Competency and thinking assessment test: Race to organize, consequences loom
In 2024, more universities will organize competency assessment exams for admission. This move helps increase the admission methods for schools and expand the opportunities for candidates to enter universities. However, the increasing number of units organizing their own exams "emerges" with consequences.
6 schools cooperate to organize V-SAT exam
At the end of February 2024, Can Tho University announced its university admission plan for 2024 with 7 methods. Notably, for the first time, the school used the results of the university entrance assessment test (V-SAT) for admission. Immediately after that, Can Tho University, Saigon University, Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City, Thai Nguyen University, Banking Academy, University of Finance - Marketing, National Testing Center and Education Quality Assessment jointly signed an agreement on organizing, recognizing and using the results of the V-SAT exam.
Most universities publish competency assessment tests organized by the unit that closely follow the current general education program and are highly classified.
Since the test is aimed at assessing ability, candidates do not need to practice or memorize. The test is suitable for the majority of high school students and the admission requirements of schools.
According to information from Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City, according to the agreement, the schools have the following responsibilities: To preside over the organization of the V-SAT exam at the unit, with many exam sessions during the year; to develop plans and use the general results of the exam for university admission; to carry out tasks and responsibilities according to the contract signed with the center in coordinating the organization of each exam session. The National Center for Testing and Education Quality Assessment is responsible for providing question banks and exam organization software to ensure the exam's objectives; to coordinate and support schools in organizing exam sessions...
The parties are responsible and committed to jointly organize the V-SAT Exam seriously and with quality. Schools organizing the V-SAT Exam are autonomous in using the exam results for university admission according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training; priority is given to recognizing and using the results of the V-SAT exams organized by the units for their own admission.
Previously, V-SAT, known as the computer-based entrance exam, was organized by Saigon University and Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City in 2023. Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Thuy - Head of Admissions Consulting and Brand Development Department, Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the exam results are used to consider admission for both regular and high-quality university programs.
The entrance exam will be organized in 7 independent subjects, including: Math, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography. The objective test for each independent subject will be on the computer. The test content is in the high school program, mainly the 12th grade program (about 90% of knowledge belongs to the 12th grade program; about 10% of knowledge belongs to the 10th and 11th grade programs).
Hundreds of schools share results
While the V-SAT of the above group of schools is still quite young, the aptitude test of the 2 National Universities has more “seniority”. The aptitude test of Hanoi National University (HSA) was first held in 2015, continued in 2016 and was suspended from 2017. In 2021, the exam was held again with many changes.
In 2023, the exam attracted more than 87,000 candidates with about 70 schools using the exam results for university admission. At Ho Chi Minh City National University, the competency assessment exam has been held since 2018 and has grown steadily in scale. In 2023, the exam attracted more than 100,000 candidates from more than 1,800 high schools to participate, and nearly 100 universities and colleges used the results for admission.
The structure of the Ho Chi Minh City National University's competency assessment test consists of 3 parts: Language use; Mathematics, logical thinking, data analysis; Problem solving. The test aims to assess the candidates' basic abilities to study at university; focusing on assessing reasoning and problem solving abilities, not on memorization ability.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chinh - Director of the Center for Testing and Assessment of Training Quality (Ho Chi Minh City National University) informed that from 2025, the competency assessment exam will continue to be implemented in a stable development direction, based on the foundation of the previous stage. Accordingly, the exam will be implemented in the form of objective multiple-choice paper-based tests, organized simultaneously in many localities to create favorable conditions for candidates to participate. At the same time, the exam will have structural adjustments to suit the changes of the 2018 General Education Program.
Meanwhile, at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the Thinking Assessment (TSA) test is one of three admission methods, applied since 2020 (along with the talent and high school graduation methods).
The test consists of 3 parts: Mathematical thinking; Reading comprehension; Scientific thinking, problem solving. This year, TSA was organized by Hanoi University of Science and Technology into 6 rounds in the form of multiple choice tests on computers. Candidates are granted a certificate of results valid for 2 years to register for admission to higher education institutions nationwide in need.
