jq2003
jq2003,
Stanford
B.A., International Relations
International Relations major with an interest in economics and global citizenship.
Features Included
66
Essays
20
Schools
5
Scores
6
Advice
11
ECs
0
Sports

Background

Hometown Lincoln, Nebraska
GenderFemale
EthnicityAsian
Class of2025
First Gen College StudentNo

Results, Essays, and Advice

Accepted
Waitlisted or Withdrew
Denied
  • Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
  • Brown University (Providence, RI)
  • Columbia University (New York, NY)
  • Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
  • Duke University (Durham, NC)
  • Emory University (Atlanta, GA)
  • Fordham University (New York, NY)
  • Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
  • Yale University (New Haven, CT)
  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (Lincoln, NE)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
  • Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
  • University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
  • University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
  • University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC)
  • University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI)
  • University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
  • Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
  • Pomona College (Claremont, CA)
  • New York University (New York, NY)
Tap/click a school logo above to view essays and advice specific to that school.

Stanford University (Stanford, CA)

Applied for a B.A. in International Relations

Accepted and Enrolled Legacy: No

School Specific Essays

                                                        To Vietnam, With Love Beyond the ethereal temples and idyllic forests of Vietnam lies a separate reality that contradicts the romanticized perspective I had of my home country. I expected to see the neon lights of Hoi An or the majestic mountains of Ninh Bình featured in the film Kong: Skull Island. Instead, as I peered out the window of a taxi on my first day in Vietnam, my eyes fixed upon a far different scene. Outside of a...
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Supplemental Essay: Extracurricular activity
153 Words
Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.
As the Thalassemia patient walked by, condescending whispers about her facial deformities arose. This prompted me to approach her, and I apologized on behalf of the bystanders. In fragmented speech, she revealed her husband left her for the same reason the onlookers acted in that way — fear and a lack of understanding. Moments before, I attended the hospital’s Thalassemia consultation for patients, potential gene carriers, and, like me, those curious about the disorder. The obvious faces of disgust as...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
258 Words
Brown's Open Curriculum
As I seek to explore East Asian studies and languages, I find myself drawn to new perspectives that continuously enrich my studies. After speaking with Thalassemia patients in Vietnam who experienced discrimination due to their facial deformities, I received new insights on the importance of spreading awareness and the perils of misinformation. My aspirations continued through linguistic and cultural exchanges at home with Vietnamese exchange students my family hosts, whose insight prompted me to eliminate racial biases by fostering mutual...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
267 Words
How will you contribute to the brown community?
Brown provides what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. As someone who grew up in a homogenous community, I crave the multidimensional environment that Brown fosters through its diverse student body and cultural exchange, and I will devote myself to furthering that spirit of interconnectedness. I see myself hosting workshops and initiating community discussions to empower the Asian community in Providence as part of the Asian / American Political Alliance, and motivated...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
272 Words
Tell us about a place or community you call home. How has it shaped your perspective?
The band I play in is one like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught Chinese dizi flute player. This band doesn’t have the right blend of instruments nor the experience of the marching band section I lead, yet I eagerly await our attempts to harmonize during the holidays. I take pride in being...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
67 Words
List the titles of the required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary
school.
Pachinko (Min Jin Lee) The Awakening (Kate Chopin) Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) My Brilliant Friend (Elena Ferrante) A Farewell to Arms (Ernest Hemingway) Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston) Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck) Macbeth (William Shakespeare) Long Way Down (Jason Reynolds) Into the Wild (Jon Krakauer) My Sister’s Keeper (Jodi Picoult)
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
112 Words
List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses
that you enjoyed most during secondary school.
