Top student of Pho thong Nang khieu achieves double perfect 10s in math

Securing a double perfect score in both regular and specialized math, Thuy Anh became the top entrance student for Pho thong Nang khieu with 44,3/50 points.

On the morning of 10/6, Pham Duong Thuy Anh, a student from Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, was overjoyed to learn she had surpassed over 4,500 candidates, topping the 10th-grade entrance exam for Pho thong Nang khieu.

Thuy Anh described the result as beyond her expectations. After finishing her four exams and checking answers, she estimated her total score to be around 43-45/50, expecting to rank in the top 10.

"Last night, the school called to inform me I was the top student, but didn't disclose the score. My parents and I were thrilled, but still anxiously awaited the official results", Thuy Anh said.

Pham Duong Thuy Anh, top entrance student for Pho thong Nang khieu in 2026. Photo: Provided by interviewee.

Thuy Anh stated her strong aptitude for math meant she faced no difficulties, easily scoring a perfect 10 on the regular math exam. For the specialized exam, she found the questions "easier to handle" than last year. She completed the test with 30 minutes to spare, meticulously rechecking every symbol and punctuation mark to avoid errors.

This experience became a "lifelong lesson" for Thuy Anh, stemming from the city-level 9th-grade gifted student competition in March. She recalled consistently ranking among the top students during the math team's training and selection, with high expectations for a first-place finish. However, overconfidence led her to overlook crucial checks, resulting in "unacceptable" errors.

"Many friends won first prize, while I placed second. At that time, I was very disappointed in myself", Thuy Anh recounted.

After this setback, Thuy Anh regained her composure, listing her common errors and reviewing them until she knew them by heart. Even as she entered the Pho thong Nang khieu exam room, she quietly recited them to herself.

Thuy Anh admitted her weakness was a tendency to lose focus or procrastinate. Some days, she would spend 2-3 hours scrolling through social media. To make this time productive, she chose to follow teachers' pages and math study groups, rather than other content.

"My social media feed became filled with interesting math problems and stories. What seemed like a relaxing scroll actually helped me learn new and effective solutions", the top student shared.

According to Thuy Anh, the turning point for specializing in math occurred when she joined the class of Pham Tran Minh Triet, a teacher specializing in nurturing gifted math students.

She vividly recalls her first lesson: the teacher didn't administer an entrance exam but instead offered a math book and engaged her in conversation. He linked each math problem's solution to a story, connecting it to other problem types. This teaching approach helped Thuy Anh appreciate the "beauty" of math, moving beyond mechanical problem-solving.

From then on, she dedicated 5-6 hours daily to self-studying specialized math problems. By the end of the first semester of 9th grade, Thuy Anh began dividing her study time equally among math, literature, and English.

Teacher Triet considers Thuy Anh a special student. He noted that he typically provides individualized learning paths and assignments based on each student's ability, and Thuy Anh was among the few who consistently completed the assigned workload.

"She has a thirst for knowledge, possesses excellent ideas, and truly perceives the beauty of math. Thuy Anh also has an open mind, capable of connecting and linking different types of math problems", the teacher commented.

Admitted to her dream school, Thuy Anh looks forward to extensive experiences with math competitions and extracurricular activities during her upcoming 1,000 days at Pho thong Nang khieu.