University admission rate in 2025 skyrockets: New phenomenon of "virtual benchmark scores"

(Dan Tri) - Although the high school graduation exam is considered difficult and test scores have decreased, university entrance scores have increased "skyrocketingly", even setting a new record, causing great surprise to experts, candidates and parents.

Candidates taking the 2025 high school graduation exam (Photo: Hai Long).

Unusually high benchmarks

After most universities announced their benchmark scores, a shocking phenomenon was the benchmark scores reaching the absolute threshold of 30/30, using the high school graduation exam method.

This year, up to 6 majors at 4 universities have recorded this standard score, including: Medicine (Military Medical Academy), International Relations ( Military Science Academy), English Pedagogy and Chinese Pedagogy of 2 Foreign Language Universities under Hanoi National University and Hue University.

Along with that, dozens of industries have a benchmark score of 29 points.

This score breaks the record of previous years. In 2024, the highest benchmark score was 29.3 points (Literature and History Pedagogy, Hanoi National University of Education); in 2023 it was 29.42 points (Computer Science , Hanoi University of Science and Technology). This shows that the general benchmark score this year is significantly higher.

If every year, the statistical list of the benchmark score of 28 (on a scale of 30) is among the top scores, this year 29 points is not necessarily in the top.

In "hot" fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Pedagogy, etc., candidates with 29 points are not sure to be admitted.

As an institution with a benchmark score of 29.92 points for the Computer Science major (advanced program), approaching the 30 mark, the University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, believes that the main reason is the increase in the number of registrations.

Compared to 2024, the total number of applications to the school reached 60,849 (about 2 times more), leading to an increase in the standard score in many majors.

This year, the Computer Science major continues to attract a large number of excellent candidates, including many international award winners. This result reflects the strong appeal of this major at the school.

Also with the benchmark score of up to 29.6 points for the Artificial Intelligence major, Dr. Nguyen Tan Tran Minh Khang, Vice Principal of the University of Information Technology, Ho Chi Minh City National University, commented: In general, the school's admission score in 2025 has increased in some key majors, reflecting the need for high-quality human resources in the digital transformation period.

This score shows that candidates who want to be admitted must be hard-working students with outstanding academic and exam results.

Pedagogy majors continue to have high benchmark scores (Illustration: Huyen Nguyen).

The University of Education , Vietnam National University, Hanoi also has a benchmark score of 29.84 in the History - Geography Pedagogy major.

English Pedagogy of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education takes 29.57 points. Chemistry Pedagogy, University of Education takes 29.38 points.

Looking at the overall picture, schools that use few admission methods, mainly relying on graduation exam scores, will have lower admission scores. Schools that use many admission methods and apply a variety of point-adding policies will have higher admission scores.

What is the cause?

An admissions expert at a school in the Ho Chi Minh City National University system frankly said: "Don't look at the increase in benchmark scores and think that the candidates' abilities are good, and the high school graduation exam scores have increased. I think that this year a new phenomenon has appeared, which is "virtual benchmark scores". Because benchmark scores at some schools do not truly reflect the candidates' abilities."

Explaining this problem, he said there are many reasons.

First, "tricky" score conversion. Many schools use "tricks" to convert scores from other admission methods such as international language certificates (IELTS, SAT, ACT...), ability assessment tests, transcripts, graduation exams and excellent student awards...

This conversion often brings great advantages to candidates, pushing up the benchmark. When the benchmark increases, the reputation of the schools also improves. This is especially beneficial for candidates with international language certificates in the context of low English test scores like this year.

Second, since early admission is no longer available, candidates are not sure of being accepted before taking the university entrance exam, so many of them put a lot of effort into the exams to get the university entrance score. This also leads to a sudden increase in the number of applications.

Third, there is no limit on the number of combinations considered for a major, allowing schools to use a variety of admission methods, allowing candidates to choose the most advantageous combination for admission. This increases the chances of candidates with international certificates.

“Many schools have always been ranked behind the National University group, but one day there was a “conversion trick” so the benchmark scores exceeded many majors of top schools. This year, just looking at the exam scores, we cannot judge which schools and majors are really “hot”, this person said.

MSc. Cu Xuan Tien, Head of Admissions and Student Affairs Department of University of Economics and Law, Ho Chi Minh City National University, also frankly stated that converting scores causes the standard score to increase.

Mr. Tien generally assessed the admission scores, universities using many admission methods have relatively high admission scores.

“This comes from the conversion based on the national percentile, converting the test scores of other methods to a 30-point scale. Meanwhile, universities that consider fewer methods or only consider high school graduation exam scores, the standard score will be lower,” said Mr. Tien.

IELTS certificate is still one of the strengths given priority in university admission (Illustration photo).

Explaining the two absolute benchmark scores in English Pedagogy and Chinese Pedagogy, Associate Professor Dr. Ha Le Kim Anh, Vice Principal of the University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said this was due to many reasons.

In terms of supply and demand, the quota allocated by the Ministry of Education and Training for teacher training is quite low while the social demand for English teachers is very high. The policy of exempting tuition fees and subsidizing living expenses for teacher training students also attracts excellent students to register, especially foreign language teachers.

However, admission policy is the main reason for pushing up benchmark scores in "hot" majors.

The school has a mechanism to add points for excellent students at the provincial level, students who won the Olympic exam of Hanoi National University, students with international standardized certificates SAT, ACT or international foreign language certificates such as IELTS.

All admission methods are based on a common score scale instead of calculating separate quotas and separate benchmarks. This brings advantages to candidates applying for combined admission, for example, candidates for specialized programs of specialized provincial schools and specialized schools under Hanoi National University are admitted based on academic records combined with foreign language certificates.

Converting international language certificates into English test scores is also a factor that pushes up the standard score because most candidates applying for the above two majors have IELTS at a common level of 7.5-8.0, equivalent to a perfect score of 10 in English.

Finally, candidates are not limited to the combination of admissions or the method of admission. The Ministry's system automatically synthesizes for candidates, choosing the most advantageous combination or method to calculate scores for candidates.

Schools also offer many flexible admission combinations for candidates to make the most of their advantages, causing benchmark scores in top schools and "hot" majors to increase sharply.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/muc-trung-tuyen-dai-hoc-2025-tang-phi-ma-hien-tuong-moi-ao-diem-chuan-20250823191749597.htm