Hua Quynh Bao, a student of class 9A8 at Cau Giay Secondary School, achieved remarkable results in the recent entrance exams. According to the Department of Education and Training's announcement on the evening of 4/7, she scored 9.25 in math, a perfect 10 in English, 8.5 in literature, and 8.8 in the specialized English exam.

With a total score of 45.35 out of 50 (three general subjects plus the specialized subject multiplied by two), Bao is Hanoi's top scorer in the 10th-grade specialized English program. She plans to attend Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted (Ams).

"I was overjoyed and proud because all my efforts have been rewarded," Bao said.

In this year's admissions season, Bao also secured the top spot in the 10th-grade specialized English program at the Hanoi National University of Education High School for the Gifted and earned a scholarship at the specialized Foreign Language High School (University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University). She also gained admission to the specialized literature program at Ams and the specialized Social Sciences and Humanities High School.

List of top scorers for 10th grade in Hanoi in 2025

Hua Quynh Bao, top scorer in specialized English at Amsterdam High School, with her mother. Photo: Provided by the interviewee

Hua Quynh Bao, top scorer in specialized English at Amsterdam High School, with her mother. Photo: Provided by the interviewee

Bao found the Department of Education's math exam manageable. She achieved a perfect score on the extremum problem involving a quadratic function, a question designed to differentiate test takers. However, due to a minor oversight, she lost points on the third part of the geometry question about proving perpendicularity, despite having practiced this type of problem extensively.

In literature, she was impressed by the topical literary essay question that combined family affection with a wartime setting. The general English exam was straightforward, and she easily achieved a perfect score.

The specialized English exam surprised Bao with its inclusion of many new question types, notably word formation. The most challenging part for her was the reading comprehension section involving paragraph arrangement, which is not her forte.

"I tried to find keywords and compare each cut paragraph with the blank spaces to solve it," Bao recalled.

In the specialized literature exam, Bao particularly resonated with the social commentary essay discussing the inner strength and beauty of each individual.

"While writing, I felt like I was encouraging myself: I must become my own light, despite any difficulties or obstacles," Bao reminisced. "I love English and literature because both are languages, ways to understand people, culture, and myself."

Hua Quynh Bao (left) with her homeroom teacher, Ngoc Anh. Photo: Provided by the interviewee

Hua Quynh Bao (left) with her homeroom teacher, Ngoc Anh. Photo: Provided by the interviewee

Quynh Bao recounted that she began seriously studying English in 7th grade after achieving the highest score (92/100) in a competition organized by the school's Cultural Club. From then on, she consistently led in school-level English competitions. In 9th grade, she won first prize in the city-level excellent student competition.

Every day, Quynh Bao typically practices 1-2 test sets prepared by teachers or from the "Olympic 30/4 Complete Test Collection" book. After completing them, she checks the answers in her notebook and notes down new structures and vocabulary to memorize. She recognizes her strong memory as an advantage in language learning.

During the final stages of preparation, she often studied until 11 PM, sometimes even midnight. Her practice scores for the specialized English exam consistently remained around 8.

"Whenever I feel I have knowledge gaps, I immediately redo the test and thoroughly review the vocabulary," Bao shared, emphasizing persistence as the most crucial factor in learning English.

"Language learning should be a continuous journey of constant effort because if you don't maintain it regularly, it's easy to forget," she stated.

She only started focusing on preparing for the specialized literature exam in the summer of 8th grade. In addition to her assigned homework, she reads books like "The Rainbow Troops" (Andrea Hirata) and "The Book Thief" (Markus Zusak) and practices her expression through journaling. Bao believes this habit helped her overcome pressure and stress during exam preparation.

Trinh Ngoc Anh, her homeroom teacher in class 9A8 at Cau Giay Secondary School, describes Bao as an all-around excellent student.

"She's an exemplary and thoughtful class vice president, always ready to help her classmates, especially in math and English," Anh said. "Bao also actively participates in extracurricular activities like choreography and decorating the classroom."

By choosing Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, Quynh Bao hopes the dynamic environment will boost her confidence and allow her to develop through extracurricular activities. She also plans to learn some musical instruments and improve her Chinese language skills to prepare for future endeavors.

Huyen Trang - Hai Yen