Male student won double first prize in Hanoi's excellent student competition

Nguyen Thai Minh, grade 9 with 1st degree, is also the first student at Cau Giay Secondary School to achieve this achievement.

"I'm proud and admire myself," Minh said, saying his test scores in both subjects exceeded his expectations. The male student received news of winning the award a week ago.

Previously, because the exam schedules for Chemistry and Science did not overlap, Minh registered for both. Minh evaluates that every year's Chemistry test is heavy on calculations, but this year it is more theoretical. I spent 3-5 minutes reading the question, finding the questions that were easiest to get points, then doing the difficult questions. As a result, Minh received 17,1/20 points.

In Science, the exam includes three subjects: Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. I prioritize getting points in Chemistry and Physics, then try to do the theoretical part of Biology. After completing the exam, the male student was only certain to score about 35-36/60 points, but the result was 43 points, entering the first prize bracket.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, homeroom teacher, Minh was able to achieve this result because she is intelligent and has a very high ability to concentrate.

"She studies effectively without having to 'plow'", Ms. Huong assessed.

Minh's family oriented him to study abroad since he was young. Ms. Viet Anh, Minh's mother, said she has outlined a long-term roadmap for her child to accumulate knowledge in STEM subjects (Science, Engineering, Technology, Mathematics). In elementary school, Minh studied the American high school program (online), then went to secondary school following the Cambridge program (UK) of the Dual Degree system. Therefore, I do not set a goal of participating in domestic or international competitions.

However, in 7th grade, when the school organized some experiential activities in science subjects and invited experts to guide experiments, Minh felt interested. When substances combine together, they create reactions. Sometimes Minh can predict the results, sometimes he can't. I decided to explore and learn more deeply.

According to Minh, studying natural subjects must be learned from basic to advanced. In the basic part, I study the Chemistry program for grades 8 and 9 in the summer. Once I was sure of my knowledge, I made advanced books and practiced questions for good students from previous years. Minh also reads Chemistry handbooks, and writes down any reactions he doesn't know in his notebook to remember.

Being selected for the school's team of excellent Science students, Minh also practiced weekly. When the teacher corrects the lesson, I write down how to do it, understand the lesson, and learn how to present it.

Minh was sometimes stressed because he was studying for exams in both subjects. I excel in Chemistry so I complete my homework right in class. Back home, Minh took many Chemistry and Physics exams, and for Biology, he drew a mind map to make it easier to remember. I allocate three hours for Chemistry and two hours for the remaining subjects.

In addition, Minh jogs every day to balance his studies.

"The important thing is to exercise, don't try to make your body tired, studying will not be effective," Minh admitted.

The male student said he was aiming for the Chemistry class at the High School for the Gifted in Natural Sciences, Hanoi National University, aiming to review for the national excellent student exam in this subject. According to school policy, I am eligible for direct admission to grade 10.