Pham Le Ha An, a 12th grader at St. Paul American International School Hanoi, recently received early admission to Cornell University. This is one of the 8 Ivy League universities - the elite group of the United States, and is ranked 16th in the world's best university rankings according to QS 2025.

Studying in an international environment since childhood, Ha An was interested in learning about different languages ​​and cultures. The more she learned, the more interested and curious she became. In addition to English, since middle school, Ha An began to learn Chinese and Japanese on her own.

Because of her passion for these languages, An learned very naturally, mainly through watching movies, listening to music and communicating. Thanks to that, the female student from Hanoi can use all 3 languages ​​fluently.

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Pham Le Ha An was admitted to Cornell University early. (Photo: NVCC)

Officially starting to prepare her study abroad application in the middle of 11th grade, Ha An believes that American universities want to know candidates through their true personalities from different perspectives, not just through certificates, awards, and school results.

Therefore, throughout her application, the female student “convinced” the admissions board by showing that she had determined her path very early and was passionate about the major she wanted to pursue. Most of Ha An’s extracurricular activities stemmed from her passion for economics.

For example, in terms of academics, Ha An often chooses to study economics-related subjects such as Microeconomics and Macroeconomics and always maintains a perfect GPA in class. The female student also participated in research at the Cambridge International Research Center in the summer of grade 11 with a topic revolving around macroeconomic factors affecting foreign investment in Vietnam.

Besides, Ha An also carries out some projects such as teaching economics in summer camp, selling tea and clothes to raise funds, managing finances in the school's student council...

Not only passionate about economics, Ha An also expresses herself in many different aspects. The female student loves piano, likes karate, has participated in many competitions and performances at home and abroad.

“When I was filling out my application, I simply thought that I should just be myself and tell my own story. That would show the admissions committee how I had grown and changed step by step,” said Ha An.

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Ha An likes karate (Photo: NVCC)

Regarding essays, Ha An acknowledged that many people often try to write in a “grand and polished” way, but that makes the writing lack personality and easily shows inauthenticity. “For example, being a high school student but expressing opinions on scientific integrity. This is a bit too much and inappropriate,” Ha An said.

At first, the female student also had difficulty because she did not know what topic to choose and how to write. But then, Ha An thought that if she did not start writing the first draft, she would not produce the final version. Therefore, An decided to write everything in her head and set a time frame to complete each part of the essay.

From these materials, the female student selected the details that most clearly expressed her personality to include in her essay. In the essay sent to Cornell University, An chose to write about her relationship with her family and how she solved difficulties and overcame obstacles to become the person she is today.

Overall, Ha An sees her profile as quite diverse, demonstrating both leadership ability and excellence in academics and extracurricular activities.

“I think I made an impression because the school knew more about me than just being a student with good grades and achievements.”

One lesson Ha An learned after applying for studying abroad is “be yourself”. “Don’t show off, you have to be truly passionate about your chosen major and the activities you do, because only passion can make your application ‘touch’ the admissions board”, Ha An said.

This August, An will begin her journey to study abroad. Interested in the field of international trade and economics, Ha An hopes to delve deeper into this field while studying in the US, then apply for internships in organizations and businesses to gain expertise and experience.

In addition, the female student also aims to continue studying for a master's degree in international economic law after graduation. "I hope to return to Vietnam to work in the field of international trade, helping Vietnamese businesses, especially startups, grow stronger thanks to foreign investment," An said.

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