Borderland Prodigy Tops Entrance Exams with Three Perfect Scores

Nguyen Thien Nhan, a student from Hung Dien B Secondary and High School in Tay Ninh Province, a border area in southwestern Vietnam, has achieved the top position in the provincial high school entrance examination, bringing pride to his community. Nhan secured perfect scores of 10 in three subjects: specialized mathematics, general mathematics, and English. He also achieved 9.25 in Vietnamese literature, accumulating a total of 49.25 out of 50 points. This exceptional result made him the valedictorian for the specialized high school entrance exam in the province. Furthermore, Nhan ranked among the top 10 candidates in the entrance exam for Nang Khieu High School, part of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, scoring 9.5 in specialized mathematics and 10 in general mathematics. Nhan has been a consistent high achiever, maintaining excellent academic records for nine consecutive years and winning the first prize in the provincial handheld calculator competition last academic year, earning him the title of the school's "star." The eldest of three siblings, Nhan's father is a music teacher, and his mother is a pharmacist. He initially did not feel he had a particular talent for any subject. In the sixth grade, after a teacher noticed his quick work on an assignment, he was challenged with a more difficult problem. Finding the challenge engaging, Nhan began dedicating significant time to thinking and exploring different ways to find solutions. Subsequently, teachers gradually increased the difficulty of his assignments and provided him with math problems from gifted high schools. Nhan also enrolled in online courses with math tutors in Ho Chi Minh City. Leading up to the high school entrance exams, he spent two to four hours daily practicing problems from previous years' exams for Nang Khieu High School. While maintaining his daily study routine, he avoided excessive pressure, taking breaks when feeling stressed. When faced with a difficult math problem, he would try to solve it independently for as long as possible, only seeking assistance from teachers when he felt completely stuck. "For some difficult math problems, it took me a whole week to find the answer," Nhan shared. Mr. Pham Hoang Thai, Nhan's math teacher at Hung Dien B Secondary and High School, vividly recalls two years ago when a tall, slender student unexpectedly approached him to request private tutoring. Mr. Thai recognized Nhan's mathematical aptitude but asked, "What are you studying for?" The student replied that he wanted to secure a good job to support himself and his family. Mr. Thai initially asked him to sit down and continue with the regular lesson. During recess, Nhan continued to follow Mr. Thai, inquiring why he wouldn't teach him. "At that moment, I told him that if he studied only for himself, his achievements would be very limited compared to serving society," Mr. Thai recalled. Under Mr. Thai's guidance, Nhan also read numerous books on science and literature, including "Hạt giống tâm hồn" (Seeds of the Soul), "Hành trình về phương Đông" (Journey to the East), and biographies of famous scientists. Nhan stated that he plans to enroll in Nang Khieu High School, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. "Studying at Nang Khieu High School will provide opportunities to interact with many talented students and teachers, thus creating a better environment for my personal development," Nhan said, adding that he is considering pursuing a career in Information Technology or Mathematics Education in the long term. "Teaching mathematics to young children would also be enjoyable," Nhan added. Source: VnExpress