Essay on 'climbing Chua Chan mountain' helps male student majoring in Chemistry from Dong Nai get accepted to 16 American universities

Portrait of Pham Nguyen Hoang Quan, a male student admitted to 16 American universities. Photo: NVCC

Among the 16 American universities that I was accepted to, there was the University of Notre Dame, which ranked 18th in the list of best universities in the United States (according to US News). And the special thing is that the essay that helped me reach the gates of those prestigious schools started from a time when I got a cramp while climbing Chua Chan mountain.

The University of Notre Dame is ranked among the top 10 most beautiful universities in the United States by Times Higher Education Student. Photo: Facebook University of Notre Dame

At the end of 11th grade, Hoang Quan's whole class went on a trip to Chua Chan mountain for an experience. We thought this was just a simple memory of our school days, but unexpectedly that experience became a valuable "material" for Hoang Quan's impressive university essay.

Hoang Quan shared that Chua Chan mountain peak is about 800m high, for someone who has climbed Fansipan and Mount Fuji like him, conquering Chua Chan mountain peak is not too difficult. He did not think that his hometown mountain peak at that time would be a tough challenge for him.

While climbing halfway, Quan's leg cramped, leaving him exhausted. Feeling faint, Quan sat down, out of breath. At that time, the whole class had reached the top of the mountain, only the homeroom teacher was behind to support Quan. Faced with the choice of giving up or continuing, Quan chose to be determined to complete and conquer his mountain climbing journey.

However, because his legs were too painful due to cramps, he had to choose to... crawl. At this time, Quan's hands held onto the rocks and with the support of his teacher, he gradually, step by step advanced to the top of the mountain. That was the moment Hoang Quan deeply felt what it meant to overcome his own limits.

Quan wrote this story as an essay during the summer of 11th and 12th grade, around June 2024, and sent it to American universities. A week before the application deadline, his essay was judged as “not impressive enough”. Therefore, Quan decided to rewrite it from the beginning, telling the story of climbing the mountain again in the most honest, unpretentious but emotional way. And it was that honesty and emotion that convinced the admissions committee.

The sweet result of that challenging mountain climbing trip was from January 2025 to April 2025, in just over 3 months, Hoang Quan has received acceptance notices from 16 American universities.

"I think the essay doesn't necessarily have to tell a big story, but it can be about the difficulties you've faced, how you overcame them to show your true ability to adapt, mature and be resilient, then it will naturally be convincing" - Quan shared.

In addition to the special essay, male student Pham Nguyen Hoang Quan also achieved 7.5 IELTS, 1470/1600 SAT. Extracurricular activities are also "bright spots" in Quan's application. He regularly organizes and participates in community activities, shares knowledge about nutritious meals for children in mountainous areas, supports volunteer work at Children's Hospital 1, and plays with children at the hospital.

Hoang Quan is always enthusiastic about participating in community activities. Photo: NVCC

From a student who once intended to give up in the middle of a steep cliff, Quan is now ready to continue his university journey in the US, pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor. Before leaving to study abroad, he planned to conquer Chua Chan Mountain again.

Minh Hanh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/giao-duc/202504/bai-luan-ve-leo-nui-chua-chan-giup-nam-sinh-chuyen-hoa-dong-nai-trung-tuyen-16-truong-dai-hoc-my-dea252f/