Vietnamese female student wins 8.5 billion VND scholarship to top US university thanks to diving talent
Báo Dân trí•17/12/2024
(Dan Tri) - Phi Ngoc Lam Uyen, a student at Olympia Inter-level School, has just received an acceptance letter from Dartmouth, one of the 8 oldest elite private universities in the United States, with a scholarship package of 336,000 USD for 4 years of study.
At 3 a.m. on December 14, Phi Ngoc Lam Uyen woke up to the sound of her alarm clock. That was the time Dartmouth University promised to release the results of its early admissions. Uyen turned on her computer, checked her email and the school's website, but there was no notification. She turned off her computer and went back to sleep. At 5:30 a.m., the female student woke up and checked her email again. This time, the words "Congratulation" appeared. Those were the opening words of an admission notice. Uyen was so happy she wanted to scream, but she was still aware that it was only 5:30 a.m. "I don't know how to describe my feelings at that time. I just know that I was very, very happy. Dartmouth is my dream school," Uyen said. Phi Ngoc Lam Uyen - student of Olympia Inter-level High School (Photo: NVCC). Initially, Uyen did not intend to aim for Dartmouth because she thought it was a far-fetched goal. With an acceptance rate of only about 5.3%, Dartmouth is one of the 10 most difficult universities to get into out of more than 4,000 universities in the US. However, with the advice and persuasion of Mr. Nguyen Chi Hieu, Academic Director of Olympia High School, who believed that Uyen had all the qualities that this top 8 Ivy League school needed, she was determined to conquer it. When applying for early admission to US schools, Uyen also applied to 2 other top Ivy League schools, Brown and Columbia, but her top choice was still Dartmouth. According to regulations, candidates who are accepted to a school first must attend that school. Luckily for Uyen, Dartmouth announced the results of the first ED (early admission) round to her. Uyen received a financial support package of 84,000 USD/year, equivalent to 336,000 USD for 4 years of study (about more than 8.5 billion VND). Lam Uyen (second from right) and classmates (Photo: NVCC). Talking about the reason for being accepted to Dartmouth, Uyen said that what makes her different from other candidates is her interest in adventure sports such as scuba diving and archery. In the history of admissions, Dartmouth really likes candidates with an adventurous spirit to integrate into the school culture. Uyen learned to scuba dive at the age of 12, on a trip with her family to Phu Quoc and her mother invited her to play this difficult sport. At first, Uyen had difficulty controlling her buoyancy. But she liked it more and more because she could see the strange world under the sea. Every year, going to the sea two or three times, Uyen spends time scuba diving all day. Uyen included the story of her interest in scuba diving in her essay. Starting from a somewhat introverted girl, how did her worldview change when she was submerged in the ocean and saw both worlds: one world on land and one world underwater? The female student's thoughts on two worlds, on the journey of inner discovery and self-development starting from diving underwater and going ashore, courageously removing her shell and opening herself up to different things. Uyen's essay also shares her passion for writing. Currently, Uyen has many manuscripts of fantasy novels in English and plans to develop them into complete works. The creative writing workshop project Writing Through (initiated by American writer Sue) that Uyen organized for nearly 100 high school students in the North is also a highlight in her profile. Lam Uyen is one of the youngest candidates in Vietnam to achieve 8.5 IELTS while in 8th grade (Photo: NVCC). Academically, Uyen scored 1,540 on the SAT. Three years ago, when she was in 8th grade, Uyen was one of the youngest candidates in Vietnam to score 8.5 on the IELTS. She is completing the 12th grade IB program with a maximum predicted score of 45/45. Normally, with an IB score of around 35, one can apply for scholarships to top schools in the US. During her 3 years of high school, Uyen pursued her passion for scientific research. She co-authored a publication in the Q2 category studying the effects of fertilizers on the chemical components of basil essential oil. In 10th grade, Uyen won 2 international science and technology gold medals, notably the research on the application of 3D printing methods in the production of chips simulating human physiological organs for use in medical laboratories and teaching. This project of Uyen's surpassed more than 600 candidates to win the gold prize in Silicon Valley, USA. Uyen's career orientation is in the field of biochemistry. She is also particularly interested in studying human psychology from the perspective of brain science. Therefore, Uyen's goal at Dartmouth is to further her major in psychology. The interesting thing about the Vietnamese student who was admitted to Dartmouth is her hobby of playing the traditional bamboo flute. Uyen has studied bamboo flute since she was young and once entered the second round of an international music festival in Hong Kong. Dr. Le Thi Tram Huong - in charge of academics for Olympia's Integrated Program, Lam Uyen's advisor - said that Lam Uyen has excellent academic ability with a comprehensive record of achievements in many subjects such as math, biology, languages, and research in domestic and international competitions. "The most impressive thing for teachers and friends is my child's passion and love for learning, not just for grades. He can spend hours reading books and watching videos to learn about an issue that interests him. Teachers and experts of the program always appreciate his contributions of ideas in articles and discussions, showing uniqueness and difference, excelling in depth of thinking. However, he is very modest and simple. What I can do for him as an advisor in accordance with Olympia's educational philosophy is to encourage and remind him to be himself, be confident with his differences, and promote the special values and abilities he has," said Ms. Huong.
Comment (0)