In 2025, transcript-based admission benchmarks have shown a significant gap compared to scores on the national entrance exam.

2025 marks the first year that students have taken the national exam under the 2018 New General Education Program. The exam results, announced by the Ministry if Education and Training (MOET), revealed that in all 12 subjects, average transcript scores were higher than the national exam scores, with gaps ranging from 0.12 to 2.26 points.

Industrial Technology led with a 2.26-point gap (8.05 vs. 5.79), followed by Mathematics at 2.25 points (7.03 vs. 4.78), Biology at 1.83 points (7.61 vs. 5.78), and English at 1.57 points (6.95 vs. 5.38).

Other subjects also showed notable gaps, such as Chemistry at 1.31 points, Informatics at 1.20 points, and History at 1.17 points, while Literature had the smallest gap at 0.12 points.

The discrepancy between transcript and exam scores is not a new problem. Under the 2006 program, gaps reached up to 3 points in some years. However, this year, despite the new program, significant gaps persist in subjects like Mathematics, English, and Technology. Data also shows that grade 12 transcript scores are often higher than those in grades 10 and 11.

A high school teacher explained that high school graduation exam scores were lower because exam questions were more difficult than their schoolwork. Also, this was attributed to inconsistent evaluation methods between teachers and examiners. 

There are always difficult questions in high school graduation exams which try to find the most outstanding students for universities, so the discrepancy is acceptable.

Additionally, teachers may have been lenient in grading schoolwork.

The discrepancy between transcript and exam scores for individual subjects has led to significant gaps in university admission benchmarks this year. Preliminary statistics show that for many traditional and common exam groups like A00 (math, physics, chemistry), A01 (math, physics, English), B00 (math, biology, chemistry), C00 (literature, history, geography), C01 (math, literature, physics), D01 (math, literature, English), the gap between transcript and exam scores is substantial.

The B00 group had the largest gap: an average transcript score of 22.01 compared to 16.62 for exams, a 5.39-point difference. Next was D07 with a 5.13-point gap and A01 with a 4.21-point gap. D00 had a 3.94-point gap, A00 a 3.95-point gap, and so on.

This year, universities introduced equivalent benchmark conversions between admission methods for the first time. At institutions using both transcripts and exam scores for enrollment, the gaps are significant.

At HCMC University of Law, the largest gap was 4.5 points for the D07 (math, chemistry, English) exam group; 4.1 points for A01, 4 points for A00, D01-03-06, and X25-33-45, 2.5 points for D14, 2.3 points for X01, 2.2 points for C00, and 2 points for X78-86-98, when comparing transcript-based admissions for 149 high schools or schools using both exam results and international certificates against exam-based admissions.

The HCMC University of Agriculture and Forestry applies a conversion factor of 1.125, meaning transcript benchmarks equal exam benchmarks multiplied by 1.125. For example, an exam benchmark of 20 translates to a transcript benchmark of 22.5, while 25 becomes 28.1. Higher exam benchmarks result in larger gaps.

At Van Lang University, the maximum gap between transcript and exam scores is 5 points. Exam scores of 22-29 correspond to transcript scores of 26-30, 17-22 to 22-26, and 15-17 to 18-22.

HCMC University of Industry introduced conversions for three score ranges. For 17-21, transcript benchmarks equal exam benchmarks plus 4. For 21-25, transcript benchmarks equal exam benchmarks multiplied by 0.749 plus 9.27. For 25-30, transcript benchmarks equal exam benchmarks multiplied by 0.398 plus 18.06. Thus, an exam benchmark of 17 becomes a transcript benchmark of 21, and 26 becomes 28.4.

Several other universities, such as HCMC University of Industry and Trade, HCMC University of Technology, and HCMC University of Education, also set transcript benchmarks 2-3 points higher than exam benchmarks.

Nguyen Trung Nhan, Head of the Training Department at HCMC University of Industry, said the gap is reasonable given the Ministry’s reported discrepancies between transcript and exam scores. This gap is based on students’ academic performance in recent years for both exam and transcript-based admissions.

The deputy head of training at a university in HCMC explained that transcript scores reflect continuous assessments, including regular, mid-term, final, and year-end exams set by schools and local education departments. 

In contrast, national exams, set by the Ministry, occur once, making candidates prone to losing points due to external factors. Transcript scores can fluctuate and improve over time, but exam scores offer no such opportunity. Thus, universities must carefully consider conversions to ensure fairness for candidates.

Thuy Nga