Amherst College, which Trang Linh has just been admitted to, is located in Massachusetts, USA; ranked 2nd in the ranking of the best liberalarts colleges in the US (National Liberal Arts Colleges) in 2025.

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Nguyen Trang Linh (grade 12, Olympia High School) was very happy to be accepted to Amherst College. Photo: Thanh Hung

In addition to this school, the female student was also accepted into two other universities in the US with scholarships of equivalent value. Before that, she conquered the SAT with a score of 1,540 and IELTS with a score of 8.5.

Linh believes that her application impressed the admissions committee perhaps because she showed herself to be curious, inquisitive, and colorful in her research - suitable for the characteristics of a liberal arts university environment.

“In my application, I also mentioned factors such as performing in musicals at school, participating in research or projects related to history, policies on innovation, diplomacy , and economics of Vietnam. I think the combination of my passion for research and my diverse colors helped my application attract the attention of the council,” Linh shared.

In her main essay, Trang Linh mentioned the reason why she likes political and social issues, and also talked about how since childhood she liked listening to stories and experiences of people in the neighborhood about each period. Those things made her gradually interested in the country's issues and policies.

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Trang Linh loves to explore new things. Photo: NVCC

Regarding learning methods, Trang Linh said that allocating and making the most of time is very important. “Every day in class, I concentrate highly to absorb knowledge from teachers and proactively ask questions about parts I don’t understand. When it comes to exams, I don’t have to review too much. Thanks to this method, I also have more time for extracurricular activities or competitions, and do my own research,” Linh shared.

The female student believes that learning is not limited to the amount of knowledge in class. She also does not study too late at night.

However, with the spirit of self-study and a reasonable schedule, Trang Linh's average score in all years of high school is from 9.6 to 9.8. She also won a Bronze Medal at the International Economics Olympiad in 2023 when she was in grade 10; a Silver Medal and ranked 14th nationwide at the Vietnam Economics Olympiad in 2023; Outstanding Student of the Capital in 2024,...

Like to explore and discover many fields

According to the Vietnam - US integration program, in her final year of high school, Trang Linh and her classmates will study at a high school in the US from August 2024 to present.

Although this period was hard and difficult when she had to do many things by herself, Trang Linh believes that it was a solid stepping stone for her upcoming university journey.

“This year, I have gradually gotten used to living away from home, being independent and understanding more about American culture. If I overcome this, I think that going to university will be easier and more convenient than those who finish grade 12 and then study abroad,” Trang Linh shared.

The female student said that the two majors she is considering after finishing her second year at Amherst College are Political Science or Economics.

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Nguyen Trang Linh played the main role in many drama projects at school. Photo: NVCC

Outside of school, Linh enjoys writing, blogging, jogging and reading.

Trang Linh admits that she is curious about many aspects and areas of life and is not afraid or shy about new things. "I like to explore, not only in studying but also with topics that interest me, or simply stories on the internet... I am interested in many topics and will spend time and focus to learn about them," Linh said.

Sharing with young people who dream of studying abroad, Trang Linh advises them to read a lot of books, change their thinking and especially get exposed to many situations and fields to understand themselves better.

“When applying to study in the US, many people often think that they have to take charge of projects or participate in big competitions to have a chance to be accepted or win a scholarship. I think things are different now. Schools are not only interested in grades or excellent academic achievements, but pay more attention to the personal story of the candidate - the person who clearly understands what he likes and wants. It could be having a clear area of ​​interest, doing in-depth research on a field and showing yourself as an interesting person in the eyes of the admissions board. This also helps you write better and more vivid essays,” Linh shared.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nu-sinh-trung-tuyen-dai-hoc-khai-phong-hang-dau-my-voi-hoc-bong-8-6-ty-dong-2393830.html