Tu says he does not immerse himself in games but treats them purely as entertainment. When he sits down to study, he turns off his phone and focuses seriously on his lessons.

Tu, a student at Hung Nhan High School in Hung Yen province, was the top scorer of the recent first round of the 2026 HUST aptitude test, achieving 96.10 out of 100 points. In the Mathematical Reasoning section, Tu scored a perfect 40/40, while earning 18/20 in Reading Comprehension and 34/40 in Scientific Reasoning and Problem Solving.

Tu said he was surprised to learn that he had ranked first and did not expect such a high score. “I was confident in the math section because my knowledge was quite solid. After finishing the test, I thought I might score 40 out of 40,” he said.

According to Tu, the key to his success did not lie in any special tricks but in mastering basic knowledge and understanding the core concepts. “I study in depth and practice many test papers to become familiar with question types and improve speed. After each test, I review it very carefully. For any wrong answers, I analyze them thoroughly instead of skipping over them.”

The student added that his preparation was not something achieved overnight but the result of early orientation and gradual accumulation. From grade 10, he had built up foundational knowledge. By grade 11, Tu began systematic preparation based on the structure of the aptitude test.

Teachers also played an important role in guiding and broadening students’ knowledge so that they could confidently compete in aptitude and competency-based exams.

Before becoming the top scorer of the test, Tu had earned a series of remarkable achievements in mathematics. In grade 10, he took part in the provincial excellent student contest in Thai Binh (former province) and was one of three students to achieve a perfect score of 20/20.

In grade 12, at the Hung Yen provincial excellent student contest in mathematics, Tu was the only student to score a perfect 20/20.

In addition, in this year’s province-wide quality assessment exam, Tu also scored 10/10 in mathematics. His average math score over the years has consistently been 9.9, with a perfect 10 in the first semester of grade 12.

Teacher Tran Quang Tiem, Tu’s mathematics teacher and homeroom teacher of class 12A1 at Hung Nhan High School, said that Tu has exceptional talent in mathematics and a very strong sense of determination.

As the captain of the school’s math team, Tu regularly supports his teacher by helping teammates review incorrect answers or concepts they do not fully understand. When his teacher is teaching other classes, Tu also helps his peers with revision.

Beyond academics, Tu is also regarded by friends as a “pro” gamer. However, he stressed that he does not become absorbed in gaming.

“I only play games for entertainment, especially after stressful study sessions. But when I sit down to study, I seriously turn off my phone and study continuously until I complete my set goals, such as finishing a certain number of practice tests in a day,” Tu said.

For Tu, balance is essential. In addition to gaming, he also plays sports to relieve pressure. “Studying must be serious, and playing should be done at the right time,” he said.

After his impressive result in the aptitude test, Tu plans to apply for the Computer Science program at HUST. In the coming period, he will continue to focus on preparing thoroughly for the national high school graduation exam.

On February 2, HUST announced the results of the aptitude test. In this test round, five candidates scored above 90 points, 59 scored above 80, and 564 scored above 70. The average score for the first round of the 2026 test was 54.01 out of 100.

Apart from the top scorer from Hung Yen, other high-scoring candidates in the first round came from Bac Giang Specialized High School (Bac Ninh), Lien Ha High School (Hanoi), An Duong High School (Hai Phong), and Hung Yen Specialized High School (Hung Yen).

Last year, the top scorer came from Bac Ninh Specialized High School with 98.61 out of 100 points, the highest score ever recorded.

Thanh Hung