The essay, written in English, suggested solutions to improve Hanoi's air pollution, helping Tung conquer the world's 5th-ranked university.
Nguyen Duc Tung, a 12th-grade student specializing in French at the High School for Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, submitted 31 applications for this year's US college admissions season. He received 10 acceptance letters, including one from Stanford University.
"It feels like a dream," Tung said, adding that even two days after learning the results, he still occasionally opens the school's letter to check.
According to QS 2024, Stanford ranks 5th in the world, with tuition fees exceeding $65,000 (over 1.6 billion VND) per year.
Nguyen Duc Tung took his graduation photo at school in January. Photo: Provided by the subject.
The male student said that his family had considered him studying abroad, but only at the master's level. During the summer of his tenth grade year, Tung met many former students of the school and was inspired to start his own path.
Tung's biggest challenge is time management. The busiest time is the summer of his 11th grade year when he's studying for his B1 French certificate, improving his SAT score (a standardized test used for college admissions in the US), taking the IELTS exam, and participating in extracurricular activities, charity work, and research.
"Everything piled up. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed," Tung recounted, adding that at times he felt stressed and unable to concentrate, his mind wandering to other tasks while he was working on one. He used Google Calendar (a time management app) to create to-do lists on his phone. Thanks to this, he knew what to prioritize and achieved his goals of an 8.5 IELTS score, a SAT score of 1540/1600, and a B1 level in French.
Through extracurricular activities and research papers, Tung has decided to focus on the theme of environmental and community protection. This is also the passion of Tung's maternal grandfather - Chu Duc Khai, an expert in casting, metallurgy, and the environment, who is very actively involved.
"I've always admired him and I also want to do meaningful work like that," Tung said.
After reading about the mass fish deaths in Nghe An or the air pollution in Hanoi, Tung thought about contributing to improving the situation. He searched for research papers on air pollution or urban development on Google Scholar to learn more. In June 2023, Tung wrote an article on solutions to combat air pollution in Hanoi, under the guidance of a mentor at Oxford University.
When Tùng first wrote a research paper in English, he was confused by the many technical terms. Many parts were difficult to understand, so he translated them into Vietnamese and asked his grandfather and father for explanations. Occasionally, his grandfather offered professional advice, suggested materials, and provided comments and feedback.
Five months later, the article was published in an English-language environmental journal. The student suggested several solutions, such as planting trees and adopting modern waste treatment technologies from Europe instead of the current incineration method. He also assessed the suitability and unsuitability of these solutions in relation to the characteristics of the capital city.
Tung has also been a member of the Striped Project since 10th grade, organizing events such as collecting paper, clothes, and books to raise awareness about environmental protection and recycling. They also organize fairs and sell used items to raise funds to buy gifts for students in disadvantaged schools. In addition, the male student participates in tree planting activities on Cat Hai Island, Hai Phong.
Finally, Tung began writing nine essays. Stanford required eight supplemental essays, ranging from 50 to 250 words. The student found the most challenging task for him was writing a letter to his future roommate, so that they and the admissions committee could learn more about him.
"The challenge is that I'm not really writing for a friend, but for the admissions committee. I have to maintain a professional writing style while also expressing my personal personality," Tung acknowledged. In his essay, Tung mentioned that he enjoys meeting new people and talking to them. For example, every time he takes a taxi, he often chats with the driver, learning about their past experiences with restaurants or stock market investments.
Tung also talked about his passion for photography and videography. At Stanford, he hopes to capture many beautiful photos of sunsets or interesting things at school, such as the professors' handwriting on the blackboard.
At the end of the letter were "interesting facts," Tùng shared that he has a playlist of 700 songs, covering all genres. The student said that he is always open to new ideas, not only in music, but also in people and other environments.
"The admissions committee had seven other essays to evaluate me on, so in this one I showed my approachable, articulate, and humorous personality," Tung shared.
Additionally, Tung was impressed by an essay prompt that asked him to list five important things in just 50 words. The student had to carefully consider and revise his choice of words several times to find a concise yet meaningful answer. The things important to Tung included family and cats; community and relationships; storage capacity; watching the sunset; and Google Sheets.
Tung (center, back row) and his friends collecting paper in Hanoi in October 2023. Photo: Provided by the subject .
Dr. Dang Ngoc Khuong, homeroom teacher of class 12C, wrote the letter of recommendation for Tung. Dr. Khuong said that his student is always full of positive energy, intelligent, and has high willpower and determination.
"Tung is always proactive and diligent in his study abroad plans," his teacher said, noting that his GPA is 9.4. In class, Tung connects with his classmates through various activities, often taking photos and videos to capture memorable moments.
Based on his experience, Tung believes that candidates should start early to avoid being overwhelmed. Extracurricular activities should have their own unique character and align with their chosen field of study. Additionally, the ideal time to complete certificates and standardized tests is in 11th grade.
The male student will be traveling to the US in August to enroll in Stanford's Environmental Science program.
"I plan to pursue a master's degree and return to Vietnam to work in this field," Tung said.
Dawn
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