This remarkable result led many to call him a “super genius.” With the perfect score, plus his 9 score on the preliminary math exam, Minh’s total score was 29, much higher than the cutoff score of 19.5 to be admitted to the high school for the gifted.

Minh said he regretted not being able to completely solve the Math exam in the first round.

“During the first round, when dealing with the final geometry and combinatorics questions, I only had initial ideas but couldn’t fully solve them. I spent time thinking about them at home and eventually solved them, so I felt regret for not solving them during the exam,” Minh said.

Nguyen Thi Tho, Minh’s mother, said she was delighted but not too surprised by the result. “After the exam, Minh checked questions and answers, and said he did well. I encouraged him, saying a 10 would be great, but a small mistake would be normal.”

Tho is happy as her son loves math and studies it for joy. “Because he loves it, Minh doesn’t seem tired when studying math. For him, learning maths is just like eating daily meals. My husband and I just ensure he has a quiet space to study,” Tho said.

His parents did not prevent Minh from using phones or computers. In fact, Tho bought him a computer and phone in grade 6. “Minh doesn’t use them to play games or do anything other than study,” Tho explained.

Minh revealed that with math, he doesn’t study to compete with others, but just to satisfy his passion and love. He spends a few hours every day to review lessons in class and seek new math problems in forums and math groups.

Before exams, Minh often takes a day to consolidate his knowledge and exam techniques to perform at his best. During the exam, he focuses on solving basic questions thoroughly and quickly to save time for challenging, high-level problems.

Tho said her son is highly disciplined and sets his own rules.

Minh is self-motivated and studies independently but doesn’t stay up too late. “No matter what he does, he goes to bed at 11 pm at the latest to be ready for the next day,” she said.

“He is a special boy, very responsible, and we’ve never had to scold or remind him about anything. From childhood until now, he’s never been late for school,” Tho said.

Tho noted that Minh is calm, mature, and always ready to help friends. In class, he’s an exemplary and responsible deputy academic monitor while remaining humble. Last summer, Nhat Minh initiated a class to tutor those aiming for the specialized math exam.

Vo Quoc Ba Can, a math teacher who taught Nhat Minh, said he is hardworking, serious, and meticulous. “In class, he always concentrates on solving problems thoroughly. He especially enjoys tackling difficult problems and persists in thinking about them. While many students give up on tough problems, Minh can spend a lot of time on them,” Can said. 

“He also learns quickly. After I explain theory, he can apply it well, and with additional practice, he can solve many problems, except for the extremely difficult ones. He’s also great at self-studying,” Can added.

Nhat Minh has won numerous math awards and medals, with a collection of about 50 medals and prizes. Notable achievements include two gold medals at the “World Mathematics Team Championship - WMTC,” first place in the International Talent Math Competition (ITMC) in grade 7, and more.

In grade 8, Nhat Minh competed in the city-level math competition and won second prize. In grade 9, he took first prize in the city-level math competition.

In addition to learning, Nhat Minh spends time on sports. He regularly plays badminton, participates in class activities, and plays chess well.

Currently, Minh is awaiting results from two other exams - the entrance exam to the high school for the gifted under the Hanoi University of Education, and the official high school entrance exam organized by the Hanoi Department of Education. He leans toward the high school for the gifted under the two prestigious universities.

Thanh Hung