The final results of the National Assessment 2026 will be displayed by Wednesday, July 8, and for thousands of eighth graders, emotions are running high. “I dreamed of “Sfântul Sava”, but now I don’t know if I will get a top high school”, says Andrei, one of the students who spoke to “Adevărul” about the disappointment caused by one of the most difficult exams in the last decade. After only seven averages of 10 nationally and more than 21% of applicants below grade 5, high school admission remains fraught with uncertainty.
High school admission averages could fluctuate by at most 20 hundredths compared to last year, estimated the state secretary in the Ministry of Education, Sorin Ion.
“If last year he entered a high school with a 9.70, it is very possible that this year he will enter with a 9.50”he said, an estimate that comes as a breath of fresh air for those who were disappointed by the results, especially as this year’s subjects were considered more difficult than in previous sessions and many students scored lower than in mocks.
“In Mathematics I got 7.40, and in Romanian 8.10, although in the simulation I got over 9”
Andrei, a student from a general school in Sector 6, confesses that he still hasn’t recovered from the emotion caused by the grades he received.
“To be honest, I still haven’t recovered from the shock. In Mathematics I got 7.40, and in Romanian 8.10, although in the simulation I got more than 9 in both. I tried to prepare as well as I could, but this year the subjects were different. I got stuck in the last subject of Mate, and in Romanian I was very pressed for time.
I dreamed of going to the “Saint Sava” National College, but now I have no idea if I will get a top high school. I am comforted by the fact that I am not the only one in this situation. I talked to the rest of the colleagues and many, almost all, took less than in the simulations.
Maybe the entry averages will drop a bit, because there are many of us in the same boat. I no longer dream of going to Saint Sava, but maybe I can get a good high school, if I reprofile myself on a less sought-after profile”Andrei told.
Tamara: “What I want is to find a high school where the teachers are dedicated”
Tamara, a student at a secondary school in Sector 6, a colleague of Andrei’s, had a similar experience, obtaining 6.90 in Mathematics and 7.80 in Romanian Language.
She expressed her frustration with the difficulty of the subjects, which she believes are designed to mislead candidates.
“I got 6.90 in Mathematics and 7.80 in Romanian Language. When I saw it I wanted to throw my phone away, because I know what my potential is. I was preparing not to get less than an 8 in any test, but in the exam it seems like they gave some subjects to confuse you on purpose.
The geometry problems in Mathematics were a nightmare, and in Romanian I messed up more than I did in grammar because there were too many traps. The appeal is a formality, I heard that last year too few people won, and now, with these evidences, I think it will be even worse.
How to calculate the high school admission average and when the general average from the gymnasium counts
Honestly speaking, I think the admission averages are going to drop a bit more this year considering everyone complained about the subjects. What I want is to find a high school where the teachers are dedicated and I don’t have to do meditation anymore.
I’ll wait for the final results from the appeals, even if I don’t have high expectations, and then I’ll make an informed decision. The most important thing is to thoroughly prepare for what comes next, regardless of where I end up”Tamara explained.
“In my head, I was sure that I was joining “Gheorghe Lazar” or “IL Caragiale””
Ștefan, a student at a general school in Sector 3 and Tamara’s cousin, obtained 9.40 in Mathematics and 8.10 in Romanian, grades which, although good, are below his expectations. He dreamed of a top high school in the capital, and the difficult subjects shook his confidence.
“I got 9.40 in Mathematics and 8.10 in Romanian. I was hoping to be at least as close as possible to a 10, if I didn’t even manage to get a 10 in both. The subjects were much too difficult. In my head, I was sure that I would enter “Gheorghe Lazar” or “IL Caragiale”, on Mate-Info.
I hope my score in Romanian will increase after the appeal. I wasted a lot of time on the last topic, but I hope that the teachers will interpret it differently in the appeal. Maybe the situation is not so bleak, because we all took less than expected and the admission averages will drop.
There are many in my situation, maybe I don’t get into the high school I imagined, but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn well where I go; I heard that at some lesser known high schools there are very young and involved teachers.
I’ll try to focus on the basics, go for additional training if needed and see how I handle the challenges. I’m waiting for the final lists and I’ll adapt no matter what”said Stefan.
What’s next after the National Assessment: computerized assignment and the importance of paper choices
After the publication of the final results, the 8th grade graduates and their parents enter an equally important and stressful period: high school admission.
The computerized distribution, scheduled for July 22, is the national algorithm that places graduates in ninth grades, and in this process, the admission average and the options filled in the application form are decisive.
In Bucharest, where the competition is fierce, and the difference between admitted and rejected can be only a few hundredths, completing a sufficient number of options – up to 546, according to the model sheet – is essential to get a place in the first stage.
The algorithm works simply: all students are placed in a single list, from the highest average to the lowest, and the first student is assigned to his first choice where there are free places.
When a major or class fills up, the last student admitted determines the admission average for that class.
It is important to note that there is no disadvantage in passing a top high school among the first choices, even if the average is not high enough; the algorithm will simply move on to the next option.
That’s why admission averages from previous years are useful to get an idea, but shouldn’t make you give up on an option you really want.