Fiction: The Sympathizer (Viet Thanh Nguyen) ; Kafka on the Shore (Haruki Murakami) Dumb Luck (Vu Trong Phung) ; The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde) ; Watership Down (Richard Adams) Poetry: Night Sky With Exit Wounds (Ocean Vuong) Short Stories: Nine stories (J.D. Salinger) ; 55 Short Stories from the New Yorker Nonfiction: Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram ; We Should All Be Feminists (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) ; Who Rules the World? (Noam Chomsky) ; Homo Deus: A History...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
81 Words
List the titles of the print or digital publications, websites, journals, podcasts or other content you
engage with regularly.
Publications: The New Yorker, Humans of New York, Weekly Shonen Jump, VnExpress Websites: Southeast Asia Globe, Reddit (r/explainlikeimfive, r/Vietnam), Association for Asian Studies (member), XKCD - A Webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math, and Language; The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows Journals: Asymptote Journal (Journal for the translated works of the world), The Journal of Vietnamese Studies (University of California Press), Journal of Southeast Asian Studies (Cambridge) Podcasts: Freakonomics, Ted Talks Daily, Talk To Me In Korean
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
129 Words
List the movies, albums, shows, museums, lectures, events at your school or other entertainments you
have enjoyed most throughout secondary school (in person or online).
Movies: The Post, Perfect Blue, Parasite, Your Name, Spirited Away, The Vietnam War (Ken Burns and Lynn novick) , The West (Ken Burns and Stephen Ives), The Civil War (Ken Burns) Albums: You Never Walk Alone (BTS), The Album (Blackpink), Reflection (V.K), Eye of the Storm (ONE OK ROCK) Shows: Banana Fish, The Office, Demon Slayer, Pinocchio (Kdrama), Great Pretender, My Brilliant Friend, Hunter x Hunter Museums: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, University of Nebraska State Museum - Morrill Hall, Sheldon...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
218 Words
Columbia students take an active role in improving their community, whether in their residence hall,
classes or throughout New York City. Their actions, small or large, work to positively impact the lives of
others. Share one contribution that you have made to your family, school, friend group or another
community that surrounds you. (200 words or fewer)
It was past midnight when I heard a faint knocking on my door. I had been practicing my speeches for the upcoming NSDA National Tournament but quickly halted, believing my voice had caused a disturbance. To my pleasant surprise, it was only Anna, one of the Vietnamese exchange students my family was hosting. She wanted to listen to my speeches. She was also awake, practicing her own presentations for school. She informed me that in Vietnam, high schools rarely offered...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
217 Words
Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? (200 words or fewer)
I seek in Columbia what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. As someone who grew up in a homogenous community, I crave the multidimensional environment that Columbia fosters through its diverse student body and cultural immersion. Columbia’s Arts Initiative would provide me with tickets to museums in the bustling metropolis that is New York City, and its Vietnamese Students Association would allow me to use my voice to preserve my...
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
213 Words
For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either
academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you previously noted in the
application.
For my patient diary project in Vietnam, I sat side by side with patients and listened to their stories. I was fascinated and enlightened with their traditions, and I sympathized with them when they expressed their worries. However, I had a uniform response to every story: I simply nodded along. I was frustrated by my broken Vietnamese, as my dinner table level fluency with my parents in Nebraska was clearly proving insufficient. Thus, I enhanced my language capabilities through Vietnamese...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
700 Words
Arts and Sciences Response
My engagement with Asian culture and language continuously leads me to new topics of scholarly interest. For my patient diary project in Vietnam, I sat side by side with patients and listened intently to their stories and concerns. However, I had a uniform response to every story: I simply nodded along. The activist inside me was frustrated by the language barrier I had encountered and my inability to speak proper Vietnamese - my dinner table level fluency with my parents...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
217 Words
Why Duke?
Duke provides what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. With my interests in East Asian and global studies, I crave the multidimensional environment Duke fosters through its diverse student body and cultural immersion. I see myself collaborating with international communities to address societal issues through DukeEngage, and motivated by my own experiences immigrating to America, I see myself working with passionate individuals to uphold immigrant rights through the Duke Immigrant and...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
272 Words
Share a Perspective Response
