Vietnam’s high school exam top scorer earns perfect SAT, wins full scholarship to ‘MIT of South Korea’

Hoang Huong Giang from the High School for the Gifted of Hanoi National University of Education ranked first nationwide in the A01 subject combination (Mathematics, Physics, and English) for the 2026 exam. She earned perfect 10s in Physics and English, along with a 9.75 in Mathematics.

Giang mentioned that she had estimated her score after checking the official answer key, but was genuinely surprised to learn that no one had outscored her in the A01 combination.

More than 1.2 million Vietnamese high school students sat the graduation exam on June 11 and 12, taking four subjects: math, literature, and two electives chosen from a range of options, including English, natural sciences, and social sciences.

A combined score of three subjects will be used for university admissions. A01 is among the most popular combinations in Vietnam given the career prospects, besides A00 of math, physics and chemistry and B00 of math, chemistry and biology.

Reflecting on the exam, which was held last month with results released on July 1, Giang felt the Physics test was well-designed, balancing standard textbook knowledge with practical applications and fresh perspectives.

She noted that the toughest questions in the English test involved uncommon idioms, such as “up for grabs”.

Mathematics, however, was the subject that worried her the most.

“I could generally predict the types of questions in the other two subjects, but the most challenging Math questions were impossible to anticipate,” she admitted, revealing that she lost her 0.25 points due to a careless mistake on an integration problem.

A strategy of understanding over memorization

Giang attributes her success to building a solid academic foundation early on. Rather than relying on rote memorization, she prioritized truly understanding core concepts starting in middle school, and reinforced this knowledge throughout grades 10 and 11.

“I don’t memorize formulas; I try to prove why they work. If I can’t explain something to another person, it means I don’t truly understand it yet,” she said.

Because her approach centers on deep comprehension, Giang didn’t need to cram as the exam approached. Instead, she briefly reviewed key concepts and focused on practicing past papers. She simulated real testing conditions by taking practice exams at the exact times of day the actual tests would be held, while strictly timing herself.

“I studied fewer than eight hours a day,” she shared, adding that she always made time to relax through yoga, drawing, reading, and playing Minesweeper.

She applied this exact study philosophy when preparing for international standardized tests, resulting in a perfect 1600 on the SAT and an 8.0 overall band score on the IELTS.

Giang plans to study Computer Science at KAIST, which is ranked second in South Korea in 2026 by the Times Higher Education, with a full scholarship sponsored by Samsung.

She believes that artificial intelligence holds enormous potential for development and hopes to contribute to future breakthroughs in the rapidly evolving field.

Truong Trong Khanh, Giang’s homeroom teacher, was not surprised by her performance. He noted that she had consistently demonstrated exceptional ability since grade 10, characterized by strong analytical thinking and excellent self-learning skills.

“Giang is an all-around student, excelling not only academically but also in life skills,” Khanh said. “What impresses me most is her maturity, depth of thinking, and serious attitude toward learning.”