Experts from the VNU Testing Center answer questions related to the 2022 aptitude test.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao, Director of the Testing Center, Deputy Head of the Training Department, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:In 2022, the Hanoi National University Examination Center (VNU-Hanoi) will announce the exam schedule and locations for the entire year to help candidates arrange their time to suit their personal plans. Registration for the National Competency Assessment Exam (HSA) will be done online, similar to 2021, at http://khaothi.vnu.edu.vn/. In addition, the online registration portal has been upgraded in terms of network speed and capacity to serve candidates registering and paying fees. Registration will be opened gradually to allow candidates to register according to the schedule as they complete their high school program. The Examination Center does not limit the number of times a candidate can take the exam, but there must be a minimum of 28 days between two consecutive exam sessions. Candidates do not need to register for multiple sessions at once, as this would result in paying multiple fees, and exam sessions may be adjusted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Examination Center discourages candidates from registering for multiple exam sessions throughout the year because the scores of candidates between sessions hardly change. Conversely, the mindset of registering for the first session to "practice" or "take the exam for fun" will create a poor preparation mindset for the candidates themselves.

He mentioned the registration and examination fees for the National Competency Assessment Exam. It is known that Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) announced a fee subsidy for candidates in 2022; could you elaborate on this?

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:The 2021 exams received financial support to "kickstart" the National Competency Assessment Exam and primarily served the admissions process for Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU). Furthermore, the technical infrastructure (computers, computer labs, servers, IT infrastructure) and invigilators were utilized at the VNU Examination Center, thus maintaining the fee of 200,000 VND per candidate per exam session, the same as in the 2015-2016 exams. In 2022, VNU tasked the Examination Center with developing a fee structure based on accurately and fully accounting for the costs of organizing large-scale exams, including the outsourcing of infrastructure and personnel (invigilators, inspectors, supervisors, security, medical staff, etc.) from numerous universities nationwide; and adding approximately 25% new questions to the exam question bank in 2022-2023. Therefore, the registration and examination fees for the 2022 National Competency Assessment Exam are based on the principle of covering all costs, ranging from 586,000 to 625,000 VND per candidate per exam (excluding the cost of implementing Covid-19 prevention measures). In fulfilling its social responsibility, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) has a policy of waiving fees for disadvantaged candidates, those from poor or near-poor households, and providing a 50% fee subsidy for all candidates participating in the exam due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their socio-economic lives. Therefore, the fee for 2022 will be 300,000 VND per candidate per exam, with the remaining amount subsidized by VNU.

Besides information about fees, what else do candidates need to prepare before registering for the exam?

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:The registration process is very simple. Candidates should prepare the following information before registering: academic transcripts for 5 semesters (grades 10, 11, and the first semester of grade 12), citizen identification card, and a portrait photo. Once candidates complete the registration procedures and choose a suitable exam session, they must pay the online fee within 96 hours of completing the registration. Please note that according to the regulations of the National University of Hanoi's competency assessment exam, the registration and exam fees are non-refundable. Therefore, candidates must carefully consider their options before paying the fee. After 96 hours, candidates who have not completed the payment will revert to their original status and must register for another exam session. Experience from 2021 shows that many candidates chose multiple exam sessions to "reserve their spots," leading to social waste. We also observed that some candidates who retook the exam for the second or third time did not see a significant change in their scores compared to the first attempt. This is because the competency assessment exam is not simply a knowledge test, but rather an evaluation of students' abilities after graduating from high school, based on defined competency groups.

Many candidates wonder if the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) organizes multiple exam sessions at different locations. Can the exam results from these different provinces and cities be used for admission to VNU and other universities in the North or South?

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:We need to emphasize that the National University of Hanoi's High School Competency Assessment Exam (HSA) is a standardized exam. Regardless of the location, it must adhere to strict, standardized procedures. The exam structure and difficulty level are balanced across candidates, exam sessions, exam dates, and exam locations. The results are the same regardless of where the exam is held by the National University of Hanoi. Secondly, the exam and university admissions are completely separate. Candidates must consider whether the university they intend to attend uses the HSA results for admissions. If the university uses HSA results as an admissions method, they can confidently register and take the exam at any location that best suits them to achieve the highest possible score.

Currently, many universities have announced that they will use the results of the VNU's competency assessment test for university admissions, causing concern among candidates about whether they can achieve good results if they have unbalanced learning.