The band I play in is one like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught Chinese dizi flute player. This band doesn’t have the right blend of instruments nor the experience of the marching band section I lead, yet I eagerly await our attempts to harmonize during the holidays. I take pride in being...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
162 Words
Reflect on a personal experience where you intentionally expanded your cultural
awareness.
Growing up in a homogenous community in the Midwest, my perspective of Vietnam was molded by world history textbooks and western stereotypes. Thus, when my family decided to host foreign exchange students from Vietnam, I became a stranger in my own home. Our cultures were simply too disparate, and the result was silence. To end this placidness, I aimed to foster cultural exchange through speech culture, which wasn’t prevalent in Vietnam. Every week, students would present a topic concerning...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
174 Words
Introduce yourself to your first-year Emory University roommate.
Hi roomie! I am so excited to meet you! You’re probably wondering what that fishy smell is, but that fried, banana shaped thing attached to this note is Cá Com Chiên Giòn. I would’ve given it to you in person, but I’m rarely home. You can find me at local museums sketching out antiques, teaching English nearby, or at the ice skating rink covered in bruises. I’ll pick up your favorite boba when I...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
159 Words
Additional Intellectual Experiences
As the Thalassemia patient walked by, condescending whispers about her facial deformities arose. This prompted me to approach her, and I apologized on behalf of the bystanders. In fragmented speech, she revealed her husband left her for the same reason the onlookers acted in that way — fear and a lack of understanding. Moments before, I attended the hospital’s Thalassemia consultation for patients, potential gene carriers, and, like me, those curious about the disorder. The obvious faces of disgust as...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Extracurricular activity
159 Words
EC Essay
I take pride in being a host sister for Vietnamese exchange students and cherish the responsibilities that come with it. For the younger students, I help polish their English skills while teaching them how to read music in preparation for middle school band, an activity unavailable in Vietnam. For the older students, I introduced them to high school speech and debate. In the beginning, they came with slides and prepared speeches I would help them construct, but their rehearsed presentations...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
636 Words
Harvard Essay Supplement
“You speak English well.” This was the remark of the airline agent who welcomed passengers back to the U.S. as we disembarked from a long international flight. To the agent, my one sentence answer to how my day went was sufficient enough for him to deduce my English ability. To me, his comment was a rebuke of my American identity, as he clearly viewed me as just a foreigner coming in from Vietnam. As I stood at the border...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
430 Words
Why NYU
As I seek to explore East Asian studies and languages, I find myself drawn to new perspectives that continuously enrich my studies. After witnessing discrimination towards Thalassemia patients with facial deformities in Vietnam, I conducted a survey that revealed that the inefficiency of Thalassemia information sessions led to a lack of understanding that instigates discrimination. Hence, I presented these findings to the Thalassemia department head to improve the sessions. Recognizing the harm of damaging stereotypes, I devoted myself to fostering...
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
157 Words
Academic Interest Statement
As I seek to explore Asian studies and international relations, I find myself drawn to new perspectives that incessantly enrich my studies. After witnessing discrimination towards Thalassemia patients with facial deformities in Vietnam, I conducted a survey that revealed the inefficiency of Thalassemia information sessions led to a lack of understanding that instigates discrimination. Hence, I presented these findings to the Thalassemia department head to improve the sessions. My aspirations continued through cultural exchanges at home with Vietnamese exchange students,...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
44 Words
If there are aspects of your identity that you feel are not captured elsewhere in this application, please provide that information below. (50 words or less)
I seek engagement and connection with my audience. Whether it’s a slight nod from my judges after a debate or a comment on a newspaper article I wrote, I pay attention to the slightest reactions and respond with the biggest smile.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
51 Words
If not captured elsewhere in your application, please share with us how you have overcome challenges in your life. (50 words or less)
Microaggressions induce discrimination, cementing the differences in our skin color and culture. Its ramifications, however, are most efficiently mitigated through conversation. After listening and speaking to the other minorities at my school for an article I wrote on implicit discrimination, I felt empowered to speak out, and they did too.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
43 Words
