Candidates worry about unfairness between scores of admission groups, what does the Ministry of Education and Training say?

At the 2025 Choice Day held on the morning of July 19, many parents and candidates expressed concern about the unfairness of university admissions when the scores of the groups are different. A representative of the Ministry of Education and Training responded.

"The C block score is so high, how can you compete?"

At the 2025 choice day, a parent, after citing evidence of admission to various majors at schools using different combinations, expressed concern about whether it would be unfair given the difference in scores between the combinations this year. For example, many majors at Hanoi Capital University or Thai Nguyen University accept admission based on both the D01, A01, and C groups. “This year, the C group scores are so high, how can we compete?”, the parent said.

Candidates and parents attend the 2025 Choice Day organized by Tuoi Tre Newspaper on the morning of July 19. Photo: Nam Tran.

Regarding concerns about whether the benchmark scores will change when the score distribution fluctuates, Professor Nguyen Tien Thao, Director of the Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Education and Training), said that this year, it is predicted that there will be changes in benchmark scores, because the high school graduation exam combinations will all change.

Professor Thao said that this year, the difference compared to previous years is that the admission scores will be converted between the groups to ensure maximum fairness for candidates. A training program can be recruited using many groups, the difference in scores between the groups will be adjusted according to the percentile.

However, according to Mr. Thao, up to this point, there has been no admission test and the schools have not announced the percentile scores. If the schools announce the percentile between the groups, then the schools will have to explain.

“This year’s admission rules do not distinguish between admission quotas by combination. There are only general admission quotas and admission can be based on one or more different combinations. If a school only considers admission to a certain major based on one combination, then there is no problem. In case there are many combinations, between at least two combinations that cannot be distinguished, the schools will explain that,” said Mr. Thao.

Professor Thao added: “Don’t worry because the low D01 score and high C00 score are unfair. This year, a school will consider admission based on both D01 and C00 combinations, and there will be adjustments according to the percentile. D01 can be added points; C00 can be deducted 0.5 - 1 point, depending on the adjustment of the schools to ensure the rights of candidates.”

Professor Nguyen Tien Thao, Director of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Training. Photo: Thanh Hung.

Regarding the conversion of scores, Professor Thao said that the Ministry of Education and Training only recommends general rules, not giving an absolute number. “The Ministry of Education and Training also only gives rules between combinations, and between other methods such as IELTS, SAT score consideration,... schools must base on the records and the number of candidates admitted in previous years to set the corresponding conversion threshold. Therefore, schools still have to give a conversion method and be responsible for that result. In case schools give a score between combinations outside the percentile recommended by the Ministry of Education and Training (after running data on over 1 million candidates), they are responsible for explaining,” said Mr. Thao.

A representative of the Ministry of Education and Training said that the Ministry plans to announce the conversion between the combinations and the percentiles of the 5 traditional combinations (A00, B00, A01, C00, D01) on July 21 or 22.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/thi-sinh-lo-bat-cong-giua-diem-cac-to-hop-xet-tuyen-bo-gd-dt-noi-gi-2423509.html