Queen's College in Causeway Bay had the most top scorers, with two students getting seven 5**. St Paul's Co-Educational College and Good Hope School each had a student with seven 5** and one 5** for mathematics extended.
Among the top performers are two students from low-income families.
One of them, Terry Tsz Cho-ho, 17, studies at HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College in Tin Shui Wai. He grew up in the public housing estates of Tin Shui Wai.
Terry's mother works as an office assistant and his father is a lorry driver. Terry works part-time this summer to help companies move offices. He hopes his success can inspire the district's other students to do better.
Terry failed to enter an English-medium school six years ago, but he managed to switch to Lee Shau Kee, a direct subsidy school, where he was a top student.
He has won scholarships three times to cover his tuition. Terry says the key to getting good results is to read a lot and not limit your learning materials to textbooks alone. In his spare time, he reads classical Chinese books, novels and newspapers.
Another top scorer is Tsang Yee-wai, 18, who studies at CCC Heep Woh College.
"My success belongs not only to me, but also to my family, my teachers and my classmates," the 18-year-old said. Her father, a cook, is the only breadwinner in the family.
Yee-wai plans to follow in her older sister's footsteps to become a doctor. Yee-wai became a Red Cross volunteer when she was in Form Two.
TOP-SCORING STUDENTS
Seven 5** and one 5** on maths extended part
1. Cheng Yuet-yi, 18, Saint Paul's Co-Educational College
2. Angel Tsui Yan-ki, 18, Good Hope School
Seven 5**
3. Tsang Ka-hing, 18, Queen’s College
4. Christopher Chan Wang-hei, 19, Queen’s College
5. Terry Tsz Cho-ho, 17, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Lee Shau Kee College
6. Cheung Yik-in, 18, True Light Girl’s College
7. Christopher Sum Hiu-fung, 17, La Salle College
8. Erica Wong Nga-yee, 17, Ying Wa Girls’ School
9. Tsang Yee-wai , 18, The Church of Christ in China Heep Woh College
A map of the nine schools
View Top DSE scorers - SCMP, July 15, 2013 [photos] in a larger map