The owner of two gold medals at the Physics Olympiad won a full scholarship worth 9.3 billion VND, and was evaluated by MIT as one of the "most competitive candidates in history".
Vo Hoang Hai, a 12th grade Physics major at the High School for Gifted Students in Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, won a full scholarship from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on March 22.
"I received a scholarship of over 9.3 billion VND," Hai shared at a study abroad seminar on the afternoon of March 24.
MIT is currently the best university in the world, according to the QS rankings. The school is famous for its research and training in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
In the acceptance letter, the MIT representative wrote: "You are one of the most outstanding and potential students, and are among the most competitive group of applicants in the history of the academy." This school is more than 160 years old.
Hai said he applied to MIT's Physics program in the early admissions period, and usually gets the results by the end of December 2023. However, his application was "deferred" so he only received the results on March 15.
"I was confused when the results were returned late, but in the end, all my efforts were rewarded," Hai said.
Vo Hoang Hai at the experience sharing session on getting admitted to an American university, afternoon of March 24. Photo: Binh Minh
Hai is the owner of two gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), the first 10th grader in Vietnam to achieve this achievement. In addition, Hai achieved an average GPA of 9.9, IELTS 8.0 and SAT 1570/1600 points.
The Physics Golden Boy dreamed of becoming an MIT student after a 2015 trip to Boston, Massachusetts, when he was in fourth grade. The trip took Hai to visit many universities, including MIT. At a souvenir shop near the school, Hai bought a red stuffed lobster with the word Boston embroidered on it.
"That toy has been with me everywhere, reminding me of my dream of going to MIT to study Physics," Hai said. "The lobster also accompanied me in extracurricular activities when I applied to study abroad."
Hai started his application in July 2023. He admitted that he is an introvert and doesn't communicate much, so he has difficulty writing essays. In addition, although he uses English to study and listen to lectures, he rarely practices writing skills.
"I had difficulty expressing my ideas. Thanks to the advisors' guidance on appropriate topics, I completed the essay in about three months," Hai recalled.
According to Hai, MIT requires 5 essays. Each essay is under 250 words, so Hai must try to tell a concise story, expressing himself through experiences and lessons learned.
The first 100-word essay asks the candidate why he chose the major. The third essay is about the impact of life experiences on the candidate's dreams and aspirations. The male student acknowledges that he has had outstanding achievements, so the essay will not focus on competitions, but on his journey to pursue Physics.
Hai said that since he was a child, he liked reading books about science, astronomy, and social nature. In middle school, Hai started to pay more attention to Physics at school, and enjoyed experimenting and observing natural phenomena. In high school, Hai participated in major tournaments and had the opportunity to meet and compete with friends from all over the world.
"Love for Physics did not happen overnight. It was accumulated over many years, helping me become the person I am today," Hai explained.
Stuffed lobster, a souvenir Hoang Hai bought when he visited the US in 2015. Photo: Binh Minh
In the second essay, the school asked about an activity that Hai did just because he enjoyed it. Hai talked about how practicing Karate helped him relax after stressful hours of studying. Thanks to practicing this martial art, Hai also made many new friends.
In his fourth essay on collaborating with others, in about 200 words, Hai shares how he took music lessons in the hope of setting his mother’s poem to music. Through this, Hai learned how to express emotions through rhythm.
The final essay asked about how to handle unexpected challenges, and the male student mentioned the ATEC science and technology club for students in Hanoi. Hai said that he used to be a "bookworm" and only spent time studying. When he became the head of ATEC, he encountered many difficulties but gradually learned how to manage and coordinate work.
In addition to the essay, Hai also focuses on extracurricular activities. Hai believes that if he focuses on quantity, he will lose his personal style, so he only focuses on two projects: the "Shrimp Goes to School" Scholarship Fund and ATEC.
"I want to not only study well and understand science, but also apply those things to help people around me," Hai shared.
The "Shrimp Goes to School" scholarship fund was established by Hai in early 2023, a few months after attending IPhO and receiving many awards. Having met many good students but in difficult circumstances, Hai wondered why not create opportunities for them to pursue their passions, demonstrate their talents so that they can contribute to society in the future.
Hai used the image of a stuffed shrimp as the symbol of his scholarship fund because it represents his dream of going to MIT. The scholarships are a combination of Hai’s own bonuses and contributions from his family and relatives. At the end of last year, Hai supported about 50 elementary and middle school students in Tuong Duong, Nghe An, with textbooks, notebooks, pens, and 50% of their tuition.
With the ATEC club, last year, Hai and his friends carried out a technology project to support people with hand disabilities. The image of the lobster continued to appear at ATEC, with the meaning of persistently pursuing dreams.
Hai (middle) shares his experience at a study abroad seminar on the afternoon of March 24. Photo: Binh Minh
Mr. Tran Dac Minh Trung, Deputy General Director of American Study, said that MIT is the most competitive school, the rate of international students admitted is only about 2%. To get into MIT, students must be excellent in academics, family culture, moral and social background.
"Hai's profile is strong in all three of these areas," he commented. "Hai has a very clear MIT color: a scientist but still interesting through the image of Tom going to school and romantic through setting poetry to music."
Hai will go to the US to study next August. He hopes to pursue a research career after graduation and continue to develop the scholarship fund to help more poor students.
Dawn
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