The boom of taking extra subjects to 'open doors' to top universities

In recent years, more and more universities have organized their own entrance exams and used them for admissions, either in combination with other factors. At the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City alone, the recent aptitude test attracted nearly 110 institutions registering to use the results for admissions. On the other hand, standardized international exams such as the SAT (USA) have also received significant attention, with over 20 universities, including leading institutions, using the results for admissions in 2024.

A live SAT preparation session for students at a test preparation center.

WHY IS SAT SO POPULAR?

Dong Minh Khanh, a 12th-grade student at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School (Ho Chi Minh City), said he started studying for the SAT at the beginning of 11th grade, took the exam for the first time at the end of 2023, and plans to take it again at the end of this year to achieve a better score. "I'm studying for the SAT to study abroad in the US and South Korea, and to apply for early admission to the Foreign Trade University, campus 2, using a combination of SAT and IELTS," the student shared.

According to Khanh, not only she but many of her peers also choose to take the SAT to increase their chances and "beautify" their study abroad applications, especially academically. "Most students who plan to study fields like medicine, economics , engineering, etc., invest in the SAT, as IELTS is no longer just an advantage but has become an almost mandatory factor in the race to get into top universities," Khanh revealed.

Khanh added that the SAT exam hardly uses any knowledge taught in the new high school curriculum he is currently following. For example, the math section has some questions that students can easily answer using classroom knowledge, but these are few in number and don't appear on the exam frequently. The rest are questions about calculations, explanations, predictions, etc., and require students to have a certain level of knowledge in probability and statistics, microeconomics, etc., to achieve a score of over 700/800, according to the male student.

Nguyen Quang Dat, a 12th-grade student at a high school in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, agrees with the above opinion. Dat is currently preparing for both the SAT and the National Competency Assessment Exam at a center, "because although the exam content exists, studying only in class is not enough to achieve high scores." "The advantage of these exams is that we get to take them multiple times a year, avoiding relying entirely on a single exam like the high school graduation exam. It's like a 'golden ticket' that opens more doors for us to enter university," Dat commented.

Cases like Khanh and Dat are not uncommon and have been increasing in recent years, according to Mr. Le Quang Hung, a teacher at VietAccepted test preparation center (Ho Chi Minh City). In terms of proportion, at Mr. Hung's center, the number of students preparing for the SAT to apply to domestic universities is now significantly higher than those applying to foreign universities, a picture completely opposite to that of previous years.

According to Mr. Hung, there are three main reasons why the SAT exam is popular. Firstly, it offers security, as students can register for up to seven exam sessions each year, and universities usually accept results from the two most recent years. Secondly, it offers stability, given that the high school graduation exam will change according to the new curriculum starting this academic year.

"The final reason is that more and more universities are using the SAT for admissions, such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology, National Economics University, and Foreign Trade University. This trend is likely to continue expanding in the future," Professor Hung analyzed.

START LEARNING FROM GRADE 8

Ms. Hang Tran, manager of Phoenix Prep English Center, noted another significant point: the age of SAT test-takers is getting younger. According to her, students typically start preparing for the SAT in the first semester of 10th or 11th grade, as the SAT includes some knowledge from high school math and requires a strong foundation in English. "However, we also see many cases of students who started studying in 8th or 9th grade and still achieved high scores," the manager added.

According to Ms. Hang Tran, 30% of students at the center use SAT scores for early admission to Vietnamese universities, and this number is gradually increasing. Another noteworthy point is that students often choose to prepare for the SAT alongside the IELTS because the two tests can complement each other. "Having a high IELTS score makes preparing for the SAT easier, and the SAT mindset also helps with the IELTS exam more effectively. In addition, many universities require both SAT and IELTS scores for admission," she explained.

An online SAT exam preparation session for students.

The number of people taking competency assessment tests has also increased sharply.

Another exam that has attracted much attention is the National Competency Assessment Exam (ĐGNL) organized by the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. According to Mr. Bui Van Cong, an online ĐGNL exam preparation instructor in Ho Chi Minh City, the number of students registering for the course continues to grow, with approximately 1,200 students currently enrolled and expected to increase further during the "peak" season. "The course starts in May, and among the applicants, besides graduating high school students, there are many 11th-grade students, and even 10th-grade students who want to learn more," Mr. Cong said.

"This year, the number of students has increased sharply not only because many universities are using the competency assessment test scores for early admissions, but also because the high school graduation exam has completely changed and universities have not yet announced their admission methods based on these test results. This has led students to choose the safer option," Mr. Cong analyzed.

"The Ministry of Education and Training divides general education textbooks into many different sets, while we have to try to consolidate these sets into a single curriculum to meet the needs of students. I also had to re-record all the online lectures according to the new curriculum, and at the same time study the sample questions from Hanoi National University to design learning materials while waiting for Ho Chi Minh City National University," said Master Cong.

Similar growth is occurring at the Lasan - Helius Education test preparation system (Ho Chi Minh City), managed by Mr. Dang Duy Hung. However, due to the lack of sample exam questions from the National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Hung shared that he is currently "putting the cart before the horse." "We currently teach all 9 subjects according to the new curriculum orientation, including 3 compulsory subjects and the remaining subjects can be chosen by students depending on their subject combination," Mr. Hung said.

According to Mr. Hung, competency assessment exams have now expanded into a separate exam preparation area, as many universities, such as police academies and teacher training colleges, are also offering their own competency assessment exams.

"Specifically regarding the National University of Ho Chi Minh City's competency assessment exam, I would advise students who want to apply to a particular major to focus on studying the elective subjects related to that major. Don't think that just because you're applying to medicine, you can easily score high marks in history or geography. Because currently, universities haven't announced how they will use the competency assessment exam results for admissions, and if you study too selectively, you may be at a disadvantage later," emphasized Professor Dang Duy Hung.

Things to keep in mind when studying for the SAT exam.

Regarding the level of English proficiency before studying for the SAT, Master Tran Giang Thanh, Academic Director of DOL English, advises students to improve their academic English skills, especially vocabulary, because the vocabulary range in this exam is "quite advanced" compared to what is taught in school. In addition, English reading comprehension skills should also be emphasized, as the exam contains many "trick" questions that can easily be answered incorrectly if only superficially understood.

"Our students usually aim for IELTS scores above 7.0 and SAT scores above 1400. This is quite high compared to the past, partly because the quality of incoming students has improved significantly. Previously, most 11th and 12th graders only achieved an 8.0 IELTS score, but now 8th and 9th graders can also reach that level. Similarly, a 6.5 IELTS score used to be highly regarded, but now a 7.0 is almost normalized," said Master Thanh.

Ms. Hang Tran emphasized: "It's impossible to compare SAT and IELTS scores because each test assesses different abilities. Some centers even tend to advise students to aim for a high IELTS score before preparing for the SAT. This isn't necessary, because although the SAT is an English-language test, it primarily assesses critical thinking skills. Therefore, students only need to practice relevant skills such as reading comprehension and critical thinking."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/no-ro-hoc-them-cac-mon-rong-cua-vao-dh-top-dau-185240926183036339.htm