Tran Quang Thang, a former 12th-grade specialized biology student from Le Hong Phong specialized high school in Ho Chi Minh City, achieved perfect scores of 10 in math, chemistry, and biology, along with an 8 in literature, during this year's high school graduation exam. He is one of five national valedictorians to secure a perfect 30/30 in the university admission combination.
"The literature score surprised me the most", Thang stated. "For this subject, I only aimed to avoid failing."
He explained that literature was not his strong suit, and he did not dedicate extensive study to it. His understanding came entirely from his teachers' lessons in class.
Conversely, he felt confident in the three B00 combination subjects: math, chemistry, and biology. Having previously secured a national second prize and a city-level first prize in student competitions for biology, Thang encountered no difficulties in that subject.
For math, he completed the entire paper in approximately 30 of the 90 minutes. Chemistry, however, saw Thang finishing just within the allotted time.
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Tran Quang Thang, from Le Hong Phong specialized high school in Ho Chi Minh City. *Photo: Supplied*
With a direct admission spot secured through his national second prize, Thang approached the high school graduation exam with a relaxed mindset. Beyond classroom hours, he dedicated one to two hours daily to self-study and practice solving exam papers.
During this period, he received support from Do Huu Nhan and Do Hoang Phuc, chemistry and math teachers at Le Hong Phong specialized high school. They helped him review knowledge and accelerate his studies after his intensive preparation for the national biology exam.
"I prioritize my own comfort", Thang explained. "I set goals and put in my best effort, wanting to see if my study methods and abilities could lead me to become valedictorian. However, I didn't feel pressured to achieve it at all costs."
Daily, Thang tackled one to two exam papers, prioritizing the thought process behind each problem over the final answer. He embraced the philosophy of "quality over quantity", emphasizing precision and deep understanding. Instead of rote memorization or excessive practice, he focused on grasping the core principles for optimal effectiveness.
Thang's preferred self-study period was after 10 PM, lasting approximately two hours. He found this time most conducive to concentration, free from external distractions. Prior to this, he dedicated time to personal activities and recreation.
Although he once considered a career in medicine and emerged as one of the three top candidates nationwide in the B00 university admission combination, Thang still plans to enroll in the biology pedagogy program at Ho Chi Minh City University of Pedagogy.
He changed his mind in 11th grade, inspired by the teachers at Le Hong Phong specialized high school. Thang aspires to become a teacher and eventually return to teach at his alma mater.
Le Thi Bich Thuy, his homeroom and biology teacher, described Thang as "admirable". She noted that students on national competition teams often have specialized study focuses, dedicating a long period from the summer of 11th grade to mid-12th grade to their specific subject. Consequently, this group typically has to work exceptionally hard to catch up on other subjects for the high school graduation exam.
"However, Thang is an exception", Ms. Thuy remarked. "He is intelligent, grasps problems very quickly, and solves exercises with similar speed. If given 10 problems to complete within an hour, Thang typically finishes in just 35-40 minutes."
Le Nguyen
