Biology remarking makes DSE student one of Hong Kong’s 25 top scorers

A Form Six student in Hong Kong has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming one of the top 25 scorers in this year's university entrance exams, thanks to an upgraded biology grade after requesting a remark. Sunny Sun Wat-ching, an 18-year-old from NT Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School, initially scored Level 5 in all subjects except biology, a subject in which she often excelled.

Initially, Sunny was content with her Level 5 in biology, hoping the remark would improve it to Level 5. However, she was astonished when she received her results last month, realizing she had achieved top grades in all her other subjects too. As a "super top scorer," Sunny also excelled in mathematics, Chinese and English language, chemistry, biology, and history, as well as attaining in citizenship and social development.

Most DSE subjects are graded on a seven-level scale, from Level 1 to Level 5. Sunny had already been granted direct entry into the University of Hong Kong's Distinguished MedScholar track thanks to her exceptional talent in medicine. She credited her success to her habit of reading aloud and her school's English debate team, which boosted her confidence and speech construction skills.

Sun's academic success was also due to her primary school teacher's emphasis on personal responsibility, which she carried into her high school studies. Despite not enrolling in tutoring classes, Sunny took mock exams to gauge her performance against her peers. In addition to her academic achievements, Sunny serves as chairwoman of her school's student association and was a member of the flag guard, qualities that led to her nomination for the direct admission scheme.