Male student won second prize in national English, top 1% SAT score in the world

After achieving IELTS 8.0 and a series of first and second prizes in English, Quang Minh conquered the SAT exam with a score of 1580/1600.

Bui Quang Minh, a 12th grade English major at Lao Cai High School for the Gifted, achieved this score in the SAT exam in August. The exam took place on a computer for 2.5 hours, including two parts: Reading and Math.

The SAT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. According to the College Board, which administers the SAT, less than 1% of test takers worldwide achieve this score.

"I'm happy but also a bit regretful," Minh said. In both parts of the test, Minh scored 790/800 points.

Bui Quang Minh, a 12th grade English major student at Lao Cai High School for the Gifted. Photo: Provided by the character

According to Minh, the Math exam tests knowledge from middle school and high school such as solving equations, systems of equations, graphs, calculating area and perimeter with increasing difficulty. On the day of the exam, Minh had trouble with the Math problem about systems of equations. Although he had reviewed and knew how to solve it, the male student applied a different method which took more time. Minh also made mistakes in the calculation and got the wrong result but did not have enough time to correct it.

Minh's strength is the Reading Comprehension section thanks to his previous English background. This section tests candidates' knowledge of grammar and vocabulary with long reading passages. Unlike the regular English test, the grammar section of the SAT involves punctuation, so candidates with a solid grasp of the basics can do it.

The male student said that the difficulty of the Reading Comprehension section is that it includes a lot of academic vocabulary, which is rarely seen in everyday communication. The passages also use archaic, complex language. The reading topics range from science , society to culture, with material taken from literary works, research papers and poems.

"The Reading section is always difficult because it requires thinking. Candidates have to understand what the passage is saying and also need to know a lot of vocabulary," Minh said, guessing that he lost points in the poetry section because he didn't understand the hidden meaning of the authors.

Minh took the SAT to increase his competitiveness for his application for a scholarship to study in the US. Not many students in his class were planning to study in the US and prepare for the SAT, so he mainly studied on his own and used online resources to review during the three summer months. When he encountered difficult questions, Minh discussed and consulted experiences in SAT self-study groups. Minh studied and took the SAT before the new school year began, so it did not affect his studies in class.

Having been exposed to English since childhood, in secondary school, Minh was selected for the school's excellent student team, won first prize in the city's excellent student competition and was directly admitted to the English specialized class of Lao Cai High School for the Gifted.

After winning third prize in the provincial English competition and a silver medal in English in the Northern Coastal High School Competition in 10th grade, last year, Minh rose to second prize and a gold medal. In 11th grade, Minh also won second prize in the national English competition and an IELTS score of 8.0. He is currently on the school's national team and will compete in January 2024.

According to Minh, the secret to learning English effectively is to stick with reality. The male student often reads English newspapers such as CNN, BBC, and watches documentaries. While listening and watching, Minh learns pronunciation and how to use words in different situations. At first, he puts on Vietnamese subtitles, then switches to English to check the words he hasn't heard, then gradually removes the subtitles. At home, Minh often stands in front of the mirror talking about different topics to practice his reflexes.

From the lower levels, Minh focused on learning grammar so that when he reached high school, he could apply it fluently to exercises. Normally, when learning grammar, learners have two ways: learning by formula, then rewriting and looking up the dictionary. Minh believes that the second way is more effective, helping to build a solid foundation. When looking up the dictionary, learners will learn about pronunciation, word types, different meanings, usage in each case and word combinations.

"This way of learning takes time at first, but gradually, you will have a rich vocabulary and know how to use it in different contexts," Minh said.

Ms. Do Ngoc Hoa, homeroom teacher of the 12th grade English class, said that Minh was the first student in the school to achieve such a high SAT score. The boy is hard-working, determined and has a high spirit of self-study. Besides English, Minh is also good at other subjects, especially Math and Literature.

"Minh is always the leader in class. As long as he is given direction, he will enthusiastically dig deeper into his thoughts and learn on his own. Minh is quiet, modest and has a talent for English," Ms. Hoa shared.

With his achievements, Minh has secured a place at a domestic university. The male student is rushing to complete his essay and extracurricular activity profile to apply for a scholarship to study in the US next year.

"I plan to study social sciences. In the immediate future, I will try to improve my performance in the upcoming national excellent student exam," Minh said.

Dawn

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