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:In reality, most 12th-grade students today have somewhat "oriented" towards natural sciences or social sciences. To some extent, all students face similar difficulties with the Science section (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography). However, if you have decided to take the National Competency Assessment Exam, practicing with sample exams will show you what additional practice you need. The National Competency Assessment Exam questions aim to assess competence, from basic to understanding, and from low to high application, rather than testing knowledge. Therefore, you will all start at the same point, and your ability and thinking skills will determine your score. We would also like to add that immediately after the Vietnam National University, Hanoi announced the use of the National Competency Assessment Exam results for university admissions, several tutoring centers and classes opened and advertised to attract students. I have repeatedly stated that tutoring at these centers does not yield any results for students. Based on feedback from candidates on forums and social media, it's clear that the candidates themselves advise against attending tutoring centers. Those who achieved the highest scores on the 2021 National Competency Assessment Exam were all self-taught. These students have also shared many articles on social media and academic forums about their experiences with the exam, including self-study strategies and preparing mentally for the test.

He mentioned the collaboration with universities in organizing the National Competency Assessment Exam. So, to date, which universities have partnered with VNU to use the results of the National Competency Assessment Exam for university admissions in the 2022-2023 academic year?

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:To date, there are nearly 50 member universities, colleges, and faculties of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Hue University, Thai Nguyen University, etc.; Universities such as Foreign Trade University, National Economics University, Commercial University, University of Transport Technology, University of Medical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Natural Resources and Environment, Hung Yen University of Technology and Education, University of Economics and Industrial Engineering, Vinh University, Tan Trao University, Phenikaa University, Hong Duc University, Judicial Academy, Vinh University of Technology and Education, University of Labor and Social Affairs, Hanoi University of Education 2, Capital University, Hung Vuong University, Hai Duong University of Medical Technology, Banking Academy, Bac Giang University of Agriculture and Forestry, Nam Dinh University of Technology and Education, Viet Tri Industrial University, Power University, Hanoi Industrial University, Water Resources University, Thang Long University, Tay Bac University, Maritime University, Forestry University, and the Academy of Policy... have officially contacted the Vietnam National University, Hanoi to register to use the results of the National Competency Assessment Exam for university admissions in 2022. Detailed information on the admission methods and quotas for each major will be announced in the admission plans of the higher education institutions.

Could you please provide information on the upcoming exam locations and the COVID-19 prevention measures for each exam session?

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:As I have previously stated, the Covid-19 pandemic will be controlled along with the level of vaccination coverage and the implementation of drastic preventive measures by the Party, Government at all levels, and society gradually adapting flexibly to the Covid-19 pandemic. On the part of the VNU Examination Center, we are developing different implementation scenarios. Depending on the classification level of the epidemic area, we will set appropriate examination locations and times; add epidemiological requirements, require candidates and staff participating in the exam to undergo Covid-19 testing if necessary; and organize multiple examination sites and multiple examination sessions. To date, the Examination Center has contacted 17 universities to reserve examination sites for the 2022 examination sessions.

Many candidates are learning about the National Competency Assessment Exam for the first time and are wondering about the admission policies of universities, as well as whether they can use their high school graduation exam results for simultaneous admission. What advice do you have for these candidates?

Professor Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao:In the context of autonomous admissions, universities will use different methods to improve the quality of their incoming students. Therefore, each university will have different admission methods, which will be detailed in the 2022 Admission Plan. Candidates must refer to the Admission Plan of the universities they intend to apply to before registering for the National Competency Assessment Exam or the 2022 High School Graduation Exam. Typically, candidates can apply to a particular major (university) using both the National Competency Assessment Exam and the High School Graduation Exam (if the university uses both methods), and even other methods (academic transcripts, English certificates, etc.). However, if you apply through multiple methods, you will ultimately only be admitted through one method. If you are admitted and confirm your enrollment at a university based on your National Competency Assessment Exam results, your other methods will be invalidated. Therefore, using the National Competency Assessment Exam results only benefits candidates and universities during admission seasons. If you register for the National Competency Assessment Exam, study hard to achieve high scores in all the exams you participate in. If you are accepted into your preferred school through any method, confidently confirm your enrollment to ensure stability for both yourself and the school. By doing so, you are creating more opportunities for other candidates to be accepted into their desired field of study.