Tuhia he haere tonu mo tenei whitianga - I te tau 2012, i whakawhiwhia a So ki te karahipi mai i te Whare Wananga o Webster, koina tana hononga mo nga tau e rua me te hawhe i mua i tana noho hei tohunga ngaio. I te marama o Akuhata 2012, ka heke a So ki te United States. I te marama o Hepetema 2012, i angitu a So i te waahi tuatahi i te Quebec International, ka eke ki te 71⁄2/9, he hawhe tohu i mua o Lazaro Bruzon me te 40th Chess Olympiad
I whakawātea ia ki ngā kaitākaro taumata tiketike maha, tae atu ki a Levon Aronian, nāna i whakaahua a So hei "kaiwhakaari pūmanawa mai i tētahi whenua whai ahurea hōiho nui".