In recent years, the public 10th grade entrance exam in Ho Chi Minh City has always been assessed as stressful. Statistics show that the competition rate for public high schools is always high, when in reality only about 65-70% of secondary school graduates win a public school enrollment quota. In 2025 alone, the rate of students admitted increased, reaching about 79%.
This means that tens of thousands of students will have to turn to other training systems. Therefore, each decision to write and choose aspirations is key, directly affecting their next learning path.
However, a worrying reality is that many students still maintain the mentality of "only when the water reaches their feet can they jump". Students often only really care about choosing a school when the school announces the registration of aspirations. At that time, the remaining time is too short, not enough to adjust their study plans or break through grades, especially for students with average - good academic performance but setting goals for schools with high benchmark scores.
Sharing about this issue, many 9th grade students admitted that early identification of target schools will help them relieve a lot of psychological pressure during the final exam preparation process.
Nguyen Thanh Tam, a 9th grade student in Xuan Hoa ward, said that at the beginning of the school year, because he had not determined which high school he would register for admission, his studies were somewhat neglected and lacked focus.
By the end of last semester, being advised by teachers and choosing a suitable school, I knew how many points I needed, so my studies were more clearly oriented and more motivated," Thanh Tam shared.
Sharing the same view, Le Thao Nguyen, a 9th grade student in Ben Thanh ward, said that clearly defining goals early will help study pressure less than waiting until the last minute.
Thao Nguyen expressed: "Early orientation does not mean firmly deciding on one option, but is a process of considering capacity, consulting the benchmark scores of previous years and developing appropriate plans. When entering the official registration phase, I only have to complete the procedures, not fall into a passive state.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dac - Principal of Hoang Hoa Tham Secondary School (Tan Binh ward) said that early orientation helps students build a focused study plan, allocate time reasonably for exam subjects, and avoid psychological confusion or overly ambitious aspirations.
Students should not wait until close to the exam to start worrying about choosing a school. At that time, both students and parents are easily psychologically stressed and anxious, which can affect exam results," Mr. Dac said.
Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training announced the structure and sample exam questions for the 10th grade entrance exam for the 2026-2027 school year.
The exam is expected to take place in early June 2026 with 3 subjects: Math, Literature and Foreign Language.
