A male student from Hanoi achieved a rare SAT score, thanks to his "never give up" spirit.

Duy scored 800/800 in both Math and Reading Comprehension. He said he was very happy and surprised with the result: “Leaving the exam room, I felt I had a chance to get a perfect score, but I was still not sure. While waiting for the results, I kept thinking about the questions I might have gotten wrong, so I was both worried and nervous. When I found out the result, I really couldn't believe it,” Duy recounted.

According to the male student, to do well on the SAT, candidates need not only a strong foundation in English but also the ability to think critically and reason. However, the questions on this test are not as difficult as some of the questions in the high school graduation exam.

Duy believes that to conquer the SAT exam, test-takers don't necessarily need a very high level of English. Late last year, Duy achieved an IELTS score of 7.0, with only a 6.5 in Reading. The student attributes his impressive results largely to perseverance, effort, and especially "not giving up."

Nguyen Le Duy (a student in class 12A6 at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School, Hanoi ) impressed everyone by achieving a perfect SAT score of 1600/1600. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

In his first SAT attempt, Duy only scored 1,250 points. “I actively practiced with sample tests and different question types. For questions I got wrong or found difficult, I created a separate file to review where I had knowledge gaps, mistakes, or misunderstandings. When I discovered errors or areas I hadn't mastered, I focused on studying and doing more detailed exercises on those topics. The more detailed I was, the more sensitive my ability to recognize and react to those question types and knowledge areas became,” Duy shared.

The "never give up" spirit also paid off for Duy in the 10th grade entrance exam a few years ago.

Duy said that his parents wanted him to "have a proper childhood," so they didn't impose strict academic requirements or place too much emphasis on grades in his early years of junior high school. However, to get into Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Junior High School, he needed to achieve around 8.5 points in each subject on the 10th grade entrance exam. At the beginning of 9th grade, when his teachers placed him in a group considered unlikely to get into a top-tier public school, Duy was quite upset. "I was determined to dedicate all my time to my studies and was then moved to a more manageable group. Setting my sights on getting into a top-tier public school in the area, I worked very hard, especially in Math, and finally, my efforts paid off," Duy recounted.

The male student said that during SAT preparation, it was difficult to maintain high grades in class while also focusing on test preparation. Duy was no exception to this pressure. To maintain good grades in his classes, Duy focused intensely on understanding the material in class and took advantage of opportunities to complete assignments. This way, he was able to dedicate more time to his priority goal.

To increase his English vocabulary, Duy believes the fastest way is to listen to short clips on YouTube and social media. "I like learning through videos because it's easy to absorb and not boring. When I hear a new word or don't understand its meaning, I look it up and take notes to learn more each day," Duy shared.

When using social media, Duy sets his display language to English to create a daily communication environment. This allows him to encounter a wider range of vocabulary in different contexts and learn to use words more naturally.

Photo: Provided by the interviewee

The male student believes he is probably one of the few people to achieve a perfect SAT score without ever having won any awards or medals from competitions at any level.

"My personal story may partly illustrate that the opportunity and ability to achieve a perfect SAT score isn't limited to students from specialized schools or top-performing students in exams at all levels. With determination and effort, every young person can 'reach' things they never thought possible," Duy shared.

Duy believes that, besides family, having a companion is also an effective way to motivate him. "The encouragement and support from a special girl helped me feel energized in the face of difficulties, even when I wanted to give up," Duy said.

With a perfect SAT score, Duy dreams of studying abroad if he can get accepted into an international university and receive a valuable scholarship. However, to realize that goal, he must currently prioritize completing his high school program, aiming for the highest possible GPA in the first semester of 12th grade. Simultaneously, Duy is also working hard to finalize the essays for his study abroad application.

The male student plans to apply to Information Technology programs at universities in the US and Finland. “My goal is not only to get accepted but also to hopefully win a scholarship, so my task will be more difficult. The more challenging it is, the more determined I have to be,” Duy said.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nam-sinh-ha-noi-dat-diem-sat-lot-so-hiem-the-gioi-nho-tinh-than-khong-bo-cuoc-2470417.html