The 18-year-old female student's path to Harvard

Where there is effort, there is success.

Le Nguyen Nhat Ha (18 years old), from Da Nang, is a freshman majoring in computer science at Harvard University. However, when he first came to the US at the age of 9, Ha felt exhausted because his English level was only at the level of a kindergarten child.

The valedictorian in an inspirational speech at North Dallas High School (USA) PHOTO: NVCC

English became a barrier to everything, especially in studying. Ha said that she could not understand what people were saying and what they were learning. She was determined to read a lot of books and diligently watch and listen to a lot of videos and podcasts in English. After only one year, Ha's English level improved significantly.

However, she was still very self-conscious about her pronunciation. Ha was so shy that she rarely contributed constructive ideas in class. To help change herself and speak better every day, Ha signed up for debate activities in 8th grade.

Ha said that her teachers nominated her to represent the school in conferences since grade 10. Continuing her success, Ha conquered the top position at North Dallas High School (USA). This is the school where author Tex Avery, the "father" of the cartoon series Looney Tunes , attended and graduated in 1927. She has a GPA of 99.23/100 and is starting to get closer to her Harvard dream.

The determined journey to Harvard of a Vietnamese female student PHOTO: NVCC

“Admissions officers are looking for students who are good at something, not good at everything. I used my essay to connect all the activities I participated in and explain to my teachers how the experiences I gained from those activities helped me develop,” Ha shared.

Ha also added that during the interview, Ha did not care too much about telling about the achievements she had, because it was already written in her profile. Instead, Ha turned it into a conversation, sharing her hobbies of watching movies and Korean movies with her teachers. Through that, Ha skillfully expressed her thoughts and personality so that the admissions committee could understand more about the candidate.

From a girl who had difficulty with English, Ha became a freshman at Harvard University . PHOTO: NVCC

“When talking to teachers, Ha is Ha, not some machine that knows and is good at everything. Thanks to that, in addition to Harvard, I also got into Yale University, Columbia University and several other schools. I chose Harvard because of the full scholarship, location and curriculum. Harvard is close to many other schools, has STEM programs, liberal education... very suitable for me,” she shared.

At Harvard, she was fascinated by cybersecurity, a subject where students discussed the history and behind-the-scenes stories of computer hacks and malware. Although the assignments were heavy, the knowledge she gained was interesting and useful.

“I was so happy when I set foot in a class that you only know about from watching videos. Sitting directly in the lecture hall and listening to the professors lecture, I felt excited and interested. Harvard is great because the teachers always encourage students to create new ideas instead of just memorizing. Thanks to that, even though the formulas are dry, students can still understand deeply and apply them creatively,” Ha excitedly said.

The girl loves to study

Every day, Ha studies in the library for about 5-8 hours. Many friends tease her: "Living in the library and only visiting the dormitory when sleepy". However, the Vietnamese girl still believes that studying in an environment where everyone is good, you need to try harder every day. Sometimes Ha is a bit shy about asking teachers and classmates when she doesn't understand the lesson. However, while reading a book, Ha came across the saying: "Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It shows that you are willing to learn and that is a strength". This made her very satisfied.

So Ha decided to go to the library every day to ask questions, exchange ideas, and explain lessons to strangers. She found that raising ideas, asking questions, and seeking help were encouraged at this school.

In addition, Ha also actively does many types of exercises and searches for information online to consolidate her knowledge. To memorize vocabulary effectively, she often copies and spends a few minutes each day to review. The pace of teaching in class is fast, so before each lesson, Ha always prepares carefully by watching the lecture video and reading the documents to grasp the basic knowledge.

“I think understanding what you need to improve, finding new opportunities or asking for help will be good ways to help you overcome difficulties in your studies,” Ha said.

Currently, Ha also makes many videos to spread her learning method to everyone, so that the path to Harvard is more open to Vietnamese students. Ha believes that you should do what you like and not compare yourself to anyone.

“Many people try to participate in many extracurricular activities to make their resumes look better. However, participating in too many makes you feel exhausted. For me, all the activities listed in my resume are jobs that I love and feel happy to participate in. These are activities that help me enjoy life, instead of counting every second until it ends,” Ha said.

During the process of participating, comparing yourself to others is inevitable. However, Ha said that comparison will limit you and make you lose direction. She advised that everyone has their own pace and goals, just trying to do better every day is enough. Besides, you need to spend more time for yourself because time is limited, so don't waste it worrying. "Be free to do what you want," Ha advised.

Bernardo Velez Rico, an English language and literature teacher at North Dallas High School and a Stanford University alumnus, has nothing but praise for his student. According to him, Ha has a gift for creative writing, always impressing readers with its depth and originality. “I still remember an assignment that required students to write a five-sentence diary entry expressing their point of view for a character. Ha went beyond the requirement by three times, showing me the depth of her academic curiosity,” said Bernardo Velez Rico.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/duong-vao-harvard-cua-nu-sinh-18-tuoi-18524100219034458.htm