This year's admission period has witnessed many universities offering high benchmark scores, some of which have even reached the absolute threshold of 30 points.
For the University of Foreign Languages (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), the benchmark scores for the two majors of English Pedagogy and Chinese Pedagogy are 30 points.
At the University of Foreign Languages (Hue University), the benchmark scores for the above two majors are also 30 points. This scale applies to the method of considering high school/combined exam scores and the method of considering high school/combined learning outcomes.
The International Relations major of the Academy of Military Sciences (for female candidates) also has an absolute benchmark score of 30 points.
At the Military Medical Academy, the benchmark score for the Medical major is also up to 30 points (applied to female students in the North).
Thus, with the standard scores for English Pedagogy and Chinese Pedagogy at the University of Foreign Languages (Hanoi National University) and the University of Foreign Languages (Hue University), even the valedictorian of the national D1 block this year (29.75 points) without a plus point or priority point will not be in the first place.
Talking to Lao Dong reporter, Mr. Vu Khac Ngoc - education expert at the HOCMAI Education System - said that this year's admission period, eliminating early admission methods and requiring the conversion of all combinations to the same general scale has created more fairness when comparing majors in the same school.
However, according to Mr. Ngoc, when placed between schools, the difference appears. For example, if the same candidate achieves 27 points in the high school exam, after conversion, there may be only 26.5 points at this school, but it will be 28 points at another school due to different methods of converting and adding points at each school.
"The difference in the conversion and addition of points of each school makes parents and students easily fall into a state of "depression" before the standard score matrix. Each school offers many different formulas, creating confusion and lack of transparency" - Mr. Ngoc said.
Mr. Ngoc added that another reason pointed out is financial autonomy. Many universities have to ensure enrollment targets to maintain revenue in the context of increased tuition fees, reduced state budget support... This pressure leads to a situation where many schools "beautify" their admission scores to attract candidates and create competitive advantages.
In reality, the admission score does not fully reflect the quality of training, but has become a measure that many candidates and parents rely on to choose a school.
"Therefore, many schools have ways to increase the standard scores such as adding points for candidates with international language certificates... This has pushed the standard score level higher. Or when developing a conversion formula, many schools have proposed a separate admission score calculation method such as multiplying coefficients and adding points" - the expert said.
Therefore, Mr. Ngoc believes that the Ministry of Education and Training and schools need to be transparent in information so that parents and students have full access.
"In addition, schools must be transparent in their responsibilities and clearly explain the scoring formula. At the same time, the Ministry of Education and Training also needs to set a set of rules, set limits for converting points and accumulating points for schools to implement together" - Mr. Ngoc emphasized.
