Many universities' enrollment plans this year show changes compared with previous years. 

High school transcripts accounted for 30 percent of total students enrolled by the HCM City University of Agriculture and Forestry. But the school has announced that the proportion would be lowered to 25-30 percent this year.

The school will consider students’ GPA (grade point average) for the last five semesters of high school, and those who get six or higher score for each subject can apply to the school. 

Foreign Trade University has not released a detailed enrollment scheme, but said that school transcripts would be part of the enrollment plan. This method may be applied to students attending national competitions for excellent students and national science and engineering competitions; and students from schools for the gifted. In addition, certificates for foreign language skills will be considered.

In addition to these requirements, students will have to obtain at least a 24 score on the 2024 national high school finals.

Meanwhile, the National Economics University (NEU), which in previous years enrolled 10 percent of students by transcripts and national high school final exam results of students from high schools for the gifted, has given up the transcript enrollment method.

Explaining the decision, vice rector of NEU Bui Huy Nhuong said the school, after analyzing the records of students enrolled under this method, found that all the students from high schools for the gifted with good learning records could successfully enroll via other enrollment modes (with English skill certificates, or high scores on aptitude tests). 

The removal of the enrollment method based on transcripts will reduce the proportion of students applying under different modes, and students who apply but give up later. 

The school has found that many students fail to apply under other modes and try to apply with high school learning records. However, the learning records in the first year at university are far different from records at high school.

“For that reason, we don’t think we need to maintain this enrollment method,” he said.

Some experts don’t approve of enrollment based on high school transcripts, saying that the method doesn’t select the best students for universities, because students may pay high school teachers to persuade them to give them high scores, thus fabricating student achievements.

Also, students with the same high school achievements may have different ability levels because of differences in assessment in different localities.

The HCM City University of Architecture previously enrolled a certain number of students based on school transcripts, accounting for 30 percent of students. However, in 2022, the method was replaced with the results of aptitude tests organized by HCM City National University. 

The architecture school is still enrolling students based on transcripts, but is only applying this method to students from high schools for the gifted, or students with special aptitudes.

However, while some schools have stopped enrolling students with this method, other schools have increased the use of the method.

The HCM City University of Economics and Finance plans to enroll 6,610 students in 2024, and 70 percent will be enrolled based on transcript records. The school has begun receiving applications under the method since January 15.

Gia Dinh University has announced it will apply three enrollment methods in 2024: students’ high school records, 2024 national high school exam results, and the results of the aptitude test by the HCM City National University. Of the total number of students, 1,200 students, or 60 percent, would be enrolled based on their high school transcripts.

HCM City University of Technology plans to enroll 50 percent of students based on their learning results at high school. Students need to obtain at least an 18 score (for three learning subjects) in the 12th grade to be eligible to apply to the school.

Thuy Nga