Students who failed to get into public high schools are frantically searching for schools and classes.

Early enrollment

With 13.75 points, Ta Quang Ngoc, a 9th-grade student from Khanh Son Secondary School (Nam Dan), was nearly 2 points short of being admitted to Nam Dan 2 High School. This result was undesirable for Ngoc, as compared to previous years, this score was quite safe. However, this year, due to competition from many students transferring from other regions, he no longer has a chance of being admitted to a public high school.

Because she couldn't attend a school near home, as soon as she learned her results, Ngoc's family considered many options and planned to enroll her in a private school in Nam Dan district. However, since Khanh Son is located on the other side of the river, and the school is nearly 20 km from the town center, commuting would be difficult.

Not wanting their child to drop out of school, the family decided to enroll her in Hong Lam Vocational School of Economics and Technology to study general education under the continuing education program. Every day, after school, Ngoc would stay in the school's dormitory. On weekends, she would ride her motorbike home.

Elaborating on this, Ngoc said: "I'm really sad that I didn't get into a public school. Therefore, I've decided that I have to try my best in 10th grade. For now, I haven't registered for vocational training; I'm focusing on my academic studies. Perhaps after completing 12th grade, I'll enlist in the army and then pursue vocational training to work abroad."

At the same time that her peers were undergoing military training, Ms. Hoang Thi Nho from Nghi Hai ward (Cua Lo town) also brought her son to enroll in the school. Her son was a former student of Hai Hoa Secondary School. In the recent entrance exam for 10th grade, he only scored nearly 15 points, so even though he changed his nguyện vọng (preference) from Nghi Loc 3 High School to Nghi Loc 4 High School, he still didn't have enough points to be admitted.

Wishing for their child to complete their high school education, the family decided to enroll her in Hong Lam Economic and Technical College, where she could study both general education and vocational skills.

Sharing their decision, this parent said: "Not getting into a public high school is undesirable, but I hope that this setback will motivate my child to continue striving and improving. Our family chose this school because it's the closest to home and the curriculum aligns with our family's aspirations."

With 17.5 points, Nguyen Anh, a student from Hung Binh Secondary School, also failed to get into her first-choice school, Le Viet Thuat High School. Although her exam score was high enough to enroll in the advanced program, she ultimately decided to enroll in the Vinh City Vocational Training and Continuing Education Center to better suit her family's circumstances.

This is also a popular choice for many parents and students in the city, because students in the Continuing Education system only have to study 7 cultural subjects. During their studies, they can both study cultural subjects to prepare for the high school graduation exam and pursue vocational training. Tuition fees for the Continuing Education program are cheaper than those for the regular high school program, helping families save a considerable amount on educational expenses.

Many learning opportunities

The national defense education and civics class for over 400 10th-grade students at Hong Lam Economic and Technical College began on July 16th, just one month after the results of the 10th-grade entrance exam were released. Approximately 50% of the students in the class are from the streamed program, while the rest are those who failed to get into public high schools. Currently, the number of students who have registered for the school has exceeded the quota by more than 100, and the school is no longer accepting applications.

In the list of students admitted to the school, nearly half of the candidates are from Hoang Mai town. The rest come from various mountainous districts, and some students are from Vinh city, Cua Lo town, and Nghi Loc district.

According to Mr. Phan Van Thuan, the school's Vice Principal: "Students enrolling in our school receive many advantages. For example, students from mountainous regions are exempt from tuition fees for general education and vocational training, and are eligible for state-sponsored scholarships. For other students, the tuition fee for general education is also very low, at most only 130,000 VND per student, and vocational training is free."

At the Vinh City Vocational Training and Continuing Education Center, this year, the school will enroll nearly 400 students in the 10th grade of the continuing education program. In recent days, after public schools announced their admission scores, more than 100 students have registered directly at the school. Simultaneously, the school is continuing to accept students from many other affiliated centers, offering a program that combines general education with vocational training.

Ms. Dang Thi Tu Linh, Director of the Center, said: "For the first students enrolling, we organized meetings with parents and students to inform them about the school's curriculum. Currently, there are many opportunities for students, and we hope that many more will register. Besides academic studies, students can also learn various vocational skills such as beauty care, culinary techniques, and reception services, enabling them to obtain dual degrees upon graduation."

Besides vocational schools and continuing education centers, students who did not get into public schools can now register to study at private schools. Ms. Le Thi Hien, Principal of Mai Hac De High School (Nam Dan), said: "This year, our school has 360 enrollment slots, and about 300 students registered for their first choice. We already have the list of students admitted for their second and third choices based on their 10th-grade exam scores, and we are waiting for them to enroll. If there are still vacancies, the school will recruit more students."

To attract students to the school, the principal said that priority has been given to students who have been accepted into their first-choice school through the direct admission process. The remaining students, if they are accepted into public schools but voluntarily choose to study at the school, will receive tuition fee reductions.

After announcing the cutoff scores for public schools based on the first choice (NV1), many public schools have now also announced the cutoff scores for the second and third choices (NV2 and NV3), with relatively low scores. For example, at Que Phong High School, the NV2 cutoff score is 14.35 points, Ky Son High School is 9.8 points, and Yen Thanh 2 High School is 16.45 points. In addition, schools in Vinh City, namely Ha Huy Tap High School, Huynh Thuc Khang High School, and Le Viet Thuat High School, have announced the cutoff scores for the advanced program with an average score of around 17 points.

Thus, with various admission methods and selection options, even if you don't get into a public school, you still have many other opportunities to continue your education. Based on your abilities and personal aspirations, parents and students should carefully consider and choose a school that suits them and their family circumstances.