Minimum score drops to record low, be careful… or you will fail the university entrance exam

(Dan Tri) - This year, many universities have seen the minimum scores for many majors plummet. Candidates need to be alert to the "trap" of minimum scores to avoid failing the university entrance exam.

In the 2025 admission season, the floor scores of a series of universities across the country tend to decrease, especially in many professions, witnessing an unprecedented decrease in floor scores from 5 to 7 points. Many professions in some schools have record low floor scores.

The University of Natural Sciences (Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City) has a floor score based on the 2025 high school graduation exam score method ranging from 16 to 24 points. The score is equivalent to 2024, but the floor score for many majors has decreased from 0.5 to 6 points.

The minimum score to enter the University of Natural Sciences (Ho Chi Minh City National University) has decreased by up to 6 points for some majors (Photo: NT).

The minimum score for data science has dropped the most, from 24 to just 18 points. The minimum score for artificial intelligence, computer and information technology, computer science (advanced program) and information technology (English-enhanced program) has also dropped by 4 points, to 20 points.

The floor score decreased the most in veterinary medicine, Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry decreased by 7 points.

The floor score of the University of Foreign Languages (Vietnam National University , Hanoi ) also caused surprise when it decreased rapidly. In 2024, the floor score to enter the school was from 20 to 21 points, but this year it decreased to between 15 and 19 points, with many majors having a floor score that decreased by up to 5 points.

According to this school's forecast, the benchmark score this year may decrease by 1.5 to 2 points compared to 2024. For some majors such as English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, etc., the decrease may be higher. In 2024, candidates must achieve an average of about 9.7 points/subject to be admitted to the English and Chinese pedagogy majors. This year, the benchmark score is forecast to be only 23-25 points.

This comes from the number of candidates taking the foreign language exam being only nearly 353,000, about one-third of previous years because this is an elective subject. The average score is also lower than in 2024, with only 141 students scoring 10 points, down four times; the average score is 5.38, down 0.13. More than 134,000/351,848 candidates scored below 5 points. The number of candidates scoring 7 points or higher in English is only over 15%, down more than 10% compared to 2024.

The minimum score for admission to the University of Foreign Languages (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) in 2025 will decrease by at most 5 points (Photo: NT).

According to school representatives, this year's floor score decreased as the general level of high school graduation exam scores decreased. This year's high school graduation exam scores saw low scores in "key" subjects in the admission combination at many schools such as math, English, chemistry, etc.

Low minimum score, be careful… or you will fail the university entrance exam

University admissions experts note that candidates need to be alert to the floor score, especially when the floor score drops sharply. The floor score is given by schools based on the distribution of high school graduation exam scores, schools will not give scores that are too high, to avoid "limiting" the source of admission.

Although the floor score has decreased sharply, the representative of the University of Natural Sciences (Ho Chi Minh City National University) reminded candidates that the floor score given by the school is not the admission standard score. The actual admission standard score is decided by the number of registrations and the number of candidates from top to bottom.

As of 2024, the floor score and the standard score of this school in many majors differ by 5-6 points. For example, the floor score for biology is 17 but the standard score is 23.5; the floor score for chemistry is 20, the standard score is 25.42; the floor score for mathematics, mathematics-informatics, and applied mathematics is 20 but the standard score is 25.55.

Candidates need to be alert in choosing their wishes when the minimum scores for many majors and schools have decreased sharply (Photo: Hoai Nam).

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Phung, Deputy Head of Admissions and Corporate Relations Department, University of Finance - Marketing, said that the minimum score for all majors at the school based on the high school graduation exam scores this year is 15 points.

For the economic law major, candidates need to score 6 points or higher in math. For the combination of math and literature, candidates need to score 6 points or higher in at least one of the two subjects. This year's floor score is 1-4 points lower than last year and is at its lowest level in the past 3 years.

Ms. Phung emphasized that the floor score is the minimum score that schools set to receive application files. The admission standard score is determined based on the total number of candidates registering for admission and the enrollment quota of each major and program. The standard score can be equal to or higher than the floor score, depending on the number of applications and the quality of the candidates' admission scores.

In 2024, the common minimum score for admission to the University of Finance and Marketing is 19 points, but the admission standard score ranges from 22 to 25.9 points. The difference between the highest minimum score and the minimum score is nearly 7 points.

The admission scores for universities this year are forecasted to increase by 1-2 points compared to 2024 due to the decrease in high school graduation exam scores. However, the admission scores for each major and each school can fluctuate unpredictably because it depends on the fluctuations in wishes and the level of competition between majors.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/diem-san-giam-thap-ky-luc-can-than-truot-dai-hoc-20250723111145814.htm