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Joseph He ’25 Achieves a Perfect Score on the British TMUA Exam

Academics
GNS Grade 12 Student Joseph He is pictured here

It’s safe to say that Joseph He ’25 has always been interested in Math. From a young age, the reasoning behind the subject appealed to him, and his aptitude for it has been celebrated ever since he arrived at GNS in Grade 7.

“I started competitive Math in Grade 4. I was really young and I found it interesting because it was so logical and you have a sense of certainty” he explains. “I enjoy the process of finding a pattern in abstract things.” He has since gone on to succeed in contests like the University of Waterloo’s Euclid Mathematics Contest, where as a Grade 10 student, he was the overall top scorer from GNS. He also received a 97% score on a University of British Columbia calculus exam while only in Grade 10.

Last year in Grade 11, Joseph received the Silver Award in the Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge, and as a result, was invited to the Canadian Mathematical Olympiad. Only around 60 Grade 11 and 12 students are invited every year.

Having applied to the prestigious computer science program at the University of Cambridge, Joseph recently wrote the Test of Mathematics for University Admission and achieved a remarkable result—a perfect score! Only about 1% of students who write this exam obtain a full score, according to Joseph’s homeform advisor and former Math teacher Mr. Pat Giommi, who describes Joseph as “the smartest kid I’ve ever taught in 30+ years of teaching.”

Joseph feels he had a leg up on the TMUA, as some of the calculus problems were already covered in the International Baccalaureate curriculum, and his teachers at GNS helped him connect the dots. His IB Mathematics teacher and Mathematics Co-Head Ms. Meriel Hughes describes Joseph as an exceptional student, who is incredibly respectful, humble, and grounded about his skill set. 

He has continuously gone above and beyond to succeed in his chosen subject, including helping to run the Math Club, which offers GNS students opportunities to participate in individual and team competitions throughout the year. Over the Midterm Break, Joseph came back to the GNS campus to write a Stanford University multivariable calculus exam (which Ms. Hughes highlighted is actually second or third year university level material!). 

Outside of the classroom, Joseph gives back to the community by assisting other students with Math both informally and through the Math Help Centre. He is noted as being exceptionally patient and empathetic while explaining concepts. Joseph advises younger students to ensure that their foundational knowledge in Math is strong, as when you understand the process fully, you have less to memorize.

Needless to say, Joseph is also incredibly well-rounded, taking four other IB classes in addition to IB Mathematics and participating in the school’s badminton and basketball teams. As a perfect example of Joseph’s commitment to service learning (as well as creativity!), he created an Etsy store to sell his works of calligraphy, with all proceeds going to the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association.

Well-respected by his peers and GNS staff alike, the GNS Math faculty is sad to see Joseph leave, but very excited for his future. Ms. Hughes says that “He’s going to be able to do whatever he wants. I hope he’ll find his niche and that he gets the support and mentorship that he will benefit most from, and allow him to fully realize his potential.” Mr. Giommi shares that he “will excel at whatever he chooses!” 

Joseph has applied to 14 different leading universities in the UK and the United States and hopes to study computer science and/or applied mathematics. He looks forward to university life while also recognizing how hard it will be to leave GNS. Although he is undecided as to where wants to end up next year, Mr. Giommi shared that “any of those schools will be very lucky to have him, because he will just make that school shine.” 

We are very proud of Joseph and our entire Class of 2025 and look forward to celebrating them further this year!