Candidates "work" 6 sessions/week, travel 35km to take the 6th grade exam at Tran Dai Nghia School

(Dan Tri) - Pressured, nervous but also full of determination, that is the common mood of many candidates taking the entrance exam for grade 6 at Tran Dai Nghia Secondary - High School, Ho Chi Minh City.

On the morning of June 16, more than 4,800 candidates took the entrance exam for grade 6 for the 2025-2026 school year at Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School. This year, the competition rate was a record high with nearly 14 candidates competing for 1 place.

To prepare for this fierce competition, the students had to go through a hard training process every day.

Candidates were present from 6am to complete procedures at 7 exam locations for grade 6, Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School, HCMC (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

Pressure and determination of the "little warriors"

Tran Le Ngoc Nhi, a candidate from Chu Van An Primary School, could not hide her excitement and anxiety.

"I feel nervous and a bit scared that if I can't do my homework, I won't get a good school," Ngoc Nhi shared. It is known that her dream of going to Tran Dai Nghia School has been with her since 3rd grade.

To make her dream come true, Ngoc Nhi studied very hard. She studied at a center and received extra tutoring from a teacher her mother knew.

At first, in addition to studying at school, her extra classes were 4 days a week. However, since the summer break and the exam date, Ngoc Nhi's review schedule has become more dense with 6 sessions a week.

Despite the great pressure of studying, Ngoc Nhi said she is not afraid of lacking knowledge, but only afraid of losing her composure in the exam room. She assessed the entrance exam as "a bit difficult". Math was the part she was most worried about because she admitted that she was not really confident.

Tran Le Ngoc Nhi said she has been studying for the exam since grade 3 to fulfill her dream of entering the "hottest" middle school in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

Ngoc Nhi hopes to pass the school entrance exam because her older sister was also a student here and she loves this school very much. Before entering the exam room, Nhi remembered her parents' advice to stay calm if she encountered a difficult test.

Another candidate, Nguyen Minh Quang from Dong Da Primary School, expressed his nervousness before the exam. He had been studying for the exam since he was in 4th grade.

My parents were the ones who guided and encouraged me to take the entrance exam to Tran Dai Nghia School because there are many talented people and the teachers are very good. Minh Quang is confident with the multiple choice test but is more worried about the Vietnamese part.

Travel 35km every day from Binh Duong to Ho Chi Minh City to study

Taking his child to the school to take the exam, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, who lives in Binh Duong, shared that he does not put too much emphasis on the results but considers the exam a valuable experience for his child. He believes that regardless of the results, his child will still have other good school options, but if he gets into this prestigious school, it will be an ideal environment for his child to develop.

In order for his child to attend primary school in Binh Thanh district, the father and son have to get up at 5am and travel nearly 35km every day. In the evening, he picks up his child and returns to Binh Duong. This journey will continue if his child passes the entrance exam to grade 6 at Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School.

When asked about this hardship, Mr. Tung shared: "As long as my child achieves good results and has a good learning environment, I don't mind."

^{Candidates were taken to school by their parents and encouraged to confidently enter the exam (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).}

Regarding exam preparation, Mr. Tung said that his family did not let him take extra classes outside, but mainly studied on his own under the guidance of his sister, a first-year student.

Mr. Bui Cong Son, Deputy Head of Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School Examination Site, said that this examination site has more than 700 candidates and 87 invigilators. This morning, the examination site recorded a number of cases of parents taking their children to the wrong examination site.

Mr. Son added that the exam will be distributed at 7:55; in case candidates are 10-15 minutes late, the invigilator will still create conditions for them to take the exam.

Students will take a 90-minute test that consists of two parts. The multiple-choice section has 20 multiple-choice questions and takes 30 minutes to complete.

More than 10 cases went to the wrong exam location and were guided to move by exam location staff (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

The 60-minute essay section includes knowledge testing English proficiency (listening, reading, writing), math and logical thinking, reading comprehension and writing.

The survey results are expected to be announced on June 22.

^{Students will take the 90-minute test, with a ratio of nearly 1 to 14, meaning there will be only 1 out of 14 candidates (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).}

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/thi-sinh-cay-6-buoituan-di-35km-de-thi-lop-6-truong-tran-dai-nghia-20250616092535522.htm