Fierce competition for specialized schools in Ho Chi Minh City

Fierce competition

The top three specialized schools in Ho Chi Minh City, including Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, and High School for the Gifted (Ho Chi Minh City National University), always have a high competition rate for grade 10 and it increases every year. Of which, Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted maintains its leading position in terms of competition. In 2024, the school has 770 quotas but attracts 4,210 first-choice applications, equivalent to a competition rate of 1/5.5. In previous years, this rate was 1/5.42 in 2023 and 1/5.8 in 2022, respectively.

Candidates take the entrance exam to the Gifted High School (Ho Chi Minh City National University). Photo: AN

Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted maintains a stable competition ratio. Specifically, in 2024, the school had 455 quotas but received 1,864 applications for the first choice, a ratio of 1/4.1. In 2023, this ratio was 1/4.65 and in 2022 it was 1/4.6. In 2024, the Gifted High School (Ho Chi Minh City National University) had a record high competition ratio in the past 6 years. The school recruited 595 quotas but received 3,843 applications, a competition ratio of 1/6.5. In 2023, this ratio was 1/5 and in 2022 it was 1/3.9.

Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of Office of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that currently Ho Chi Minh City has no plan to open new specialized schools, but in the future it will study if land and school construction conditions allow.

From the 2025-2026 school year, Ho Chi Minh City will stop enrolling 22 specialized 10th grade classes at mass high schools such as Nguyen Thuong Hien, Gia Dinh, Nguyen Huu Huan and Mac Dinh Chi. At the same time, for the first time, all three specialized schools will simultaneously enroll students nationwide, not just in Ho Chi Minh City. This raises concerns that the number of applications to specialized schools will increase this school year, making the already fierce competition even fiercer.

Evaluating the entrance exam for specialized grade 10 in Ho Chi Minh City this year, Ms. Nguyen Minh Bach Lan, Deputy Chief of Office of the Departmentof Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the three specialized schools have made great contributions to training excellent students and developing high-quality human resources for the city and the region. Allowing nationwide enrollment will expand opportunities for excellent students from localities to access a high-quality educational environment in Ho Chi Minh City, no longer limited by geography. At the same time, this will promote healthy competition, improve input quality and continue to affirm the prestige of Ho Chi Minh City specialized schools in the general education system.

However, Ms. Lan reassured parents and candidates not to be too pressured by the predicted high competition rate. “This rate is only for reference in terms of the number of registrations. The important thing is that students need to determine their abilities and strengths, keep a stable mentality, review their knowledge firmly and believe in themselves,” Ms. Lan shared.

Need to measure your strength

The leader of a secondary school in Thu Duc City (HCMC) predicted that the entrance exam for specialized 10th graders this school year in HCMC could be very "tense". He said that although the door is open to students from other provinces and cities, the number of students applying to the 3 specialized schools will not be too large. Therefore, the competition rate may increase slightly but not dramatically. However, this is the first school year that students studying the 2018 General Education Program will take the entrance exam for grade 10, so the exam will create many surprises, causing a lot of pressure for candidates.

According to him, having decided to take the entrance exam to a specialized school, both students and parents have prepared a long-term review plan since the beginning of the school year. Therefore, at the final stage with only a few weeks left before the exam, students should keep a relaxed and easy-going mentality, review key knowledge instead of cramming. "Students should refer to the benchmark scores of the school they registered for the exam and then base their choice on their final year academic results and mock exam scores. Parents should also consider their children's academic performance to choose a learning environment that suits their abilities. They should not force their children to take the entrance exam to a specialized school or selective class at all costs," this person said.

Ms. Hua Thi Diem Tram, Principal of Ha Huy Tap Secondary School (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City), assessed that candidates taking the 10th grade exam this year are the first batch of students studying under the 2018 General Education Program. In particular, they had to spend a long time studying online in grade 6 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly affected their learning process and learning skills.

According to Ms. Tram, when studying the new program, students are evaluated more flexibly, through projects rather than just relying on traditional tests. Therefore, taking the entrance exam to a specialized school is a good opportunity for students to try their hand, but they also need to make reasonable calculations in their regular wishes, in order to choose a suitable environment if they do not pass the specialized exam. Regarding specialized subject review skills, Ms. Tram noted that students need to self-study and systematize their knowledge to be able to handle many types of questions, because this year's exam does not have reference questions, and it is impossible to review according to the previous scale. "Students should not put too much pressure on themselves to pass the specialized school at all costs, but should consider this a test of their strength. Specialized schools are not the only door, if they fail, they can still study in environments with very good training quality," Ms. Tram said.

Mr. Nhan

Source: https://tienphong.vn/khoc-liet-cuoc-dua-truong-chuyen-tai-tphcm-post1742269.tpo