A Hanoi student who specialized in Chinese while maintaining her English has earned a perfect SAT score and become one of the highest-ranked entrants to Vietnam’s Foreign Trade University.
Hoang Bao Anh, a former Chinese-language specialist at the Foreign Language Specialized School under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, scored IELTS 8.5 and a perfect 1600 on the SAT, becoming one of Foreign Trade University’s top incoming students in 2026.
Bao Anh was honored as one of Foreign Trade University’s highest-ranked entrants in 2026 under an admissions pathway combining aptitude assessment results with international foreign-language certificates.
With a perfect SAT score of 1600 and IELTS 8.5, she received a converted admissions score of 30 out of 30 and was admitted to the university’s Advanced Program in Business Administration.
Specializing in Chinese while keeping up her English
Hoang Bao Anh is one of Foreign Trade University’s top incoming students in 2026. Photo courtesy of the subject.
Bao Anh said she was exposed to foreign languages from an early age and was inspired to learn them by her mother, a flight attendant.
“My parents believed that knowing another language would bring many benefits in the future, so they always encouraged and supported me in pursuing my language-learning goals,” Bao Anh said. “As I grew older, I also found communicating with foreigners really enjoyable. It felt new and exciting.”
Bao Anh first took the IELTS test in eighth grade and scored 8.0. By 11th grade, while studying in a Chinese-language specialist class, she took the test again and raised her score to 8.5.
After completing lower secondary school, Bao Anh said she applied to the Chinese-language specialist program because she wanted to learn another foreign language.
During her three years of high school, she devoted most of her study time to Chinese while continuing to develop her English.
Learning a new language with a very different writing system, however, presented considerable challenges.
“The biggest difficulty was recognizing and memorizing Chinese characters while also having to maintain my English at the same time,” Bao Anh said. “It wasn’t until 11th grade, when I had become more comfortable with Chinese, that I was able to balance the two.”
Immersing herself in languages and allowing room for mistakes
Hoang Bao Anh. Photo courtesy of the subject.
Discussing her approach to studying, Bao Anh said learning is most effective when there is genuine interest in the subject.
“If we keep telling ourselves that a subject or a particular area of knowledge is too difficult and that we can’t learn it, it becomes very hard to overcome that barrier,” she said. “I always tell myself that no matter how difficult something is, I should at least try. If I get stuck or stumble along the way, I’ll figure out how to deal with it afterward. The important thing is to allow yourself to make mistakes, even to accept getting a poor score a few times, knowing that one day you can achieve a high score.”
For foreign languages in particular, Bao Anh believes immersion is the most effective method.
“I regularly watch videos in foreign languages and use them in everyday communication,” she said. “I also read a lot of books in English to expand my vocabulary and understand how words are appropriately used in context.”
For Bao Anh, succeeding in two foreign languages requires intense focus.
“In class, I concentrate entirely on Chinese, while at home I spend more time improving my English,” she said. “By clearly separating study time from rest, I can absorb what I’m learning without becoming exhausted.”
In 12th grade, even while preparing for Vietnam’s national high school graduation examination, Bao Anh achieved a perfect SAT score of 1600.
Bao Anh chose the Advanced Program in Business Administration at Foreign Trade University because she was impressed by its international learning environment and the dynamism and confidence of its students.
Foreign Trade University Rector Pham Thu Huong presents Hoang Bao Anh with a certificate of merit recognizing her as one of the university’s top incoming students in 2026.
“Foreign Trade University has always been my dream environment,” she said. “I’m deeply impressed by the students who came before me - they are not only academically strong but also very dynamic and creative. I hope this will be a place where I can challenge myself, learn and improve every day.”
Looking ahead, Bao Anh hopes to use her strengths in English and Chinese to gain access to new knowledge, broaden her circle of friends and expand her worldview.
Her immediate goal is to earn HSK Level 4, a Chinese-language proficiency qualification. Further ahead, she hopes to participate in international exchange programs and seek opportunities to study as an exchange student at universities abroad, gaining new experiences and opportunities to learn.
Vietnamnet.vn
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