The top graduate with excellent grades, and during her four years of university, she even brought money home to her mother.

Doan Thanh Tra has just excelled as the valedictorian of the Business Administration program at the University of Economics - Vietnam National University, Hanoi in 2025. Having consistently won scholarships from the university, the female student not only didn't have to pay tuition fees but also had money left over to "bring home to her mother".

Doan Thanh Tra (QH-2021-E High-Quality Business Administration Class 4) graduated with distinction and became the valedictorian with a cumulative GPA of 3.89/4.

In her transcript, which totals 142 credits, only 12 credits received a B or B+, while the rest were A and A+. The majority of her courses received A+. Tra's strengths lie in Marketing and specialized subjects, although these specialized courses are often difficult and must be studied entirely in English. The few courses where Tra received a B or B+ are mostly general courses requiring extensive memorization. Her graduation thesis also received an A+; on a 10-point scale, it scored 9.5 points.

Doan Thanh Tra became the valedictorian of the Business Administration program at the University of Economics - Vietnam National University, Hanoi in 2025 with a cumulative GPA of 3.89/4. Photo: Thanh Hung.

Speaking to VietNamNet , Tra said she was very happy and delighted that her efforts had been rewarded.

The female student from Hanoi said that from the moment she entered university, she was determined to study diligently and wholeheartedly so that after graduation she would have solid knowledge and a stable job.

With that in mind, Tra devised a clear study strategy.

Before registering for any course, female students often join student groups and forums to listen to senior students' reviews of each course and study them thoroughly. "The university publicly announces the curriculum and courses on its website, so I go there to research. Through the sharing of senior students, I carefully study those courses and try to arrange my study schedule to see if it fits. My strategy is that in one semester, you shouldn't take too many specialized courses and you should spread them out evenly. I take notes and print out a list of the courses I need to take beforehand," Tra shared.

With a high-quality program, Tra believes that when studying in English, many new and specialized terms are very difficult. "Even after achieving a B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ​​(CEFR) for English, when studying specialized subjects, there are terms we don't know and have to look them up," Tra said.

Tra's learning method involves focusing on listening to lectures in class. After taking notes as usual, she summarizes what she has learned. At home, she reviews the material according to the outline she has prepared.

In addition to the knowledge gained from lectures and textbooks, Tra goes online to read news, books, and articles related to her major.

As exams approach, Tra often draws a summary of the key concepts for each subject on an A4 sheet of paper. "I write down all the important information on that A4 sheet and set a goal to make sure I master it," Tra explains.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Trung Thanh, Rector of the University of Economics - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, presents the bachelor's degree to Doan Thanh Tra. Photo: Thanh Hung.

She considers herself a very hardworking person. “Every day I feel unmotivated to do something is an unsuccessful day, and I feel sad. Usually, I set goals for each day, for example, I have to learn this, finish that task… Sometimes, when I don’t follow my schedule, I have to explain the reason to myself by writing it down as a kind of self-assessment. I see it as a way to control myself,” Tra shared.

With great determination, at the end of her four years of study, even before the final semester's assessment (she would likely receive a Grade A scholarship due to her top thesis score), Tra had already won the highest-level academic achievement scholarship in 6 out of 7 semesters. The Grade A scholarship, awarded to students with excellent academic and extracurricular performance, covers 125% of the semester's tuition fee. Therefore, Tra practically paid no tuition fees during her university years. The tuition fee for her major is approximately 35 million VND per year. Thus, if she wins the scholarship in 7 out of 8 semesters, the prize money would not only cover her tuition but, as Tra jokingly says, "might even be enough to bring money home to my mother."

Not only is she academically gifted, but she also actively participates in activities such as the Southeast Asian Youth Forum (SEAYouth Festival 2022) and volunteer work. Tra has excellent drawing skills and is an artist who contributed paintings to the "Em's Children in Highland Areas" project organized by UNESCO in 2024.

Sharing her future plans, Tra said she wants to continue her education. In the near future, she will prepare her application and hopes to win a scholarship from a European university to pursue a master's degree in Marketing.

While waiting for opportunities, she will continue to look for jobs to challenge herself.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/thu-khoa-tot-nghiep-loai-xuat-sac-4-nam-dai-hoc-con-mang-tien-ve-cho-me-2428472.html