Nguyen Hoang Minh, a 12th-grade student at the Natural Science High School for Gifted Students (Hanoi University of Science and Technology), has achieved a remarkable feat by scoring a perfect 1600/1600 on the SAT exam.

Minh earned a flawless score of 800/800 in both the Reading and Math sections, placing him among the rare group of students worldwide who have achieved a perfect SAT score.

The strategy behind success

Speaking with VietNamNet, Minh expressed his surprise and joy upon receiving the results. “The outcome exceeded my expectations. Initially, I aimed for a score above 1500, so achieving a perfect score was beyond my imagination. I think I was also a bit lucky,” Minh said.

Minh believes that in addition to a strong foundation in English, effective strategic thinking is crucial for the SAT, particularly in the Reading section. "It's not just about translating; the test also evaluates critical thinking skills," he noted.

Minh explained that he did not follow any special study methods but focused on having a clear test-taking strategy. Before the exam, he spent considerable time practicing with past papers, identifying his strengths and weaknesses, and discussing his mistakes with teachers to improve.

"I usually collect past exam questions shared online. Whenever I get an answer wrong, I make notes and study similar questions to reinforce my knowledge," Minh said.

The pressure of limited time was one of the biggest challenges for Minh, especially in the Reading section, which has 27 questions to be answered within 32 minutes — averaging just over a minute per question.

“Some questions are long and detailed, so it’s important to stay focused on the key information and read faster,” he added.

To improve his timing, Minh constantly timed his practice sessions to enhance speed and efficiency.

"Vocabulary and grammar in the SAT are not overly difficult, so I aim to complete these sections as quickly as possible to save time for Reading. I often allocate around 5 minutes for vocabulary, 5 minutes for grammar, and the remaining time for reading comprehension. For challenging reading passages, I tackle the difficult questions first and mark uncertain ones to revisit later,” Minh shared.

Balancing study and life

Minh believes that each person should find a strategy that works best for their strengths and weaknesses. He values effective learning rather than the sheer number of hours spent studying.

Minh’s daily routine includes evening study sessions from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, balancing study time with relaxation.

"I focus on quality learning rather than the number of study hours or assignments," Minh emphasized.

His mother, Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, said she still feels a sense of overwhelming joy after hearing the news.

"It’s a breakthrough that shows Minh’s determination and effort. In his first attempt, he only scored 1440, but this achievement is truly remarkable,” she said.

Mrs. Thuy described her son as a meticulous and introverted person who balances study with relaxation. "He doesn’t study nonstop but intersperses learning with breaks. However, when he is focused on studying, he’s very dedicated, and we never have to remind him,” she said.

Besides studying, Minh actively participates in extracurricular activities at school. In 10th grade, he took part in a program where he taught introductory programming (C/C++) to primary and secondary school students in Hanoi and Nghe An. He also competed in a school-level programming Olympiad and earned a bronze medal. In his free time, Minh helps his parents with household chores, plays games, watches movies, and goes out with friends.

Minh’s outstanding SAT score, combined with his IELTS 8.0 certificate, has him considering applying to the Global ICT program at Hanoi University of Science and Technology or the Computer Science program at VinUni.

"I feel confident in my math foundation and passion for computer science. I believe IT-related fields have great potential for the future," Minh shared.

Thanh Hung