Tran Anh Tu, a student from Hung Nhan High School in Hung Yen province, surpassed nearly 17,000 candidates to become the top scorer in the first round of the thinking skills assessment (TSA) exam administered by Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Only six candidates achieved scores above 90 points.
His school reported that the student scored 96,1/100 points, including a perfect score (40 out of 40 questions) in the Mathematical Thinking section. He answered 18 out of 20 questions correctly in Reading Comprehension and achieved points in 34 out of 40 questions in Scientific Thinking.
"I was surprised by this result because I struggled quite a bit with the Reading Comprehension section", Tu stated on the afternoon of 3/2.
The student shared that he planned to take the thinking skills assessment since 10th grade and began serious preparation in 11th grade. His goal is to be admitted to the Computer Science (IT1) program, which annually has the highest admission scores at Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
Many of Tu's classmates also aimed to take aptitude and thinking skills assessment exams. Consequently, in addition to preparing for the high school graduation exam, teachers helped students broaden their knowledge and provided extra practice tests, which further aided Tu's preparation.
Tu had a strong foundation in math, having won two first prizes in provincial student competitions, so he did not face many difficulties. He focused on mastering fundamental knowledge, delving into core concepts, and regularly practicing with exam papers. Each time, he would self-correct his work, analyzing incorrect answers to learn from his mistakes.
For the Reading Comprehension and Scientific Thinking sections, besides doing practice tests, Tu improved his skills by diligently reading analytical articles in newspapers or on social media.
Tu describes himself as not a "bookworm" but someone who strives to balance study and leisure to avoid stress. He frequently plays games, listens to music, or plays sports to maintain his health. However, once he sits down to study, Tu turns off electronic devices and focuses until he achieves his set goals.
"For me, preparing for any competition requires seriousness and accumulating knowledge little by little", Tu said.
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Tran Anh Tu on the schoolyard, afternoon of 3/2. Photo: Provided by subject |
Teacher Tran Quang Tiem, his 12th grade homeroom teacher and mentor for provincial student competitions, expressed pride in his student's achievement. He believes Tu's success as the top scorer in the thinking skills assessment is due to his strong math foundation and sustained, planned efforts.
Mr. Tiem noted that in 10th grade, Tu participated in the provincial math competition of the former Thai Binh province and was one of three candidates to achieve a perfect score (20 out of 20). In 11th grade, the provincial competition was not organized. In 12th grade, Tu was the only student to achieve a perfect score in the Hung Yen provincial competition (which included the former Thai Binh and Hung Yen).
In this year's province-wide quality assessment exam, Tu also achieved a perfect math score of 10 out of 10. His average math scores consistently ranged from 9.9-10. For other subjects like Physics and Chemistry, he maintained scores of 9.8-9.9.
Tu's 12th grade class, 12A1, has about 40 students registered for Vietnam National University, Hanoi's HSA aptitude assessment exam and ten students for Hanoi University of Science and Technology's TSA thinking skills assessment exam. From the start of the academic year, students in the class had a study plan for these specific exams.
As the captain of the school's math team, Tu often helped classmates with difficult concepts or assisted the teacher in correcting incorrect answers.
To his friends, Tu is enthusiastic, sociable, a genuine "player" of Lien Quan Mobile, but he always knows how to balance his time, dedicating full effort to his studies during crucial periods.
Having achieved his desired TSA exam results, Tu does not plan to take the two subsequent rounds. Instead, he will focus on three subjects: Math, Physics, and Chemistry, to prepare for the high school graduation exam.
"I hope to also achieve high results in this important exam", Tu said.
Duong Tam
