Need a suitable review method
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the 2026 high school graduation exam questions remain stable in structure, proportion and differentiation level as in 2025, so sample exams are not announced. However, this makes many candidates confused when developing their review plans.
Sharing with reporters, Tran Hai Yen - a 12th grade student at Quang Trung High School - Ha Dong (Hanoi) - said that besides her strengths such as English and Literature, she faced difficulties with the type of classification questions in Mathematics because the 2025 graduation exam has a large volume and long questions.
This year there is no sample exam, so I am still reviewing according to the general direction. I hope the exam questions will stick to the curriculum, especially the Math exam will be shorter to have enough time to complete the exam and handle difficult questions" - Yen said.
Some students believe that the lack of sample exams creates more clear classification opportunities. When not limited by reference exams, candidates with solid knowledge base and flexible thinking ability will have the opportunity to break through.
“No sample exams can create a difference between candidates in the review strategy, requiring candidates to have appropriate review methods for themselves to achieve the best results in the exam” - Tran Viet Hung - a 12th grade student at Lac Thuy High School (Phu Tho) said.
Not too big of an obstacle
According to experts, the failure to publish sample exams shows that the exam orientation will not be limited to a specific template, requiring students to systemize knowledge and practice flexible application skills.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Lan Hung Son - Head of the Department of Political Work - Students, Hanoi National University of Education, said that this change is aimed at comprehensive capacity assessment, no longer boundaries between main subjects and minor subjects.
Candidates need to have a long-term review strategy, accumulate knowledge early and focus on completing it in 12th grade. The important thing is to promote strengths and compensate for the missing knowledge" - Mr. Son said.
At Nguyen Van Cu High School (Hanoi), review work for 12th grade students is particularly focused on. Ms. Le Thi Quyen - Principal of the school said that not publishing sample exams is not too big an obstacle if students have a clear review orientation.
Students can completely rely on previous year's exam questions, especially official questions and the nearest reference questions, as a basis for reviewing. The important thing is how they approach knowledge and practice exam skills.
According to many teachers, in the context of exam questions increasingly focusing on assessing competence, students need to change their review thinking, avoid rote learning and skewed learning. Instead, it is necessary to systematize knowledge according to each topic, firmly grasp the nature of the problem and practice with many different types of questions to improve application skills.
Besides, the psychological factor plays a very important role. Maintaining a stable spirit and avoiding confusion before small changes in the exam will help students develop their abilities well.
