Hoang Huong Giang, a student from class 12 Math 1 at the High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi National University of Education, was the national valedictorian for the A01 combination (Math, Physics, English) with 29.75 points. This was announced by the Ministry of Education and Training on the morning of 1/7.
Giang stated she had checked the answers and estimated her score beforehand, but was surprised that no one achieved a higher score.
"The first people I told were my parents and grandmother. I believe this achievement is largely thanks to my family, so they had to be the first to know", the student shared.
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Hoang Huong Giang, national valedictorian for A01 in 2026. Photo: Contributed by subject |
Huong Giang noted that this year's Physics exam was interesting, covering textbook knowledge but with altered question formats and a real-world perspective. In contrast, Math was the subject she had high hopes for but also worried about the most.
"For the other two subjects, I could visualize the question types, but Math was very unpredictable for high-difficulty questions", Giang recounted. The student scored 9.75 in Math, making one mistake on an integral question, which she attributed to her own carelessness.
In English, Giang found the most challenging part to be questions on rare idioms, such as "up for grabs".
The valedictorian's study philosophy focuses on building a strong foundation early. She strived to understand the core of problems, accumulating foundational knowledge from junior high school and solidifying it in her 10th and 11th grades.
"I don't memorize formulas; instead, I try to prove they are correct. If I can't explain something to others, it means I haven't fully understood it", Giang shared.
Consequently, during the final stretch, Giang only needed to review knowledge and practice solving past papers to familiarize herself with the structure, avoiding rote learning. Additionally, she simulated actual exam conditions, taking practice tests for specific subjects at the exact times they would occur, timing herself as if in an exam room.
"My total study time is under 8 hours each day, sometimes less", the student said, adding that she still made time for yoga, drawing, reading, and playing Minesweeper to relax.
Giang applied this method to all three subjects in the A01 combination, as well as in achieving her SAT 1600 and IELTS 8.0 scores.
Teacher Truong Trong Khanh, homeroom teacher for class 12 Math 1, stated he was not surprised by Huong Giang's achievements. According to him, the student demonstrated outstanding abilities from 10th grade, possessing strong critical thinking and self-study skills.
"Giang is a well-rounded student, excelling in both academics and life skills. She once won second prize in the university-level Math competition for gifted students. What impressed me most was her maturity, depth, and very serious attitude towards learning", he said.
The valedictorian expressed her desire to experience a new learning environment, planning to study Computer Science at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) with a full scholarship sponsored by Samsung. She believes AI still offers many opportunities for development and hopes to contribute to new advancements in this field.
Chau Anh
