Young man becomes 'double' valedictorian after dropping out of 2 years of studying abroad

Tran Quang Minh, 25 years old, is studying a master's program with a full scholarship at Fudan University (China), a top 30 university in the world according to the QS 2026 ranking organization. Nearly 3 months ago, the young man from Thai Nguyen became the valedictorian of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) with an average score of 3.91/4.

At the graduation ceremony, in front of friends and teachers, Minh shared for the first time about his journey from China to return to Vietnam and the "invisible pressures" when making the decision to retake the university entrance exam.

Tran Quang Minh is studying for a master's degree at Fudan University, China. Photo: NVCC

Stop to find “your own way”

After graduating from high school, Tran Quang Minh, a former student of Thai Nguyen High School for the Gifted, received a full scholarship to study International Law at Chongqing University (China). At that time, the young man from Thai Nguyen had a desire to step out into the world and study in an international environment. But after only two years, Minh realized that this was not the path he wanted to pursue.

“When I was studying in China, I tutored Chinese and Vietnamese online. I loved languages, and when I started teaching, I had to do more research. I was more curious to compare and contrast the two languages. From then on, I realized that I liked researching languages more than studying law,” Minh recalls.

In 2020, when returning to Vietnam for Tet, Minh was “stuck” due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During that time, Minh’s mother was diagnosed with bone metastasis cancer. With her studies interrupted, Minh had more time to think about herself, her family, and her future.

“I thought a lot. Studying abroad was an opportunity. To win a full scholarship, I had to try hard. But the more I studied, the more I felt it was not suitable,” Minh shared.

At that time, Minh's family respected all of his decisions. The biggest pressure, according to Minh, came from himself.

“What scares and haunts me most is peer pressure, especially when I see my friends have stable jobs or are studying for master's or doctorate degrees, while I'm still a vagabond.”

Minh and his father on the day he received his diploma. Photo: NVCC

Luckily at that time, Minh was encouraged by a friend who was studying for a PhD in Linguistics in the US, and also met a lecturer in the field. Thanks to that, the male student learned about the field of Linguistics - a basic, academic science, rarely introduced in high school.

“This major will explain the linguistic issues and phenomena that I am interested in, such as the nature of l and n lisping; why Vietnam has three dialect regions… In addition, I get to delve deeper into issues of syntax, etymology (the origin of vocabulary) and especially phonetics,” Minh said.

In addition, the experiences in a multilingual environment while studying in Chongqing further urged Minh to follow this path. After half a year of struggling, Minh decided to give up studying abroad to retake the university entrance exam in Vietnam.

The journey of "going slow to go far"

In 2021, Minh took the high school graduation exam and achieved more than 27.5 points in block D78 (Literature, English, Social Sciences), becoming the valedictorian of the Linguistics major at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Having "slower" steps than his peers, Minh "sometimes feels pressured, but soon regains balance because each person has their own speed".

Minh’s goal is to receive a scholarship each semester to pay for his own tuition. “In the past, if I didn’t like a subject, I would ignore it, but now, even if I’m not interested, I still study hard. I understand that there are things I don’t like, but I still have to do well so as not to affect other things,” Minh said.

In class, Minh is always proactive in learning and does not hesitate to discuss with the lecturer. “Thanks to the regular exchange of knowledge, my perspective on issues has become more in-depth. I understand the essence instead of memorizing, so I do not need to cram.”

That also helps Minh have many studies to explain the principles of language. The male student is especially interested in Vietnamese phonetics and dialects - an area that still has a lot of room for exploration . Therefore, Minh cherishes the plan to continue studying for a master's degree in China.

Minh is the valedictorian of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Photo: NVCC

Applying for study abroad for the second time, Minh was accepted by Fudan University and Peking University - two of China's top universities. To get the "nod" from these two schools, Minh believes that the strength of his application probably lies in its "substance".

“I proved that I really love this industry through my seriousness with specialized subjects, related research papers, teaching experience and clear orientation. Thanks to that, the admissions committee will clearly see what kind of person I am,” Minh shared.

In the end, Minh chose to study at Fudan University. Returning to China this time, Minh said he felt “much more mature and grown up”.

“Graduate studies are more difficult. There are areas that have not been studied in depth in Vietnam, so we need to double our efforts to make up for it.”

Looking back on his journey, Minh has no regrets about his decision to drop out of studying abroad. “Two years in China gave me life experience, language skills, and helped me realize that I was not suited to Law. Without that time, I probably wouldn’t have found the right path,” Minh said.

The most important thing Minh realized is not to compare himself with anyone, because each person will have his own path and different speed. Therefore, focus on what you do and do your best.

Minh is currently pursuing a master's degree at Fudan University. The Thai Nguyen native hopes to pursue a career in language teaching and research after graduation.

How much money do you need to prove your finances when studying abroad in New Zealand?The financial requirements when studying abroad in New Zealand will be different for each high school or university student.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/chang-trai-tro-thanh-thu-khoa-kep-sau-khi-bo-do-2-nam-du-hoc-2452342.html