Nguyen Hoang Lan, a 12th-grade student specializing in English at the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, part of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, aced the English section of the 2025 high school graduation exam with a perfect 10. She also scored 9.5 in both math and chemistry, achieving a total score of 29/30, making her one of the two top students in the D07 combination.

Out of nearly 353,000 students who took the English exam, only 141 achieved a perfect score. Lan’s overall score across all four subjects was 37.5/40, placing her among the top 200 out of over 1.16 million students nationwide.

Lan said she had anticipated her scores after checking the answer key released by the Ministry of Education and Training about two weeks prior, but was still surprised to be named top scorer.

Nguyen Hoang Lan, the national top scorer in the D01 combination in 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Nguyen Hoang Lan, the national top scorer in the D01 combination in 2025. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Lan found the math exam manageable, losing points only on a question about arithmetic progressions. The chemistry exam was similarly straightforward. The English exam, however, proved more challenging than practice tests, particularly the reading comprehension section.

"A few questions in the reading passage about greenwashing gave me pause," Lan explained, noting she had to reread the passage several times to arrive at the correct answers.

Lan said she didn't spend excessive time preparing for the English portion of the high school graduation exam, thanks to the strong foundation she had built in her specialized English classes at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School and while preparing for international English proficiency tests.

Last year, she scored 1560/1600 on the SAT (a standardized test widely used for university admissions) on her first attempt. A score of 1520 already places a student in the top 1% globally, according to the College Board, the organization that administers the SAT. At the beginning of 12th grade, Lan scored 8.0 on the IELTS exam.

In addition to attending tutoring classes and expanding her vocabulary, Lan practiced speaking by role-playing as a speaker, presenting on various social topics.

"I often create an English-speaking environment for myself by setting English as the default language on my phone, listening to English and American music, and listening to interviews with famous people," Lan said.

For math and chemistry, Lan focused on practice tests combined with in-depth analysis. Every day, she completed two to three practice tests and reviewed online answer explanations, noting her mistakes in a dedicated notebook.

"I always try to pinpoint my knowledge gaps to focus on improving my scores," she shared.

During the final stages of exam preparation, Lan shifted to practicing advanced-level questions, aiming for scores above 9 in chemistry and math, and maintaining her perfect 10 in English. She even declined invitations to socialize with friends to dedicate herself to studying.

"A week before the exam, my friends invited me on an overnight trip, but I refused to go and stayed home to study," Lan said.

Throughout her studies, Lan maintained a relaxed mindset. She often listened to music or watched movies while studying to avoid excessive stress, and ensured she slept before 11 PM to maintain her health.

"I believe studying isn't about the amount of time spent, but rather about proactively adjusting methods to suit one's abilities," Lan said.

Nguyen Hoang Lan. Photo courtesy of the subject.

Nguyen Hoang Lan. Photo courtesy of the subject.

According to Hanoi-Amsterdam High School, Lan has an outstanding academic record. Her GPA throughout high school has consistently been above 9.7, and in 12th grade, it was nearly perfect, with perfect 10s in math and English, and a 9.5 in chemistry.

In 2023, as a member of the school's debate club, CNN Puzzles, she won first place in a national high school debate competition.

"I often watch debate programs like Truong Teen or The Debaters and find them very interesting," Lan said, adding that debating has honed her critical thinking skills and broadened her perspective on the world. To expand her knowledge, she reads newspapers and follows educational channels online.

Quach Thi Thanh Huyen, Lan's homeroom teacher, described her as a well-rounded student with strong analytical skills in both science and humanities.

"In class, Lan is always praised by teachers for her learning abilities. She is also very active and creative in extracurricular activities," Huyen said.

Lan is currently exploring her options for university.

"I believe the most important thing is to know your goals, so you can consciously cultivate and develop yourself," Lan said.

Huyen Trang - Hai Yen