Shy female student achieves SAT score in top 1% globally, double valedictorian

(Dan Tri) - Not only was Nguyen Ngoc Anh the valedictorian of grade 10, he also became the valedictorian of the Foreign Trade University through the combined admission method with 30/30 points.

Top 1% SAT globally

In this year's university entrance exam, Ngoc Anh has an IELTS certificate of 8.0 and a SAT certificate of 1,590/1,600.

With the SAT certificate, she was converted to 20 points in the admission process, and IELTS level 8.0 was converted to 10 points. Adding both, Ngoc Anh achieved a perfect score of 30/30, being one of the 10 top students of the Foreign Trade University in 2025 in the admission method combining international language certificates and international competency assessment certificates.

From grade 6 to grade 11, Ngoc Anh was always on the English team. In grade 6, the first time she competed, she won second prize at the district level, grades 7 and 8 both won third prize, and grade 9 won first prize.

In 2022, the female student was the valedictorian of grade 10 at Thanh Oai B High School with 46.5/50 points.

Also in grade 10, Ngoc Anh continued to win second prize in the English competition for excellent students in Chuong My district and the old Thanh Oai district and won third prize in grade 11.

Not only was Nguyen Ngoc Anh the valedictorian of grade 10, she also became the valedictorian of the Foreign Trade University (Photo: My Ha).

In grade 12, the female student withdrew from the gifted student team to focus on studying for the SAT certificate for the university entrance exam.

With a learning environment at a school located in the suburbs of Hanoi, according to many people, achieving international certificates at the top 1% of the world like Ngoc Anh is a big challenge.

The female student said that she used to be in the school's English team, with a good English foundation, so studying for two international certificates was not too difficult.

“My English foundation started from school, partly self-study through movies and books.

In addition, twice a week, my mother takes me to a class in the old Ha Dong district, about 10 km from home, to practice for the certificate exam," Ngoc Anh said.

According to this female student, when studying at a school in the suburbs, many students do not care much about IELTS or SAT certificates. Therefore, when studying, she feels a lot of pressure, if she does not achieve the desired results, what will people think?

According to Ngoc Anh, the secret to achieving high results in international certification exams is to have a plan early. "If the environment is not as good as in the city, you can expose yourself to English as much as possible to accumulate knowledge year by year. During the learning process, you need to record mistakes to correct them, from there you can improve every day," the female student shared.

Hope to have the opportunity to study abroad

With 30/30 points after conversion, Ngoc Anh will study the Advanced Foreign Economics Program of Foreign Trade University in 2025.

At the recent new school year welcoming ceremony, while standing on stage with the 10 valedictorians, Ngoc Anh shared that although the road ahead for each person is still full of difficulties and may fail, it is the times when they stand up that are memorable and make them proud.

According to the female student, she practiced a lot before giving the speech, spending all night studying and losing sleep, but when standing in front of hundreds of students, she was still very nervous. "The message I gave on the opening day was also my own experience after many failed SAT exams," the female student shared.

Regarding her dream for the future, Ngoc Anh said she hopes to get a scholarship, spend time getting to know the school and friends, learn about clubs and if she has the opportunity, she can study abroad.

Ngoc Anh next to the Vice Principal of Thanh Oai B High School and her homeroom teacher (Photo: My Ha).

Ms. Vu Thi Chuyen, Ngoc Anh's homeroom teacher for 3 years of high school, said that although living in the countryside, there were no conditions to study at a center, Ngoc Anh had a very good ability to self-study. She was the deputy class monitor for 3 consecutive years of high school. Although shy, the female student often helped other students in their studies, especially information technology and foreign languages.

Commenting on his student Ngoc Anh, Mr. Nguyen Van Trieu, Vice Principal of Thanh Oai B High School, said that Ngoc Anh is the pride of the school.

This is a school in the suburbs of Hanoi, lacking many learning conditions, especially foreign language certificates. The students' efforts in studying are a combination of the school, themselves and their families.

Ngoc Anh and her parents at Foreign Trade University (Photo: My Ha).

“Normally, Ngoc Anh is quite shy and quiet. She has stood on stage many times to receive awards, but has never spoken in front of the whole school.

Therefore, the opportunity to share at the Foreign Trade University's new school year celebration was Ngoc Anh's first challenge," said Mr. Trieu.

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is an international standardized test administered by the College Board, used to assess the knowledge, reading, writing, and math skills of high school candidates, for the purpose of university admission in the US and many other countries.

SAT scores help applicants complete their study abroad applications, are a measure of academic ability at university level, and are a criterion for scholarships for students. In Vietnam, many schools use the SAT test in university admissions.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nu-sinh-nhut-nhat-dat-diem-sat-top-1-toan-cau-thu-khoa-kep-20250926120009762.htm