity assessment exam of Ho Chi Minh City National University has continuously increased in the number of candidates and the number of schools using the results of this exam for admission over the past 8 years.

This year, there are currently 105 universities and colleges registered to use the results of the Ho Chi Minh City National University's competency assessment exam for enrollment.

At the same time, the second round of the Hanoi National University's competency assessment exam took place on April 6 and 7 at 12 testing locations.

The total number of candidates registered for the exam this time was 18,213, the number of candidates present for the exam was 18,069, reaching 99.2%. According to the assessment of the Hanoi National University Examination Center, this is the highest rate of candidates taking the exam ever, many exam sites reached 100% of candidates taking the exam.

Up to now, Hanoi National University Examination Center has conducted 2 out of 6 HSA exams in 2024, the number of candidates taking the exam is 29,082, accounting for nearly 1/3 of the scale of the HSA exam in 2024.

Currently, there are 74 universities and academies using the HSA exam results of Hanoi National University as an admission method.

Increased pressure, increased costs

Admission based on the results of separate exams is becoming a trend as more and more schools organize these exams with hundreds of schools using the same results and tens of thousands of candidates participating.

In addition to the two competency assessment exams of Ho Chi Minh City National University and Hanoi National University, it is noted that in the 2024 enrollment season, many moreuniversities will organize competency assessment exams and thinking assessment exams for enrollment. The organization method, exam method, exam structure, and the number of schools using the results of different exams will vary.

The method of admission based on the results of competency and thinking assessment tests is considered to increase the chances of candidates entering university. However, the increasing popularity of these tests will lead to increased pressure on candidates and generate more costs for families whose children take separate tests.

In the final stage of preparation for the high school graduation exam and university entrance exam in 2024, at Phan Huy Chu High School (Dong Da district, Hanoi), teachers and students of the school are focusing on reviewing, reviewing, and supplementing missing knowledge for students.

Regarding separate exams, Ms. Duong Thi Thu Ha - Vice Principal of the school acknowledged that the competency assessment exam not only creates opportunities for candidates but also creates more pressure and difficulties for them.

According to Ms. Ha, many schools currently organize their own exams with different exam structures and knowledge limits. If students want to take the competency assessment exam organized by two higher education institutions, they will have to go through two different exams. This more or less creates pressure and hardship for students when taking multiple exams.

For students taking many separate exams, Ms. Ha noted that the exam questions are built based on the requirements of the Ministry of Education and Training. To participate in many competency assessment exams, students must equip themselves with basic background knowledge, then learn the structure, reference exam questions of schools and practice to improve their skills.

According to the Law on Education and the Law on Higher Education, universities are autonomous in their admissions. However, National Assembly delegate Nguyen Thi Viet Nga - Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Hai Duong province said that the proliferation of separate exams will lose the meaning of the high school graduation exam.

Besides, Ms. Nga also mentioned the reality of the proliferation of training centers to assess capacity to show that the pressure on candidates is currently extremely great.

Not to mention, to participate in each separate exam, candidates must also pay different exam fees, some schools charge up to 450,000 - 500,000 VND/time. If candidates register for many exams of many different schools, it means they have to pay a larger amount of money.

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