In the pedagogical school sector, Hanoi National University of Education continues to organize the competency assessment exam. Candidates can choose to register for a number of exams in the following subjects: Math, Literature, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography. The exam results are used to register for admission to regular university training programs according to the requirements of each university.
Currently, the results of this exam are recognized and used by nearly 10 schools for admission such as: Hanoi Pedagogical University 2, Ho Chi Minh City Pedagogical University, University of Education (Hue University), University of Education (Da Nang University), University of Education (Thai Nguyen University), Vinh University, Quy Nhon University,...
Meanwhile, from 2022, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education will start organizing specialized competency assessment exams for university admission, in addition to traditional methods. This year, the school will organize specialized competency assessment exams in 3 rounds, with plans to expand 1 testing site in Long An. The specialized competency assessment exam will include many tests: Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Literature and English.
In addition, some universities organize their own competency assessment exams to serve their enrollment, such as: TestAS exam of Vietnam-Germany University (the exam is organized annually in the format of TestAS competency test provided by TestDAF Testing Institute, Federal Republic of Germany); competency assessment exam organized by Hanoi University of Science and Technology. According to preliminary statistics, more than 10 higher education institutions will organize their own exams, competency assessment exams in the 2024 enrollment season.
Candidates are confused
The fact that many institutions organize competency assessment tests increases the admission methods for universities, increasing the chances of candidates getting into university. However, too many competency assessment tests also confuse many candidates.
Nguyen Ngoc Hung, a 12th grade student in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, when looking for admission information at some universities in the technology and economic sectors, felt "overwhelmed" because of the many admission methods and many separate exams. For example, in the same Information Systems major that Hung is interested in, schools in the National University of Ho Chi Minh City, University of Finance - Marketing... use the competency assessment exam organized by this university, while Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City uses a computer-based entrance exam.
“I understand that taking the exam or not depends on the candidate. If they do not take the competency assessment exam, they can use the high school graduation exam score method. However, students are always afraid of failing and want to take as many methods as possible to increase their chances of passing. Taking many exams will take time and effort, especially during the final stage of the graduation exam,” Hung shared.
Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Thang - Head of Training Department, University of Technology (Ho Chi Minh City National University) said that in most university majors, as long as students have the capacity and desire to learn, they can completely complete the program.
For specialized and specific fields (such as Medicine), special exams and separate entrance exams are needed. This is also to minimize risks for candidates and avoid waste due to investing in training the wrong people (because these fields often have high training costs and tuition fees).
Therefore, according to Associate Professor Bui Hoai Thang, large testing centers with capacity and practical experience should be used to organize competency assessment exams so that universities can share the results, avoiding the situation where each place organizes a different exam.
“If we only answer the question: Do students have the capacity to study at university, the capacity assessment exams at large centers can meet the requirements. If we answer the question: Do students have specific capacities, only a few specific fields need this factor,” Mr. Thang said, and acknowledged that schools can also combine many criteria to select suitable candidates for the field; it is not necessary to organize additional capacity assessment exams.
MSc. Pham Thai Son - Director of the Admissions and Communications Center, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, shares the same opinion when he said that universities should not compete to organize their own exams, competency assessment exams. Accordingly, it is possible to use the results of competency assessment exams of reputable units, such as the competency assessment exam of Ho Chi Minh City National University. For specific fields, units in the same group can join together to organize a common exam, avoiding spreading, causing trouble and cost for candidates.
During the period 2016 - 2019, Ho Chi Minh City University of Law implemented a separate admission project with admission combined with capacity testing. The school selected students based on 3 criteria: Academic transcript score; National High School Exam score; Capacity test score. However, from 2020, the school completely changed its admission method, in which it decided not to organize a capacity assessment test.
According to the school’s explanation, the admission process of the competency test includes many stages, which is too complicated for candidates. Meanwhile, other universities use a variety of admission methods, so the school calculates and considers the simplest method. Many years ago, some universities in Ho Chi Minh City also announced the organization of their own competency assessment tests for university admission; however, for many reasons, these tests have not been implemented.