Pinja Valanta earns Finland’s top autumn exam score

Pinja Valanta, a student at Kauriala Upper Secondary School in Hämeenlinna, earned nine laudatur grades in this autumn’s matriculation exams, the highest score in the country. Her diploma totalled 63 points, Yle reported.

Valanta, who is from Janakkala, said the result was still a surprise despite early indications that she had done well. About 4,800 students are graduating this autumn, around 200 fewer than last autumn. More will graduate once they complete outstanding studies, according to the Matriculation Examination Board.

Valanta studied almost every day to prepare for the exams. She completed upper secondary school in three and a half years and split her exams across three sittings, taking two subjects in the first, four in the second and three in the last.

Her favourite subjects have been chemistry, biology and psychology. She has also competed in mathematics at national level and took part in the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics in Germany two years ago.

Valanta plans to apply to study medicine next autumn, though she has not ruled out other options. She says she enjoys customer service and could see herself working as a doctor in Hämeenlinna or Janakkala. Outside school, she skis in winter and runs, goes to the gym and swims in summer.