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
My Aunt, a teacher in rural Vietnam, taught impoverished students for free while battling with cancer. Although she lost her fight, her altruistic acts compel me to actively seek ways to contribute to my community and to “think of others before myself.”
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
20 Words
What’s your favorite way to eat a potato?
Thin and crispy waffle fries make the perfect Saturday night snack, oozing an essence of delicacy regardless of the occasion.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
49 Words
You’re relaxing on a Friday night. Suddenly, your favorite song pops into your head. What is it?
“Daydream” by J-Hope of BTS; Besides being my most played song of the year on Spotify, it reflects my tendency to revel in my imagination. Regardless of how far-fetched my ambitions may be, it’s my desire to turn those daydreams into reality that motivates me every day.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
218 Words
Tell us about one of the communities you belong to and what it means to bring that shared belief and/or perspective to Pomona.
The band I play in is like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught dizi player. This band lacks the right blend of instruments and expertise, yet I eagerly await our attempts to harmonize during the holidays. I take pride in being a host sister for Vietnamese exchange students. I teach English and how to...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
216 Words
Why Pomona
As someone who grew up in a homogenous community, I crave the multidimensional environment that Pomona fosters through its diverse student body and cultural exchange. Thus, I will devote myself to furthering the spirit of interconnectedness by utilizing the same values I championed in Nebraska: empowerment and mutual understanding. I see myself hosting workshops and initiating community discussions to empower the Asian community in Claremont as part of the Asian American Resource Center, and motivated by my own experiences immigrating...
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
361 Words
As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to
explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What
academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your
particular interests? (Please respond in about 250 words)
I seek in Princeton what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. In this environment that champions interconnectedness, I plan on pursuing an East Asian Studies major while exploring my interest in international affairs and global health in order to emerge as a more insightful and perceptive scholar. The Department of East Asian Studies’s emphasis on research challenges me to actively apply my knowledge beyond the classroom with its various study...
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Supplemental Essay: Extracurricular activity
215 Words
Extracurricular Activity and Work Experience Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work
experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (Please respond in about 150 words)
As the Thalassemia patient walked by, condescending whispers about her facial deformities soon arose. Their harsh treatment of the patient prompted me to approach her, and I apologized on behalf of the bystanders. In a soft voice, she revealed her husband left her for the same reason the onlookers acted in that way — fear and a lack of understanding. Moments before, I attended the hospital’s Thalassemia consultation for potential gene carriers and, like me, those wanting to know more...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Issue of personal significance
338 Words
Your Voice Please respond to each question in an essay of about 250 words. At Princeton, we value
diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when
you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you
gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future?
“You speak English well.” This was the remark of the airline agent who welcomed passengers back to the U.S. as we disembarked from a long international flight. To the agent, my one sentence answer to how my day went was sufficient enough for him to deduce my English ability. To me, his comment was a rebuke of my American identity, as he clearly viewed me as a foreigner coming in from Vietnam. As I stood at the border of...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Strong beliefs/principles
378 Words
Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story
intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.
The band I play in is one like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught Chinese dizi flute player. This band doesn’t have the right blend of instruments nor the experience of the marching band section I lead, yet I eagerly await our attempts to harmonize during the holidays. My story started in Vietnam...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
52 Words
More About You Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong
answers. Be yourself! What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
Japanese Noh Theatre performances incessantly fascinate me, and the seductive portrayal of love in the Tale of Genji enchanted me even through a screen. Through Princeton’s Performing Arts Council, I am excited to try acting on a stage and seeing my debate voice take on a more expressive form.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
