With 16.8 scores in English, Minh scored first at the national competition for excellent students. Minh revealed that when looking up his exam scores, he could not believe they were his own, so he had to check several times and carefully cross-reference his identification number to be sure. 

When the results were confirmed, he was overjoyed.

"My starting point was not that of an outstanding student in English. During the early years at secondary school, I did not have any truly impressive achievements,” he explained. 

“It was only in grade 9, when I clearly identified my passion for this subject, that I began to study more deeply and achieved positive results such as second prize at the provincial excellent student contest and a national silver medal at the Internet Olympiad of English (IOE). But my biggest achievement for me was being admitted to the English major class at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted,” Minh said.

Minh added that his entrance exam results for Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted were also only “average” compared with the general level. It was not until the summer after grade 10 that he truly committed to learning English in a serious and systematic way, gradually rising into the leading group and eventually taking the top position in his class.

In grade 11, Minh won first prize in English at the province-level excellent student contest and second prize in English at the national excellent student selection exam. In grade 12 he continued to win first prize at the province level and became the national top scorer in English at the national excellent student selection exam for the 2025–2026 academic year.

“After attending the exams in grade 11 and achieving fairly high results, I temporarily stopped training with the excellent student team to focus on preparing for IELTS. Thanks to my existing foundation, I got  an IELTS score of 8.5 after one month of intensive preparation. Then, in the 2025–2026 academic year, I returned to the excellent student team and surpassed my own achievements from the previous year,” Minh said.

Study methods

Minh said he does not force himself to study excessively, but makes sure he thoroughly understands what he learns.

In class, Minh focuses on completing assignments and carefully listens to teachers’ explanations. Every day, he spends about two to three hours studying in the evening, maintains the habit of going to bed early, and wakes up early to read materials and warm up his thinking.

Minh develops his English skills evenly through frequent communication with friends and teachers, reading English newspapers to expand vocabulary and analytical thinking, and practicing writing over many years.

“From grade 10 to grade 12, I wrote nearly 300 essays. In my view, this is a long process. Progress does not come overnight, and there were even periods when I doubted the effectiveness of my practice, but I still persisted,” Minh said.

According to Minh, the skill that helped him improve most clearly was the ability to evaluate his work. After each essay, he reviews his arguments and revises verbose sections to make the writing more concise. This skill was formed by observing how teachers commented on and graded his work, gradually helping him learn how to self-assess and self-correct to improve.

With his national top scorer achievement, Minh is eligible for direct admission to many universities. He plans to study at the University of Languages and International Studies under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and aims to pursue a doctoral degree and become a university lecturer, contributing to the improvement of English teaching quality.

“The starting point does not determine the destination. As long as you truly have passion, persistence, and constant effort, everyone can break through, overcome old limits, and become a better version of themselves,” Minh said. It is a simple but inspiring message, reflecting his journey.

Tran Xuan Binh, a teacher of English at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, said Minh has a serious learning attitude, strong passion for the subject, and always creates pressure for himself to surpass his own limits.

Trong Tung