Students and parents consider carefully when choosing a major
At a recent enrollment counseling program held in Ho Chi Minh City, many 12th grade students said that they spend more time learning about careers before registering their aspirations.
Nguyen Minh Khoi, a 12th grade student, said that initially he intended to register for many majors related to information technology because he saw that this field was developing strongly.
Learning more carefully, I find that I prefer jobs related to business and technology application rather than pure programming. Therefore, I am considering industries such as e-commerce or management information systems" - Khoi shared.
According to Khoi, being only allowed to register a maximum of 15 aspirations makes him have to think more carefully in arranging his choices.
Before, I thought I could register for many majors to increase opportunities, but now I have to select from the beginning" - the male student said.
Not only students, parents also pay much attention to career orientation for their children. Ms. Le Thu Ha, a parent whose child is in 12th grade, believes that choosing a major should be based on the suitability with students' abilities and interests.
The family encourages children to learn carefully about the training program, learning environment and job opportunities of each major. The most important thing is that children must really like that major to be able to pursue it for a long time" - Ms. Ha shared.
Hobbies are still the most important factor
Talking to reporters, Master Cu Xuan Tien - Head of the Admissions and Student Affairs Department of the University of Economics and Law (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City) - said that when choosing a major, students are often referred to the "trio" of factors including interests - abilities - social needs. Among them, the most important factor is still the appreciation of learners.
If you really like a certain profession, then start to learn carefully about the job, working environment, and training program. Then come the step of choosing a school and comparing the benchmark scores of the schools with your learning ability" - Mr. Tien informed.
According to him, students should make a list of majors and schools they are interested in from the beginning. This list can be quite long, then gradually narrower through the process of learning information.
A notable change in university admissions in 2026 is that each candidate can only register a maximum of 15 aspirations. This makes the arrangement of aspirations more important than before.
According to MSc Cu Xuan Tien, candidates should divide their aspirations into three groups: Dream aspiration group: about 6-7 aspirations in majors and schools with higher benchmark scores than their current ability. Appropriate group: About 4-5 aspirations with benchmark scores equivalent to the candidates' academic ability. Safe group: About 3 aspirations with high admission chances.
This three-tier arrangement helps candidates both have the opportunity to try their hand at the industry and school they want, and ensure a safe plan" - Mr. Tien recommended.
In particular, this year many schools have changed their admission methods, so the benchmark scores may fluctuate, making predictions more difficult.
In recent years, majors related to artificial intelligence, data science, and information technology have attracted a large number of registered candidates. However, admissions experts warn that not everyone is suitable for these majors.
If you just register because you see that industry is "hot", while you don't really like it or your abilities are not suitable, it is very easy to encounter difficulties in the learning process" - Mr. Tien said.
According to him, when studying in an environment where many students are very good and have a strong passion for the major, those who are not really suitable will be easily pressured.
A reality mentioned by Mr. Tien is the situation of students dropping out of school or re-examining to change majors due to inappropriate initial choices.
Some students study for a while before realizing that the major is not suitable for them, so they decide to retake the exam to choose another direction. This shows that learning carefully about the major before registering is very important" - Mr. Tien emphasized.
