Hanoi student is best performer in national high school graduation exam

THE HANOI TIMES — Nguyen Viet Hung, a student from Chu Van An High School for the Gifted in Hanoi, was the national valedictorian at the 2025 national high school graduation exam.

He also achieved the highest marks in four different subject combinations used for university admission: A01 (Maths, Physics, and English), D01 (Maths, Literature, and English), C01 (Literature, Maths, and Physics) and D11 (Literature, Physics, and English).

He scored 10/10 in Maths and Physics, 9.25/10 in Literature, and 9.75/10 in English. With these results, he secured the highest score for several key combinations: 29.75 points for A01, 29 points for D01, 29.25 points for C01 and 29 points for D11.

Even more extraordinarily, he achieved the highest overall graduation score in the country with a total of 39 points, becoming the only student this year to receive multiple top honors.

“I didn’t expect to be the valedictorian,” he said.

Hung performed well in all subjects. English was his strongest subject, and he holds an IELTS certificate with a score of 8.0. He also excelled in science subjects, particularly Maths and Physics.

Hung chose A01 as his main subject combination and plans to apply for the Computer Science program at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

His homeroom and math teacher, Nguyen Thi Giang, described him as an all-round excellent student who is loved by both teachers and peers.

“He is smart, eager to learn, creative, and humble. He often helps his classmates and actively participates in group activities,” she said.

Hung had no special tricks when it came to studying or exam preparation. He felt no pressure during exam periods.

To achieve this state of mind, the boy balanced studying with leisure time, often reading newspapers and books to broaden his general knowledge.

He started practicing Maths early and solved around 20 practice tests before the exam. For Physics, he only began intensive revision about a week before the test.

Once he felt confident, all testing was no big deal.

He described this year's math test as "difficult and a bit long" and said that he almost gave up on two problems. He said he was "lucky" with his math score.

The student scored a 9.25 in Vietnamese Language and Literature, placing him among the top students in the country, even though it is not his strong suit.

"I tried to write a clear and logical thesis," he said. In English, his favorite subject, he admitted to being overconfident and losing 0.25 points on the agriculture-related reading passage.

Hung also expressed his sincere gratitude to his teachers, especially his math teacher, Giang. It seems all his effort paid off, thanks to his self-study method.

In grades 11 and 12, he practiced regularly at home and completed 20–30 sample tests in each key subject.

“My advice to next year's test takers is that even if you take extra classes, you should focus more on self-study,” the youngster said.

"Solving 20 to 30 tests per subject is enough. This year's exam wasn't too different from practice tests, so being prepared really helps," he advised.

Two score perfect 30 points in A00 subject combination

Eight students across Vietnam achieved perfect scores of 30 in the A00 subject group (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) this year.

Two of them are from Hanoi: Nguyen Duy Phong from Chuong My A High School and Nguyen Tu Quyet from Nguyen Gia Thieu High School.

For the second consecutive year, Nguyen Gia Thieu High School has a student topping the national rankings.

Quyet’s homeroom teacher, Nguyen Dieu Huyen, said he is an independent and self-motivated learner who has led his class academically for three years straight.

“He loves Maths. Since tenth grade, Quyet has demonstrated exceptional ability and curiosity, never hesitating to ask teachers for assistance when needed,” said his maths teacher, Nguyen Mai Anh.

"Even during summer break, he kept practicing and asked me to review his work. He was very focused and often got perfect scores,” she added.

His Physics and chemistry teachers described Quyet as intelligent, hardworking, determined, and eager to improve.

They remember him always completing his assignments and thoroughly reviewing exercises.

Another top scorer, Nguyen Duy Phong, made headlines when he scored 130 out of 150 points on the Hanoi National University’s competency assessment test, topping 30,000 contestants.

Since he had already secured university admission through aptitude exams, Phong took the graduation exam with a carefree attitude.

However, he didn’t become complacent and was determined to do his best on this final high school exam.

Of all the subjects, Phong spent the most time preparing for Vietnamese Language and Literature during the final stretch.

His study method was simple: he focused on mastering lessons in class and practicing with exercises assigned by his teacher.

“First, you must fully understand the basic concepts. Only then can you confidently solve whatever the exam throws at you,” he said.

The 2025 national high school graduation exam was held from June 26 to June 27 and covered 12 subjects. Of these subjects, math and Vietnamese Language and Literature were compulsory.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, Hanoi ranked among the top ten provinces and cities in average Maths, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Informatics, Civic Education, and English scores.

Hanoi had the highest number of exam takers in the country, with around 126,000 students, some 15,000 more than in 2024.