Nguyen Quang Minh, a former 12th-grade student majoring in math from Bac Ninh Specialized High School, said he had estimated his score after checking the Ministry of Education and Training's answer key 10 days ago.
"I'm very happy that my wish came true," Minh said after checking his score with his mother on the morning of 16/7. With a perfect 30 in the A00 block (Math, Physics, Chemistry), he plans to apply for two of the most popular programs at Hanoi University of Science and Technology: information technology (IT-E7) and data science and artificial intelligence (IT-E10).
2025 university entrance exam predictions
Minh assessed the physics and chemistry sections of this year's graduation exam as manageable. He found the most challenging part of the math exam to be the probability question, which differentiated the test takers.
"I tried to read and analyze the question carefully and gradually found the solution," Minh recalled, adding that he still had time to check his work.
Top 200 highest-scoring candidates in university entrance exam combinations
 |
Nguyen Quang Minh (second from the left, wearing a graduation gown) pictured with his family at his high school graduation ceremony at the end of May. Photo: Provided by the subject |
Nguyen Quang Minh (second from the left, wearing a graduation gown) pictured with his family at his high school graduation ceremony at the end of May. Photo: Provided by the subject
Quang Minh is from Que Vo district (formerly), Bac Ninh province. His mother is a middle school teacher and his father is a retired soldier. For convenience, Minh lived in the school dormitory throughout his three years of high school.
Minh said he took the Hanoi University of Science and Technology's Thinking Assessment Test (TSA) earlier this year. He scored 77, which he thought might qualify him for some of the university's programs, but not his desired ones. This motivated him to study for the high school graduation exam, determined to get into Hanoi University of Science and Technology because his older brother also studies there.
"My brother helps me with any problems I encounter in my exercises," Minh said.
His homeroom teacher, Nguyen Thuy Linh, described Minh as gentle and well-liked by teachers and classmates.
"We were both nervous last night, but when we saw the results, we were so excited. Hard work pays off," she said. Linh noted that Quang Minh wasn't particularly outstanding in 10th grade but made significant progress, especially during the final review period.
Quang Minh also acknowledged that he wasn't initially a top student. In practice exams, he only scored around 24-25 in the A00 block, which he estimated wasn't enough to get into the top programs at Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
"I felt very sad and disappointed, but I had to quickly regain my composure and continue to study diligently," Minh recalled.
Therefore, from the beginning of the second semester of 12th grade, Minh focused on studying, aiming for a score above 28 on the high school graduation exam. In addition to class time, he spent about three to four hours studying each night, averaging an hour per subject to avoid boredom.
Around March-April, he saw the most improvement, significantly increasing his scores on the school's practice tests, almost reaching a perfect score.
"My math practice scores were slightly higher than the other two subjects," Minh said. For physics and chemistry, in addition to practice tests, he researched further online to reinforce his knowledge.
Minh believes his meticulousness was key to his success. Each time he took a practice test, he noted his mistakes to avoid repeating them. To relax, Minh enjoys reading, playing games, and playing soccer.
Huyen Trang - Hai Yen
