Does taking a 4-subject high school graduation exam reduce your chances of getting into university?

With the new high school graduation exam plan, the number of university admission combinations will be reduced compared to the present, some candidates are worried that their chances of getting into university will decrease.

Since the beginning of the 11th grade school year, Nguyen Quoc Binh, a 12th grade student at Dai Mo High School ( Hanoi ), has determined to study and review two blocks A00 (Math, Physics, Chemistry) and block B00 (Math, Chemistry, Biology) for university admission.

After the Ministry of Education and Training finalized the plan for the 2025 high school graduation exam, Binh said he was worried because he could only choose 2 subjects. This meant he would have to reduce 1 subject group during the university admission process.

Binh gave an example: "If I apply to schools that have the medical major I want, according to the regulations of the plan just announced, I can only choose Physics and Chemistry or Chemistry and Biology. I'm afraid it will reduce my chances of being admitted to the university I want."

The 2025 high school graduation exam is the first year to be organized according to the 2018 General Education program, with the difference being that it focuses on assessing learners' abilities instead of assessing knowledge and skills like previous exams.

Candidates will take the high school graduation exam with 4 subjects, including 2 compulsory subjects: Math and Literature, 2 elective subjects from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12: Foreign Language, History, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Economic and Legal Education, Information Technology, Technology.

Thus, compared to previous years, the high school graduation exam from 2025 will have 2 fewer subjects.

Candidates taking the 2023 high school graduation exam.

In previous exams, candidates took 3 independent exams including: Math, Literature, Foreign Language and 1 of 2 combined exams: Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and Social Sciences (History, Geography, Civic Education). According to the new exam regulations from 2025, candidates will be able to choose from 2 out of 9 subjects.

Dinh Bao Anh, a 12th grade student at Phan Dinh Phung High School (Hanoi), said that reducing the number of graduation exam subjects will reduce pressure on candidates but will also limit the number of admission combinations.

According to Bao Anh, if candidates choose the Natural Science exam as before, they will be able to use many university admission combinations such as: A00 (Math, Physics, Chemistry), B00 (Math, Chemistry, Biology), D01 (Math, Literature, English) or A01 (Math, Physics, English), D07 (Math, Chemistry, English). With the new exam method, candidates will only be able to choose admission with a maximum of 2 combinations.

The principal of a high school in Ba Dinh district (Hanoi) said that the 2+2 exam plan reduces pressure but will reduce students' options for university admission, especially candidates applying for university admission with natural science subject combinations will face many disadvantages.

For example, candidates who choose Chemistry and Biology as two elective subjects will only be considered for group B00. Similarly, candidates who choose Physics and Chemistry will only be considered for group A00 or group C01 (Math, Physics, Literature), but this group is not used by many schools. Thus, this regulation will limit the choice of exam groups, affecting candidates' career choices.

Not much of a disturbance?

Changes to the high school graduation exam from 2025 also force universities to adjust their admission combinations.

Up to this point, some schools have had information about the expected admission combinations for the 2025 university entrance exam. National Economics University announced the admission orientation for next year with 4 combinations, a decrease of 5 combinations compared to 2024, including: Math, Physics, Chemistry; Math, Physics, English; Math, Literature, English; Math, Chemistry, English.

University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University) announced the 2025 enrollment orientation with 4 groups of subjects for admission, including: Math, English, Literature; Math, English, Physics; Math, English, Informatics; Math, English, Economic and Legal Education.

In particular, the school has included 2 new subjects of the 2018 General Education Program in the admission combination, including: Information Technology, Economic and Legal Education.

According to Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong, Director of the Department of Quality Management (Ministry of Education and Training), based on the 2025 high school graduation exam plan and the calculation of 3 subjects into a university admission combination, each combination has at least 1 subject of Literature or Mathematics, there will be 81 different combinations. Along with the policy of universities in building a favorable admission subject combination that does not cause much disruption, candidates should not be too worried. They continue to study fully and seriously the subjects according to the program, thereby increasing the chance of being admitted to university.

According to the regulations for high school graduation exams from 2025 announced by the Ministry of Education and Training, the 2025 high school graduation exam will be organized into 3 exam sessions, including: 1 Literature exam session, 1 Math exam session and 1 optional exam session. Candidates will be arranged according to the optional exam combination to optimize the exam room and exam score.

Compared to previous years, the high school graduation exam will have one less exam session and two fewer exam subjects. The Ministry of Education and Training assessed that this change will reduce pressure and social costs while still ensuring the quality of the exam.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-4-mon-co-lam-giam-co-hoi-vao-dai-hoc-10297309.html