The four highest-scoring students among nearly 6,000 freshmen were honored with certificates of merit and 25 million VND from a sponsor at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology's opening ceremony on 5/9.
Le Minh Khoi, a graduate of Nguyen Trai High School in Khanh Hoa province, earned the top spot through the comprehensive admission method with a score of 97.84/100. This composite score considers various criteria, including the university entrance exam, high school graduation exam results, academic transcripts, personal achievements, and extracurricular activities in social work, arts, and sports.
Khoi scored 1112/1200 on the university entrance exam and 27.25 on the high school graduation exam, with perfect scores of 10 in both math and physics.
Explaining his choice of computer science, Khoi said he discovered his passion in 10th grade when he first wrote a simple Python program to solve a problem online. "At the time, I didn't think I was doing anything significant, just trying something new. But the feeling when the code ran successfully was special," Khoi recounted. From then on, he explored other programming languages, joined clubs and online forums related to programming and technology, and participated in STEM competitions organized by his school. "I can spend hours tinkering with the computer without getting bored. That's when I knew I wanted to pursue this field seriously," Khoi shared.
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President Mai Thanh Phong presents certificates of merit to the four top entrants on the morning of 5/9. Photo: Nhu Quynh |
President Mai Thanh Phong presents certificates of merit to the four top entrants on the morning of 5/9. Photo: Nhu Quynh
Mai Quang Minh Tri, from Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted in Hue, achieved the highest score of 1122/1200 on the 2025 Ho Chi Minh City National University entrance exam. He also ranked second in the combined admission method with a score of 97.24/100. He scored 27.25 in the high school graduation exam's A01 group (math, physics, and English).
For the next four years, Tri will study electrical engineering. He sees this achievement as a significant milestone but just the beginning. "When I entered high school, I was also the top student and very confident. But many stumbles and failures made me realize that past glory fades. Only through effort, perseverance, and learning from failures can one achieve success," Minh Tri shared at the opening ceremony.
The other two top entrants are Lam Minh Huy (Luong Van Chanh High School for the Gifted, Dak Lak) and Vo Truong Gia Huan (Bac Lieu High School for the Gifted, Ca Mau), both with scores of 29.75/30 in the A00 group (math, physics, and chemistry) of the high school graduation exam.
Initially, Huan planned to enroll in a military academy, following his family's tradition. However, recognizing his passion for electrical and electronics engineering, he changed his mind. "My top priority is to specialize in integrated circuit design," Huan said. He plans to build a strong foundation in general knowledge, thoroughly research specialized subjects, and participate in practical projects if given the opportunity, for long-term research in this field.
Minh Huy aims to consistently earn academic scholarships and participate in scientific research projects to prepare for a long-term career.
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The top four entrants to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, from left to right: Minh Tri, Minh Khoi, Minh Huy, and Gia Huan. Photo: Provided by the individuals |
The top four entrants to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, from left to right: Minh Tri, Minh Khoi, Minh Huy, and Gia Huan. Photo: Provided by the individuals
This year, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology primarily used the comprehensive admission method. The university reported that nearly 48% of applicants scored 900 or higher on the university entrance exam. Almost 21% of new students achieved this score and also scored 27 or higher on the high school graduation exam. In addition, about 3,300 students hold an IELTS certificate with a minimum score of 5.0.
Ho Chi Minh City leads in the number of admitted students with over 3,500, with Mac Dinh Chi High School contributing the most.
Le Nguyen
