12th grade students worried about competitive pressure
In 2026, the high school graduation exam recorded a sharp increase in the number of candidates registering for the exam compared to previous years. Besides 12th grade students studying the general education program, the number of free candidates returning to take the exam also increased significantly. This makes many final year students clearly feel the competitive pressure in the final sprint before the exam.
Sharing with reporters, Phan Thi Thuy Linh (12th grade student, Dong Anh commune, Hanoi) expressed that this year she feels more pressured when the number of candidates has increased significantly.
I know that the number of registered candidates this year is very high, especially there are many free candidates returning to take the exam. I still try to study all subjects evenly, but sometimes I am still worried because the level of competition to enter universities is increasing" - Thuy Linh said.
Similarly, Tran Hoang Tuan (a 12th grade student, Vinh Thanh commune, Hanoi) said that he registered two elective subjects, Geography and History. These are also two subjects with a fairly large number of registered candidates this year, making him somewhat worried about the level of competition in university admissions.
I choose History and Geography because they are suitable for my major orientation. However, I am also concerned because these two subjects have many candidates registering, so when applying for university admission with combinations with these two subjects, the level of competition may be higher" - Tuan shared.
Advice for students in the final sprint
Talking to reporters, teacher Le Dinh Tien - Math teacher at Co Loa High School, Director of Chu Van An Cultural Training Center (Dong Anh commune, Hanoi) - said that the number of candidates registering for the 2026 high school graduation exam increased sharply due to many reasons, notably the increase in the population of exam age and the number of free candidates returning to study for the exam.
Last year was the first year of taking the exam according to the 2018 general education program, so many students have not achieved the desired results. Therefore, this year there is a large number of independent candidates returning to take the exam with the goal of entering the desired university" - teacher Tien assessed.
He also said that while the number of candidates has increased sharply, the enrollment quotas at many universities have almost no major fluctuations, thereby causing competitive pressure to increase significantly, especially at top schools.
Surely competition will be fiercer, especially in industries and schools with high benchmark scores," the teacher said.
In the context that the exam is only about a month away, teacher Tien emphasized that this is an important "acceleration" period for 12th grade students. According to him, students need to focus maximally on systematic review, avoiding scattered or rambling learning, to firmly consolidate knowledge before the exam.
Students should systemize all the knowledge they have learned, identify the weak parts to supplement in time. This stage of test preparation is very important because it helps to get used to the exam structure and practice test-taking skills" - teacher Tien emphasized.
In addition, the teacher also reminded students to allocate reasonable time for 4 exam subjects, avoiding putting too much time into one subject and forgetting the remaining subjects.
In addition, he advises students to minimize the use of time for unnecessary activities, maintain a stable spirit and maintain a regular learning rhythm during this important period.
