Minh Tri conquered Harvard by writing about his passion for math and how to use math to practice art in his essays.
Le Vu Minh Tri, grade 12 Math 1, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, received notice of admission to the Math major at Harvard University on March 29.
"The Harvard newsletter came up with the word 'Congratulations!' "In bold, my dad and I jumped for joy," Tri recounted the moment he heard the news.
According to QS 's 2024 rankings, Harvard University is ranked 4th in the world, with tuition fees of more than 54,000 USD (over 1.3 billion VND) per year. After deducting financial aid, Tri's family only has to pay 5,000 USD per year.
Le Vu Minh Tri. Photo: Character provided
The male student started preparing his study abroad application in April 2023. Tri said he was quite confused at first, despite researching and synthesizing a lot of information online. Thanks to winning a spot in a free study abroad consulting program, Tri's difficulties gradually eased.
In terms of study, Tri won second prize in the city's excellent student competition in grade 9. After winning the encouragement prize in the national excellent math competition in grade 11, this year he rose to second prize. Tri also scored 8.5 and 1,550/1,600 on the IELTS and SAT (standardized tests used for university admission in the US), respectively.
The male student and his friends also researched Non-Euclidean Geometry, which was presented at the Institute of Mathematics on March 28. Their synthesis was published in Pi magazine, a mathematics magazine for high school students.
Harvard University requires applicants to write a major essay and five supplementary essays. The student chose to write about "an achievement, event, or realization that sparked a new stage of maturity and understanding of oneself or others" for his 650-word major essay.
An article about a middle school boy who was overwhelmed when his mother took him to visit an exhibition of plastic art made from sugar materials. Tri realized that he could use Math to practice art.
"The story is a lesson in growing up in the awareness of the things I value and want to pursue in the future: discovering my creative abilities, working seriously and inspiring the community," Tri said.
This is also the message that runs through the remaining essays of the Ams student. In the first supplementary essay, with the requirement to tell about the experiences that shaped the current person and the ability to contribute to Harvard, Tri wrote about the process of practicing paper folding and designing tile patterns with his friends. Using mathematical knowledge, the group improved the accuracy and aesthetics of the work.
From there, Tri believes that at Harvard, he can find like-minded friends who share his passion for research, creativity and discovering new things.
In the second essay, asking about important intellectual experiences, Tri shared the time he accidentally read a book on the history of Mathematics by Dr. Le Quang Anh. The book gave him a fresh perspective on Mathematics through the lens of history, culture, philosophy, and religion from ancient Greece. This inspired Tri to blog about Mathematics in relation to diverse topics.
"I want Harvard to feel the person who loves reading, thinking and researching Mathematics in a multidimensional way," the male student said.
Tri chose to write about the project "Where Math meets Art" he initiated for his third essay on the activities that shaped him.
The male student said that he has organized many sessions to guide secondary school students to use algorithms to fold origami paper; draw fractals on macarons; introduce the concept of symmetry through tile art or tell mathematical stories associated with the polyhedron symbol. Tri believes that this is a way for students to approach mathematics in a more fun way.
The fourth essay asked Tri how he hopes to utilize his Harvard education in the future. The student expressed his pride in the high school he has attended since middle school. After 7 years of studying there, he realized that the ability to inspire teachers and friendships at Ams fit his personality and way of thinking. This helped shape who he is today, not the reputation of the school.
Like Ams, Tri believes that Harvard will also be the place where he can wholeheartedly pursue and develop academic knowledge.
The final essay asks Tri The most important thing I want my future roommates to know about me. The male student said that he is always looking for a common passion for Math; likes visual arts and learns about cultural differences.
In the only interview round, the male student met a Harvard alumni. The examiner did not ask many questions, just listened to Tri share his love of learning Mathematics and what he had accomplished.
"Thanks to that, I have the opportunity to express myself and have a better impression of the school," Tri shared.
Tri guides students to fold origami. Photo: Character provided
Mr. Nguyen Trung Tuan, the homeroom teacher of Grade 12 Math 1, commented that his students have a special passion for Math. However, Tri is not the type of student who focuses on competitions to win prizes.
With each assignment, Tri always considers it a problem that needs to be researched and seriously studied. The male student tries every way to find the answer, with interesting and unique solutions.
From his experience, Tri believes that the important thing when applying to American universities is to do thorough research to assess your own suitability for the school. The male student is currently submitting additional documents to request additional financial aid. In an email, the school said it will provide it according to the family's needs.
"Do what you are passionate about creatively, persistently, and express that sincerely throughout your application," Tri said. "I plan to pursue a career in Mathematics."
Dawn
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