The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has just announced a draft Circular amending and supplementing the regulations on university and college admissions, and preschool education. In particular, there are some regulations on early admission quotas set by training institutions but not exceeding 20% of the quota for each training major and group of majors.
Knowing this new regulation, Nguyen Huy Lan (a 12th grade student in Go Vap district) could not help but worry, because he had planned to apply early for admission using his high school transcript to the Graphic Design major at Van Lang University.
Huy Lan is worried that when the early admission quota is tightened, the standard score for this method will increase, reducing the chance of admission. "Early admission will help me feel comfortable and not feel pressured. Because after that, I only need to pass the graduation exam to be eligible for admission," Huy Lan said.
Nguyen Ngoc Khanh Ha (a 12th grader in District 1) said he felt pressured by the news of tightening early admission quotas. Khanh Ha said he planned to take the Ho Chi Minh City National University's aptitude test to apply for the Marketing major at the University of Economics and Law.
"If I were admitted early, I and other students would probably feel less pressure, but by tightening the quota to no more than 20%, the chance of being admitted will be smaller," Khanh Ha acknowledged.
At the university side, representatives of some schools expressed their opinions that tightening early admission quotas makes it difficult for schools to recruit students.
MSc. Pham Thai Son - Director of the Admissions and Communications Center of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade - said that the Ministry of Education and Training's regulation that the early admission quota should not exceed 20% will cause difficulties for schools, especially non-public schools.
Private schools usually reserve 50-60% of their admission quotas based on high school transcripts, however, this regulation goes against the grain, requiring 80% of admission based on exam scores. This will cause the admission score based on high school graduation exams to decrease, while the early admission score may increase.
Dr. Mai Duc Toan - Director of the Admissions and Communications Center of Gia Dinh University - also said that if the above regulation is applied, it will greatly impact the admissions work of non-public schools, causing pressure on both schools and students.
"Most non-public schools use high school transcripts for admission, so if this regulation is applied, we have to calculate the quota according to each method to avoid high competition in each industry due to quota constraints," said Dr. Mai Duc Toan.
Ms. Nguyen Thu Thuy - Director of Higher Education Department, Ministry of Education and Training - explained the 20% limit based on the practical situation of enrollment work in recent years.
Early admission only focuses on candidates with outstanding abilities and academic achievements, limiting the impact on students' studies in the final semester of grade 12 and high school graduation exam preparation. The most important thing is to create fairness among candidates when applying.
