Man, hold on tight, because the big day is coming for all the kids who hit the books (or TikTok, because let's be real, we're honest). Wednesday, July 1, the results of the National Exam 2026 are published. Exactly, bro, it's the day my boy Brian will check his phone 100 times, even though he's still a couple of years away from the exam. But I'm already preparing myself mentally, because I know what's coming: loans from Relu, math tutoring, and Mioara making a scene saying, 'You loser, you didn't take care of the kid.'
According to the Ministry of Education's calendar, the grades must be posted by 12:00 PM. But Minister Mihai Dimian, the man with vision, asked for them to be ready earlier, if possible. Meaning, 'let's not wait like idiots at death's door.' State Secretary Sorin Ion confirmed: 'no later than 12:00.' So, if you're lucky, you might see your grade at 11:30, if they did their job. I'm not ashamed to admit: when I took my baccalaureate ages ago, I was on pins and needles until the list appeared on the bulletin board. Now it's online, on evaluare.edu.ro, but the emotions are the same. Only now, instead of jostling with the crowd, you stare at the screen like a cat watching a calendar.
Now, pay attention, because here comes the clever part. The grades are anonymized, based on those codes the kids got at the first written test. So, if the neighbor from apartment 4, Uncle Gheorghe, comes to brag that 'his boy got a 10,' don't believe him, because it might be someone else with the same code. Names don't appear on the lists, just like the lottery, so nobody gets upset. I'd do the same with salaries: nicely, anonymous, so Mioara doesn't find out how much I spent on that BMW exhaust pipe.
After you see the grade, comes the moment of truth: the appeals. On July 1, between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, you can request to see the paper and file an appeal. Then, on July 2 and 3, same thing. Important: you don't have to see the paper to file an appeal. Meaning, if you're sure you wrote correctly, you can skip it. But I say take a look, because God forbid, maybe you missed a comma and got 4.99 instead of 5. And when they re-evaluate, the grade can go up, down, or stay the same. I've heard stories about a guy who appealed and dropped from 8 to 6, because they found a mistake they hadn't seen initially. So, stay calm and think carefully before you put your hand in the fire.
The appeals are resolved between July 4 and 7, and on July 8 the final grades are published. That's the verdict, bro. That's where you're stuck with what you got, whether it's a 10 or a 5. Like a football match: after VAR, you can't complain anymore. So, until then, cross your fingers and light a candle at church, because it doesn't hurt.
After you have the grades, the even bigger circus begins: high school admission. Between July 13 and 20, students, together with parents and homeroom teachers, fill in the option sheets. These are done electronically, so papers don't get lost at schools. Then, on July 22, the first computerized distribution takes place. The computer, bro, has no soul, no friends. If you didn't get a spot at 'Math-Info' at 'Saint George,' the computer sends you to 'Technical' at 'Michael the Brave.' And on July 23-28, you submit the files to the high schools where you were assigned. If you didn't make it in the first round, there's another one on July 31, for those left out or for those from previous years, up to age 18. So, don't despair.
Let me give you a tip, bro: last year, at the National Exam 2025, before appeals, 126,495 students (83.1%) got averages above 5. That's the highest percentage in the last 13 years. And 75 kids got a 10. After appeals, the percentage rose to 83.2%, and the number of 10s reached 85. So, there are chances. But I know well: in our Berceni neighborhood, when someone gets a 10, it's a celebration. The neighbors hug him, Mioara makes sarmale, and I get drunk on plum brandy from my mother-in-law in Teleorman. That's how we Romanians are: we rejoice in any success, because life is hard, but at least our kids will be better.
So, until Wednesday, stay on evaluare.edu.ro, refresh the page, and don't panic. Me, I'm going to explain to Brian how it works, even though he's still years away from the exam. But better he grows up with the fear of God and the National Exam than to find himself in front of the computer without knowing what to do. You parents, be there for your kids, because in the end, that's what matters. And if they don't get into their dream high school, it's not the end of the world. They can learn a trade, like me, and still do well. With my 2008 BMW, at least I have a story.
And don't forget: Thursday, July 1, after you see the grades, give a sign to the guys at the terrace, so we can drink a beer in honor of the coming generation. Because, as they say, 'school is the light,' but without a beer with friends, it's just not the same.
