For the second consecutive year, Po Leung Kuk Tang Yuk Tien College in Tuen Mun has nurtured another top scorer, achieving six 5**s with no extra tutoring but pure self-discipline.
The top scorer, Sammi Lee Sum-yi, is the school’s first female student to become a top scorer. She also attained 5* in Module 2 of the Mathematics Extended Part.
Currently attending a two-month summer program under the 2025 Harvard Book Prize scholarship, Lee was not in Hong Kong to collect her results. Her mother and sister received the results notice on her behalf.
Speaking to reporters via video call this morning, Lee said although she had considered applying to overseas universities, she decided to stay in Hong Kong because of high tuition fees and her reluctance to leave family and friends. She is now aiming to study medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Lee said she hopes to become a doctor who treats patients with empathy, after observing that public hospital consultations are often limited by time constraints.
Asked about recent controversy involving an intern doctor, Lee said the case served as a reminder that fame should not be the priority, adding that she would take it as a cautionary example as she prepares to enter the medical profession.
Despite the popularity of tutorial schools, Lee stopped taking private tutoring in Form Three. She cited the financial burden on her family, the school’s sufficient learning resources and her preference for flexible self-study over fixed schedules.
On artificial intelligence tools, Lee said she had found inaccuracies in some answers and preferred seeking direct guidance from teachers when she had questions.
She also shared her “stand-up study” method to avoid dozing off during long revision days. Her daily routine included up to eight hours of study, with mornings reserved for memorization and afternoons and evenings for past papers. She also kept a strict midnight bedtime.
To manage stress, Lee made time for daily badminton or table tennis breaks with family and friends.
She credited her results to the support of her teachers, who offered guidance even late at night, as well as her classmates and family, who accompanied her through the intense exam preparation period.
Outside the exam room, Lee is also a football fan. With the World Cup taking place in a favorable time zone, she has been following England and Harry Kane, and hopes England can win the tournament.
Lee’s mother said the result came as a surprise, but recalled that her daughter had always enjoyed reading English literature and works by Hong Kong authors. Her sister said their parents adopted a relaxed approach, often encouraging Lee to go out instead of staying home to study.
Principal Lau Tsz-chung praised Lee as both an outstanding student and a member of the school’s table tennis team, saying her experience showed the importance of balance beyond academics.
“Extracurricular activities teach students interpersonal skills, emotional control, and stress management for exam stability,” he said.
The school also produced a “super top scorer” last year, Wong Wang-chi, making this the second consecutive year it has nurtured a DSE top scorer.
