Stopped studying computer science at the University of Technology, became valedictorian of the University of Humanities

Nguyen Hieu Nhan, the valedictorian of the 2025 entrance exam of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University), once caused a 'storm on the internet' when he was a rural student, not an English major, did not take extra classes, but achieved an 8.0 IELTS score with a 9.0 listening skill on his first attempt just by self-studying.

Nguyen Hieu Nhan, valedictorian of the 2025 entrance exam to the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City

Photo: ntcc

Nguyen Hieu Nhan, 20 years old, from the old Binh Dinh (now Gia Lai ), is the valedictorian of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University) in 2025 according to the competency assessment method with a score of 1,060/1,200. Previously, Hieu Nhan was a student majoring in computer science at the University of Technology (Ho Chi Minh City National University), but realizing that his major was not suitable, he boldly switched to the social field, marking a major turning point in his learning journey.

Hieu Nhan once caused a "storm on the internet" when he was a rural student, not majoring in English, not taking extra classes, but achieved an 8.0 IELTS score with a 9.0 listening skill on his first test just by self-studying in the summer of grade 11, preparing for grade 12.

The transition from nature to society

Hieu Nhan shared: “Right from the first week of my first year at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, I felt that my major was not suitable. But it wasn’t until my second year that I had the courage to change.”

This decision was not easy for a student who was strong in math. Hieu Nhan spent 2 years pondering his choice and finally decided to register for the 2025 aptitude test to switch to a social field that suited him, which was English.

Thanks to his solid knowledge base, Hieu Nhan did not need to spend too much time studying for the 2025 competency assessment exam. “I just registered and took the exam, relying entirely on the knowledge I had accumulated before,” Nhan shared. Since his high school years, Nhan has always focused on allocating study time equally for all subjects, building a comprehensive knowledge base instead of just studying one-sidedly or rotely.

Inspired by his seniors at school, Hieu Nhan developed a scientific learning method early on. In grade 10, he completed the 11th grade curriculum, and by grade 11, he had learned all the knowledge of grade 12. Hieu Nhan's secret is perseverance: he often woke up at 3-4 am to review throughout his high school years.

Looking back on his journey, Nhan expressed a bit of regret: “If I could do it again, I would have participated in more extracurricular activities to discover myself. Perhaps then, I would have realized sooner that the major was truly suitable for me.” Hieu Nhan chose English as his destination because he realized that he was no longer suited to the natural environment and wanted to become someone who imparted knowledge to the next generation.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, who taught Hieu Nhan for 3 years at Phu My High School No. 1 (Gia Lai), was most impressed with Nhan's perseverance and eagerness to learn. "Not only does he possess a solid foundation of knowledge and sharp logical thinking, he also has the ability to express and present solutions in a coherent and clear manner, making it easy for listeners to absorb. The most outstanding point is his ability to self-study, to ask critical questions and dare to challenge himself with problems beyond the framework of regular lessons. He is both intelligent and has the courage to explore, demonstrating a proactive learning spirit - a quality that not all good students have," Mr. Hung shared.

Learn English well thanks to passion for Taylor Swift's music

Nhan’s passion for English began in 7th grade, when he first listened to Taylor Swift’s music. To understand the meaning of songs, Hieu Nhan often looked up the translations online. Nhan realized that each person had a different way of feeling and translating song lyrics, which motivated Nhan to learn English to discover the story in each song himself.

Since then, English has not only become a subject but also a passion. Hieu Nhan combines his love of music and language to compose songs in English, inspired by familiar things such as friendship, family affection or grandmother-grandchild love. These songs are carefully kept in his diary, like a small corner to preserve his emotions.

In grade 10, Hieu Nhan happened to hear an acquaintance mention that IELTS scores could be converted into English scores for the high school graduation exam. In a context where almost no one around him knew much about this exam, that information aroused his curiosity. From here, Hieu Nhan began to learn about IELTS on his own. Without a guide or a supportive environment, he built his own study path and persistently pursued it for 2 years.

The most outstanding thing about Nhan is his ability to self-study, to ask critical questions and to dare to challenge himself with problems beyond the normal curriculum. He is both intelligent and has the courage to explore, demonstrating a proactive learning spirit - a quality that not all good students possess.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, teacher at Phu My High School No. 1 (Gia Lai)

In just the time from grade 10 to the summer of grade 11, Hieu Nhan achieved an amazing achievement: 8.0 IELTS, with a perfect listening score of 9.0. This success is not only a testament to his personal efforts but also an inspiration to many people on social networks, especially when Nhan comes from a rural area with limited learning conditions.

Nhan often jokes that he still doesn’t understand the full meaning of Taylor Swift’s music even though he has learned thousands of English words. That’s why Hieu Nhan believes that learning English is a long-term process, requiring perseverance and constant improvement. Despite his proud achievements, Nhan still maintains a progressive spirit, always reminding himself to try harder.

"I realized that English not only opens up many valuable opportunities for me, but also helps me spread positive energy to the community. For me, the title of valedictorian is not the destination, but a reminder to always strive, be humble and persevere. Today's achievement is the motivation for me to continue to strive in the journey ahead, spending 4 years of university to practice not only knowledge but also skills and social experience," Nhan confided in his valedictorian speech at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City this year.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dung-hoc-may-tinh-truong-bach-khoa-tro-thanh-thu-khoa-truong-nhan-van-185251005105146333.htm