Nguyen Duc Khai, a 9C1 student at Archimedes Academy Secondary School (Hanoi) made a special mark in the 2025 specialized grade 10 entrance exam organized by the Hanoi Departmentof Education and Training.
He achieved perfect scores in three out of four subjects: Math, English, and Specialized Math. In Literature alone, Khai scored 8 points – a very high result compared to the general level. With a total admission score of 48/50, he excelled in becoming the valedictorian of the specialized Math class and was also the candidate with the highest score in the entire specialized class in the city.
Last 10 minutes to save the most difficult math problem in the specialized exam
Not only did Khai pass the entrance exam to the Mathematics major at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted as valedictorian, he was also admitted to the Mathematics major class at the High School for the Gifted in Natural Sciences (Hanoi National University) and the High School for the Gifted in the University of Education. After careful consideration, he chose to study at the High School for the Gifted in the University of Education - a place he believes will be suitable for his orientation and long-term development environment.
Sharing about this year’s exam, Duc Khai commented that the subjects were generally at a level that was within the students’ ability. However, he encountered many challenges in the specialized Math exam – especially the combination part, the type of question that he considered the “most difficult” during the review process.
“In the last 10 minutes of the test, I managed to find a solution for the combination question,” Khai recalled. In addition, the geometry question in the test also made him consider carefully to avoid mistakes. Even though he was confused at times, he remained calm, using all his knowledge and experience to handle each part with confidence.
Khai said he was not surprised that he passed the entrance exam to a specialized school, but he was surprised that he passed with such a high result.
“Solving math is more fun than playing games”
Sharing his study secrets, Nguyen Duc Khai said that during the exam, Khai was always optimistic, relaxed, not pressured, and did not focus too much on the score. That helped Khai achieve the best results.
With Math, Khai studies with passion, sometimes even more. “Solving math is more fun than... playing games,” Khai shared. Every time he encounters a difficult problem, Khai stays calm, giving himself about 2 hours to think and find a way. Then, if he can’t do it, Khai asks for help from teachers and friends.
In each lesson, Khai always highlights important parts and notes down ideas that come to mind when solving a new type of problem. Khai pays special attention to note-taking and systematizing knowledge skills, which he considers a “silent weapon” to help him improve. Every time he finishes a topic, he divides the lessons into groups and creates a separate table of contents for easy reference and review later. Those notes not only serve his studies in class but are also “exclusive” documents during the review process for the entrance exam.
“Every time my teacher lectures, I always take careful notes, reread them right after taking notes, and do my homework right after getting home. I number the pages in my notebook, highlight important content for easy review. When I encounter a difficult problem, I try to analyze the level, try many different ways to solve it before seeking help from teachers or documents,” Khai shared.
However, Khai’s learning journey has not always been smooth. In 8th grade, he experienced a period of mental crisis when the results of the district-level excellent student exam were not as expected. “I felt disappointed because I expected more from myself,” Khai shared.
That "stumble" became a turning point that helped the student learn to look back at himself, adjust his learning methods and practice the ability to maintain his spirit when facing pressure. A year later, he returned with confidence with the first prize in the Hanoi city-level Math competition for excellent students.
Not only passionate about Mathematics, Nguyen Duc Khai also nurtures a special love for music. He has been playing the piano since he was 5 years old and has been practicing for more than 10 years. His most outstanding achievement is achieving the Trinity Grade 8 Piano Certificate with Excellent grade with a score of 91/100 - a result that requires both solid technique and persistent practice over a long period of time.
Despite his busy schedule, Khai still spends 30 minutes to an hour practicing the piano every day. For him, music is not only a personal hobby but also a precious “silence” that helps relieve stress and regenerate energy. In particular, according to Khai, playing the piano also helps train logical thinking, concentration and patience – very important factors when studying and doing Math.
Ms. Pham Thi Thuy Ninh, Duc Khai's mother, shared that the family always accompanies him with a balanced educational perspective. In addition to studying, Khai is encouraged to participate in many sports such as swimming, soccer, and basketball to exercise and reduce stress. "Studying is a long-term journey, so we cannot just look at the results overnight. Parents need to prepare their children both mentally and physically," Ms. Ninh confided.
The family does not put too much pressure on the children to study, nor does it encourage them to stay up late to study. For Khai, 11pm is the “curfew”, the time when all devices and books must be put away to ensure proper sleep. Although there are occasional exceptions during the final exam preparation period, the whole family agrees to maintain this rule as part of a sustainable study habit.
Knowing Duc Khai's collection of awards, perhaps many people are not surprised with the results Khai achieved in this year's 10th grade entrance exam:
First Prize in Mathematics, Hanoi City Level Excellent Student Competition, 2024-2025 school year
Second Prize in Math, District Level Excellent Student Competition, School Year 2024 - 2025
At the American Mathematics Olympiad AMO: Gold Medal – Top 1 Vietnam in 2024; Gold Medal – Top 1 globally in 2023; Gold Medal in 2022
At the VTMO Vietnam Titan Math Olympiad: Top 5 in 2025; Gold Medal - Championship Cup in 2024
Silver Medal at InIMC Competition in India 2023
Bronze Medal at IIMC 2022
HCV – Top 1 ITOT Exam 2024
At VANDA Exam (Science): Gold Medal – Top 4 World – Top 1 Vietnam in 2023; Gold Medal in 2022
Silver Medal in International Mathematics and Science Olympiad 2022
Gold Medal in Mathematics, SIMOC Exam 2022
And many more awards...
Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/thu-khoa-chuyen-toan-tiet-lo-cach-hoc-cham-dinh-post1553338.html
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