It took Nguyen Huynh Nhat Quang only about 30 minutes to complete his specialized Information Technology entrance exam. He went on to earn a perfect 20/20, becoming the top scorer in the subject and the highest-scoring candidate in Dong Thap Province's specialized high school admissions.

In this year's Grade 10 entrance examinations, Nguyen Huynh Nhat Quang, a Grade 9 student from Le Ngoc Han Secondary School in My Tho Ward, achieved an impressive score sheet: 9.8 in Mathematics, 9.75 in English, 9.25 in Literature and a perfect 20/20 in the specialized Information Technology exam. His combined specialized admission score reached 48.8, the highest in Dong Thap Province. Quang said his preferred choice is Tien Giang High School for the Gifted.

"When I saw the results, I was very happy and proud of myself," Quang told VietNamNet on June 28.

What surprised many people even more was that he completed the specialized IT exam in only around 30 minutes.

"When I entered the exam room, I read the questions very carefully. The exam suited my ability. After finishing, I still spent time checking my answers, so I felt much more confident," he said.

Unlike his favorite subject, Literature was the exam that worried him the most.

"Literature isn't my strongest subject, so I was quite nervous before the results came out. I never thought I would become the top scorer," Quang said.

After checking his scores, the first people he shared the news with were his parents.

"My mother hugged me tightly. Everyone in the family was so happy," he recalled.

Nguyen Huynh Nhat Quang spends around three hours each day practicing programming and developing algorithmic thinking. Photo: Courtesy of the family.

Quang's interest in Information Technology began almost by accident.

"When I was in Grade 7, I became curious about how computers work, so I searched online to learn more. Later, I started studying programming, enjoyed it even more and have continued pursuing it ever since," he said.

Besides attending school, Quang spends around three hours each day studying Information Technology. He divides his study time into clear sessions: 60 minutes learning algorithms, another 60 minutes solving programming problems, and the remaining time reviewing mistakes and optimizing his code.

According to Quang, there is no secret to learning programming other than consistent practice.

"When I encounter a difficult problem, I solve it repeatedly until I truly understand its core and the thinking process behind the solution. Programming requires perseverance. You can't give up," he said.

He also credited his private Information Technology teacher, Mr. Phu, with inspiring him and helping him approach complex algorithms more effectively.

His persistence has paid off. Throughout secondary school, Quang consistently maintained excellent academic performance, finishing Grade 9 with an average score of 9.86.

He has also built an impressive list of achievements, including a Consolation Prize in the city-level Information Technology competition, a Gold Medal at the 2026 FPT MeKong Informatics Olympiad (FMIO), as well as a school-level Chess Gold Medal and a city-level Chess Bronze Medal.

Outside the classroom, Quang regularly swims and plays football and badminton to stay healthy.

His father, Nguyen Thanh Lam, who works in a ward administration in Dong Thap Province, said the family has never placed pressure on their son to achieve top academic results. Before the entrance exam, he simply encouraged Quang to study all subjects consistently and approach the exams with a relaxed mindset.

"Our family was both delighted and surprised that he achieved the highest score in the province. We only thought he had done well. We never imagined he would become the top scorer. Literature was especially impossible to predict," Lam said.

According to his father, what makes the family proudest is not Quang's scores but his perseverance and ability to learn independently.

"Once he decides to do something, he sees it through," Lam said.

Although Quang has strong academic ability, the family has never expected him to finish first or placed him under pressure.

"We simply encourage him to study every subject and do his very best."

Recognizing his passion for technology from Grade 7, the family invested in a high-performance computer for programming and connected him with teachers who could provide additional guidance.

Quang is the younger of two brothers. His older brother is currently a first-year medical student and also graduated from a specialized high school.

Aiming for the national team and a future in AI

Looking ahead, Quang said his immediate goal is to earn a place on Vietnam's national academic team in Grade 11.

He also hopes to study Information Technology at the University of Science under Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, with a long-term focus on artificial intelligence.

Asked why he chose AI, Quang smiled.

"Probably because I use ChatGPT a lot."

According to Le Manh Cuong, principal of Le Ngoc Han Secondary School, Quang has pursued his passion for Information Technology with remarkable dedication for many years and has consistently achieved outstanding results in academic competitions.

The school has established talent development classes from Grade 6, identifying and training students in different subjects to prepare them for academic competitions and specialized high school entrance examinations.

Hoai Thanh