Specialized school teachers 'solve' the 10th grade exam in Hanoi in 2025

Students applying for grade 10 at Amsterdam High School for the Gifted - Photo: NAM TRAN

What many students and parents who want to study specialized subjects are most concerned about is the subjects and exam questions for this year's specialized 10th grade.

Secondary school only has natural science , what if I want to go to grade 10 specializing in physics?

With the 2018 generaleducation program, there is a problem that at the secondary level, there is only natural science instead of physics, chemistry, and biology. So if you want to take the entrance exam for grade 10 specializing in physics, chemistry, and biology, what specialized exam subjects should you use?

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhiep - principal of Chu Van An High School for the Gifted ( Hanoi ) - explained: according to Hanoi's regulations, candidates taking the entrance exam for specialized classes in natural sciences must take the natural sciences exam. But the exam questions will be different and it is clearly stated that the natural sciences exam is for physics majors (mainly physics). Similarly, there is a natural sciences exam for chemistry majors, a natural sciences exam for biology majors.

Mr. Vu Van Tien - principal of Hanoi National University of Education High School for the Gifted - also said that his school will have exam questions with similar names to the regulations of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training in the specialized subjects of physics, chemistry, and biology.

Meanwhile, Mr. Le Cong Loi - Principal of the High School for the Gifted in Natural Sciences (Hanoi National University) - said that students applying for the physics major will only take the exam with knowledge and skills in physics (included in the natural sciences subject at the secondary school level). The same is true for the chemistry and biology majors.

Specialized schools affiliated with universities and schools under the Department of Education and Training in Hanoi all recruit students based on the scores of math, literature, foreign languages ​​(coefficient 1) and the specialized subject exam (coefficient 2). However, due to their own characteristics, the general math exam for students applying to specialized natural science schools will be very difficult.

"The general math test for students applying for admission will be at a higher level than that of specialized schools across the country, because math is a very important tool for the natural science group," said teacher Le Cong Loi.

Mr. Nguyen Phu Chien - Principal of the Foreign Language Specialized High School (Hanoi National University) - informed: students applying for admission to different foreign languages, in addition to the specialized exam (appropriate to the requirements of each specialized class), will be required to take an English exam (coefficient 1) and cannot be replaced by another foreign language as prescribed by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training for affiliated specialized schools. The reason is that the school is implementing English as the second language in the school.

No need to care too much about the competition ratio

In the 2025-2026 school year, Hanoi will have 4 specialized schools (including 2 newly converted schools, Chu Van An and Son Tay High Schools). The quota for specialized groups will also increase.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhiep, Chu Van An High School for the Gifted has added 9 more specialized classes compared to last year. Amsterdam High School for the Gifted also added 2 more specialized classes compared to last school year, according to Ms. Duong Tu Anh - vice principal of the school.

When there is no longer a specialized system in specialized schools, the enrollment quota for specialized classes in specialized schools affiliated with universities also increases. However, teachers of specialized schools predict that the competition rate for admission to these schools this year will not decrease, and may even increase.

According to teacher Vu Van Tien, last year the competition rate for admission to Hanoi National University of Education High School for the Gifted ranged from 1.8 to 1.12, but the English major jumped very high. Meanwhile, the competition rate for admission to Chu Van An High School for the Gifted ranged from 1.5 to 2.2. However, teachers all said that the competition rate is not an issue that needs too much attention.

At Chu Van An School, the benchmark score for history in the 2023-2024 school year was 40.75 points, but in the 2024-2025 school year it dropped to 32.5. The reason is that many students are "afraid of high benchmark scores" so they do not register, according to Ms. Nhiep.

Mr. Loi shared that the number of applicants for the Natural Science Specialized School is not too large because it is not easy to pass. The competition rate is not high but the difficulty level is high. Therefore, the competition rate or the standard score of the years is only for reference. The important thing for students who aim to enter the specialized school is to have the qualities of self-study, self-control, perseverance with their dreams and have a suitable plan for review.

Teachers also note that parents and students should pay attention to learning about subject combinations after passing the 10th grade specialized exam.

"Many students from specialized schools aim to study abroad. But in reality, there have been cases where the subject combinations of students at specialized schools do not include physics, chemistry, or biology, so their applications to study abroad are rejected," said Ms. Nhiep.

Regarding this, teacher Le Cong Loi also noted: "Students who want to study abroad in Germany but do not study natural science subjects in high school will definitely have their applications rejected."

He added that the Natural Science High School is quite "extreme" because it will not base its selection of subjects on students' needs but will set a predetermined combination. Accordingly, students will have to choose combinations of physics, chemistry, and biology.

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VINH HA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thay-co-truong-chuyen-go-roi-ve-thi-lop-10-chuyen-ha-noi-nam-2025-20250414112804602.htm