Many candidates choose the wrong major, the wrong school, and are in dire need of admissions consulting.

Thứ trưởng Bộ GĐ-ĐT Hoàng Minh Sơn phát biểu tại Ngày hội tư vấn tuyển sinh - hướng nghiệp 2024 tại Hà Nội - Ảnh: NGUYỄN KHÁNH — Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son speaks at the 2024 Admissions and Career Counseling Festival in Hanoi - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

From 7am this morning, March 17, the 2024 Admissions and Career Counseling Day took place at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (No. 1 Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi).

The festival attracted nearly 280 consulting booths from more than 100 universities, colleges, and vocational schools with many special activities for students to experience careers.

Attending the festival were Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Minh Son - Deputy Minister of Education and Training; Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thu Thuy - Director of the Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Education and Training); Dr. Le My Phong - Deputy Director of the Department of Quality Management (Ministry of Education and Training); Dr. Pham Vu Quoc Binh - Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vocational Education (Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs); Ms. Tran Minh Huyen - Director of the Department of Student Affairs, General Department of Vocational Education...

20% of admitted candidates do not enroll

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the festival, Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Minh Son - Deputy Minister of Education and Training, said that this year is the 21st year that Tuoi Tre newspaper has accompanied students in organizing festivals, admissions consulting and career guidance programs.

On behalf of the leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Deputy Minister expressed his thanks to Tuoi Tre newspaper, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, the localities, and especially the teachers and consultants who always accompany the newspaper and the Ministry of Education and Training to do the best consulting work, to bring the best benefits and opportunities to students.

He said that over the past 9 years, university and college admissions have undergone very strong changes. The first criterion of the change is to bring the greatest convenience and the best opportunities to students.

Specifically, before 2015, students could only choose one wish and one major at a university, so the chance of being admitted to a good school and major was very difficult.

From 2015, students have 4 wishes to enter 1 school; from 2016, they have 4 wishes to enter 2 schools. From 2017 onwards, students can register for an unlimited number of wishes to enter different schools, majors and training programs.

Thus, most of the students were admitted in the first round to the majors and schools of their highest wishes.

Ngay từ sớm, rất đông học sinh, phụ huynh đã có mặt tại khuôn viên Đại học Bách khoa Hà Nội để tham gia ngày hội - Ảnh: NAM TRẦN — From early morning, many students and parents were present at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology campus to participate in the festival - Photo: NAM TRAN

However, as opportunities expand and conveniences increase, the choice does not seem to become less difficult. Students are increasingly concerned about how to choose the most suitable aspirations for their strengths, the requirements of the labor market and future job opportunities.

Besides, the explosion of information on mass media and social networks sometimes makes students and parents confused.

"The admission and career counseling programs of Tuoi Tre newspaper and other press agencies help students and parents have the most complete information, so that they can confidently choose the most suitable majors and schools. At the same time, it helps reduce the number of students who have passed the entrance exam but do not enroll, and reduce the number of students who take the entrance exam and then have to be re-admitted," said Mr. Son.

He added that there are currently about 250 universities, more than 300 colleges, and secondary schools. The number of majors at the university level is nearly 500, and the number of occupations at the college and secondary levels is similar. Therefore, the choices are very large.

Every year, the number of candidates admitted to university is about 600,000, but the official enrollment rate is only about 80%, so 20% of candidates have passed the exam but do not enroll. This shows that when students register their wishes, when they choose a school and major, there are differences.

Besides, after the first year, about 5-7% of students have to re-register for admission. Thus, the number of students who have chosen wrongly or inappropriately when registering their wishes is very large.

"I hope that through consulting programs like this, teachers and admissions experts will directly advise students and parents so that they can choose the most suitable major and school," he said.

Rapper Double2T: There are many paths to success

Rapper Double2T tại ngày hội - Ảnh: NGUYỄN KHÁNH — Rapper Double2T at the festival - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Arriving at the festival very early, witnessing a large number of students and parents flocking to the Hanoi University of Science and Technology campus to participate in the program, rapper Double2T saw that the students were very excited and full of energy.

Double2T remembers himself back then, when he was also in the period of "thinking about his future". However, at that time, where Double2T lived, there were no festivals like this.

Double2T said: "There are some of you who already know what career you like and what kind of person you want to become in the future, but there are also some of you who are confused and don't know what you like or what you want. That's why events like this are very meaningful."

The rapper sent two songs to the festival, "A Loi" and "Theo Anh Ve Ban" as his best wishes to the students.

"There are many paths that lead to success. Double2T wishes all students to find their own path and remember to succeed," the 9X rapper shared.

Also arriving very early to the festival, Mr. Nguyen Tien Thinh (Song Cong City, Thai Nguyen) said he rented a car to take 16 students from Song Cong High School to the festival from 5am so that the students could directly find out information and advice on suitable careers for themselves.

"I want to guide my child to take the military exam. Today, I have also prepared some questions about the admission requirements and the chances of passing the exam among the methods to ask at the military consulting booth," said Mr. Thinh.

Nguyen Ngoc Hien, a 12th grade student at Song Cong High School, said he plans to take the first choice exam to major in law at Hanoi Law University and the University of Law (Hanoi National University). If he fails these two choices, he will switch to marketing.

"I am currently wondering about the admission process based on academic records and competency assessment scores. I am also wondering about the study program after being admitted, which major can I study to become a lawyer to resolve lawsuits, I will ask the consulting board to answer in more detail", Hien shared.

New students in difficulty please call Tuoi Tre newspaper

Tổng biên tập báo Tuổi Trẻ Lê Thế Chữ phát biểu khai mạc Ngày hội tư vấn tuyển sinh - hướng nghiệp 2024 tại Hà Nội - Ảnh: NGUYỄN KHÁNH — Tuoi Tre Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Le The Chu delivered the opening speech at the 2024 Admissions and Career Counseling Festival in Hanoi - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Speaking at the program, Mr. Le The Chu - editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper - said that when high school is almost over, it is also the time when students face important decisions in the future. Choosing a major, choosing a school, taking an aptitude test, thinking test... makes students and parents have to think carefully.

Therefore, when coming to the festival, feel free to ask questions and raise concerns so that the schools can provide the most realistic and appropriate information.

"Along with the admission and career counseling activities, Tuoi Tre newspaper also has the activity of Helping new students to go to school. Over the past 20 years, scholarships with contributions from readers have helped tens of thousands of new students in difficult circumstances across the country.

When students are admitted to universities but their families are in financial difficulty, please call Tuoi Tre newspaper. Teachers who know students who are admitted to universities and colleges but are in difficult circumstances and cannot attend school, please call Tuoi Tre newspaper. We will help you realize your dream of going to school and realizing your ambitions in the future," Mr. Chu called out.

The 2024 Admissions and Career Counseling Festival in Hanoi was organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Education and Training), the General Department of Vocational Education (Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs), and Hanoi University of Science and Technology with the support of Vingroup Corporation.