Pressure from numbers
The 10th grade public high school entrance exam in Hanoi is always likened to a fierce "race". The pressure is not only in terms of turning points, but also due to high competition ratio, limited quotas, while the number of candidates is increasing.
In 2026, the entrance exam to 10th grade public high schools in Hanoi is expected to take place in two days, May 30 and 31, with three compulsory subjects: Math, Literature and Foreign Language (mainly English).
According to the vocational guidance plan after secondary school, Hanoi is expected to enroll about 88,000 students into public schools, while about 59,000 students will have to choose other directions such as private schools or vocational education. This means that a significant number of candidates will not have the opportunity to enter 10th grade public schools.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the pressure is also no less intense. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training said that in the 2025-2026 school year, the whole city has more than 169,000 9th grade students expected to graduate from secondary school, an increase of more than 42,700 students compared to the previous year (region 1 - Ho Chi Minh City increased by more than 27,100 students, region 2 - old Binh Duong increased by more than 8,400 and region 3 - Ba Ria - Vung Tau increased by more than 7,200 students). If calculated according to the standard of 45 students/class, public high schools in the area only meet more than 103,700 places, equivalent to 61% of 9th grade students.
Faced with increasing pressure on the scale of students, the Department sets a target of enrolling nearly 118,400 students into public 10th grade, equivalent to 70% of 9th grade students. Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training requests schools to review facilities, propose needs for procurement and repair to increase reception capacity according to the set target. The remaining approximately 51,000 students will have to choose other learning directions such as continuing education, vocational education or private high school (the total target for these types is more than 62,800 students).
Full school schedule from morning to night
In that context, many 9th grade students enter a dense learning cycle, from early morning to late at night with both formal classes, extra classes, then self-study, doing homework and practicing questions.
Bich Ngan (9th grade student in Ben Thanh ward) said that to prepare for the exam, every week she participates in 3 extra classes of Math, 1 class of Literature, 2 classes of English and 2 classes of Physics.
"The school schedule is tight, some days I come home at nearly 9:00 p.m., after eating, I continue studying. Even though I'm tired, I still have to try to get into the school I want" - Ngan said. In addition to the 3 normal aspirations, I also plan to take the Physics exam to enter Le Hong Phong or Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted.
Meanwhile, Khanh Thu, another 9th grade student, chose a more selective learning method. In addition to studying in class, she only participates in some key subjects and spends time self-studying and practicing questions to understand the essence.
Making the exam is not only to solve it correctly but also to learn from experience and avoid repeating mistakes," Thu said.
Ms. Dieu Ly - a parent of a student at To Hoang Secondary School (Bach Mai ward, Hanoi) assessed that Hanoi's 10th grade entrance exam this year may be more fierce when only about 60% of 9th grade graduates are admitted to public 10th grade. Meanwhile, the children will have to compete with students throughout the city because according to new regulations, candidates can register for a maximum of 3 aspirations, not being bound by the enrollment area like in previous years. This is an opportunity but also a pressure because it is very likely that the number of students flocking to some schools will cause the benchmark scores to increase sharply.
I am preparing for my child in two directions. First, accompanying tutoring and sharing with my child in this stage. Next, working with my child to develop a plan to choose aspirations so that the possibility of admission is highest" - Ms. Dieu Ly said and said that the family is currently learning about some schools near home such as Dong Da High School and Do Muoi High School to reduce pressure on her child.
To help students and teachers have a good teaching and learning orientation, from the beginning of October 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training announced the structure and requirements of the 10th grade public school entrance exam for the 2026-2027 school year.
Choosing aspirations becomes a stressful "problem
Mr. Nguyen Van Hien - Director of Hanoi Department of Education and Training assessed that with the new regulations on registration of aspirations, a common situation may occur that in aspiration 1, many students will choose to enter top high schools. Then for safety, in aspirations 2 and 3, students will register for schools further away, with lower benchmark scores to prioritize the ability to pass. However, if students choose schools too far from home, it will be extremely difficult for the whole family and for themselves throughout 3 years of study.
Therefore, Mr. Hien noted: "Schools and homeroom teachers need to advise students to register aspirations that are suitable for their abilities and always prioritize the principle of choosing schools as close to home as possible.
Mr. Nguyen Hung Khuong - Principal of Ten Lo Man High School (Ben Thanh ward) said that besides reviewing knowledge, an equally decisive factor is the strategy of choosing aspirations. Reality shows that there are students whose exam scores are not too high but still get into the public school they want thanks to placing reasonable aspirations, while some good students are not admitted due to inappropriate choices. In which, Mr. Khuong emphasized the correct assessment of students' abilities in choosing schools and arranging the order of aspirations.
