Hanoi students study all night on the eve of the 10th grade exam, many 'find a safe way out'

As the exam date neared, even though she knew she had to get enough sleep to stay alert, Thanh Huong was still worried and unable to sleep. “There was a time when I was lying in bed, suddenly remembering an unfinished math problem, I jumped up and opened it to look,” the female student confided.

Tomorrow (June 7), Hanoi students will officially enter the "race" for 10th grade in 2025. Of these, at least 64% of candidates will have places in public schools, equivalent to more than 81,000 students. The remaining students will study at private high schools, vocationaleducation centers, and continuing education centers.

Pham Thanh Huong, a student at Nguyen Lan Secondary School (Thanh Xuan), is worried because this exam will decide “an important turning point in her life”. Previously, Huong registered her first choice at Tran Hung Dao High School, her second choice at Khuong Ha Primary, Secondary and High School. For her third choice, the female student registered at a school in Ung Hoa district, 45km from home.

"I decided to make this choice just to feel more secure. Even if I pass the exam, I probably won't continue studying," Huong said.

Candidates complete procedures for the 10th grade entrance exam in Hanoi on June 6. Photo: Pham Hai

Although she was a good student, to have an alternative, Huong applied for admission to Phan Boi Chau Private High School using her academic record and was accepted. However, the female student still wanted to be admitted to a public school to reduce the financial burden on her parents.

"The closer the exam date gets, the more nervous and worried I get," Huong shared.

The female student takes extra classes every day of the week. For Math, Huong takes two extra classes. Weekends are supposed to be for resting, but this is the time when the female student studies the most.

“In the morning, I usually study by myself, and in the afternoon, I take an online Literature class. Then, from 6-7:30 p.m., I study English, and from 8-9:30 p.m., I continue to study Math. During the final break at school, I almost always study until the morning before closing my books because that is the quietest and most focused time,” the female student said.

Anxiety and pressure are common feelings among many students preparing for the 10th grade exam this year. Photo: Pham Hai

Anxiety and pressure are common feelings among many candidates preparing for the 10th grade exam this year. Nguyen Thu Trang, a student at Thanh Xuan Nam Secondary School, registered her first choice at Tran Hung Dao High School, saying that the admission score for this school last year was 38.25, meaning an average of 7.65 points per subject to be admitted.

In the last mock test, Trang's score was enough to pass the school, but the previous tests were "unstable". Therefore, in the last 2 months, the female student had to speed up not only in class but also at home.

“After studying at school, I study two more shifts at my teachers’ house or at the center. Around 9pm, when I get home to eat and rest, I sit down at the table to study. I usually study from 7am to past midnight,” the female student said.

Although her parents did not put pressure on her, only reminded and encouraged her to study, Trang said she felt pressured and afraid of failing the exam, so she did not dare to rest even though she was tired.

"After completing the exam procedures, I will still study until the official exam," Trang said.

Parents accompany their children to take the 10th grade entrance exam. Photo: Pham Hai

At the exam site of Tran Duy Hung Secondary School, Nguyen Tung Lam, a student of Chu Van An Secondary School (Tay Ho) said he felt nervous before the exam. Lam registered his first choice at Phan Dinh Phung High School, in addition to his IT specialization choice at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted.

After completing the exam registration procedures, Lam became even more worried when he saw the large number of candidates. The male student said that after completing the exam registration procedures, he still reviewed his knowledge of Literature at home to prepare for the first exam tomorrow morning.

This is also the subject that male students worry about the most because they think that “my handwriting is a bit bad”. Lam understands that this is a weakness, causing his scores on tests and mock exams in class to be low. Therefore, the male student will have to overcome this by writing bigger and clearer in this important exam.

Besides, Lam also focuses more on the Vietnamese knowledge part of the exam because according to teachers, students often lose points in this part and pay little attention to it because they focus more on writing essays.

In contrast to Tung Lam, Pham Hoang Linh, a student at Le Ngoc Han Secondary School (Hai Ba Trung) feels quite comfortable: “After a year of studying and practicing hard, I also want to take the exam soon. I think I have tried my best, so there is no need to be too nervous, creating more pressure for myself. The most important thing is to stay calm in the exam room. I will try my best,” the female student said.

According to Linh, being mentally relaxed can help you do better on the test, because "being anxious will reduce your performance and weaken your determination."

Previously, Linh had registered her first choice at Viet Duc High School, in addition to her choice of majoring in Mathematics at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. Before taking the exam, the female student will continue to review the knowledge of the subjects. When taking the exam, Linh said she will try her best with the motto that her teachers and parents always remind her: "Read the questions carefully; do the easy ones first, the difficult ones later."

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/si-tu-ha-noi-hoc-trang-dem-sat-ngay-thi-lop-10-nhieu-em-tim-duong-lui-an-toan-2408776.html