44 Words
What brings you joy?
I seek engagement and connection with my audience. Whether it’s a slight nod from my judges after a debate or a comment on a newspaper article I wrote, I pay attention to the slightest reactions and respond with the biggest smile.
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
50 Words
What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?
“Daydream” by J-Hope of BTS; Besides being my most played song of the year on Spotify, it reflects my tendency to revel in my imagination. Regardless of how far-fetched my ambitions may be, it’s my desire to turn those daydreams into reality that motivates me every day.
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
49 Words
Most significant challenge society faces
Too often, people are quick to judge but reluctant to listen. This leads to a lack of understanding that induces discrimination, cementing the differences in our skin color and culture. Willful ignorance prevents progress. We must learn from each other, respect one another, and most importantly, listen.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
54 Words
Last two summers
- Conducted research in Vietnam, led cultural exchanges (ConnectUS), sold artwork, and saved jellyfish on a Vietnamese shore - Completed social science research at Bethel College, taught international students debate through zoom, competed at NSDA Debate Nationals, learned Korean with my penpal, and developed an obsession with weasel poop coffee
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
53 Words
Historical moment or event
“Don't burn this. It has fire in it already.” During the Vietnam War, physician Dang Thuy Tram’s wartime diary eluded incineration after a South Vietnamese interpreter uttered these lines to Frederick Whitehurst, an American soldier tasked with burning enemy documents. I desire to see this moment where humanity transcends hatred.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
54 Words
Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for
your family.
After speaking with Thalassemia patients who experienced discrimination due to their facial deformities, I felt compelled to act. My survey found that the inefficiency of the hospital’s Thalassemia information sessions led to a lack of understanding, instigating discrimination. I presented these findings to the Thalassemia department to improve the sessions.
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
52 Words
One thing you are looking forward to at Stanford
Japanese Noh Theatre performances incessantly fascinate me, and the seductive portrayal of love in the Tale of Genji enchanted me even through a screen. As part of Stanford’s Asian American Theater Project, I am excited to try acting and seeing my debate voice take on a more expressive form.
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
268 Words
Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you excited about learning
My engagement with Vietnamese culture and language continuously leads me to new topics of scholarly interest. For my patient diary project in Vietnam, I sat side by side with patients and listened intently to their stories and concerns. However, I had a uniform response to every story: I simply nodded along. The activist inside me was frustrated by the language barrier I had encountered and my inability to speak proper Vietnamese - my dinner table level fluency with my parents...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
282 Words
Note to future roommate
Hi roomie! I am beyond excited to meet you! I love to talk, whether it’s to myself when I’m learning Korean, to the wall when I’m practicing my speeches, or when I’m sleeping (in Vietnamese)! Our late night study sessions, rants, and inside jokes will certainly be memorable. I have so much to ask you, and you probably have lots of questions for me too! Thus, I’ll get some out of the way for you. ...
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Supplemental Essay: Strong beliefs/principles
267 Words
Something meaningful to you and why
“You speak English well.” To the airline agent, my one sentence answer to how my day went was sufficient enough for him to deduce my English ability. To me, his comment was a rebuke of my American identity, as he clearly viewed me as a foreigner coming in from Vietnam. As I stood at the border of the nation that raised me, I felt isolated and excluded after a single remark. Eager to expose microaggressions like this one, I interviewed...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
700 Words
Chicago author Nelson Algren said, “A writer does well if in his whole life he can tell the story of
one street.” Chicagoans, but not just Chicagoans, have always found something instructive, and
pleasing, and profound in the stories of their block, of Main Street, of Highway 61, of a farm lane,
of the Celestial Highway. Tell us the story of a street, path, road—real or imagined or
metaphorical.
Amidst the graceful rolling hills and the tranquil rice fields of rural Vietnam, a dirt road is concealed. The pleasant view embodies all the spectrums of romance and fantasy, from the fairy-like flowers to the tinted clouds floating above. Dull and direct, the road is seemingly unsuitable for the scenery, yet it is essential for the balance. Beyond a means for transportation, it is the line of symmetry necessary to distinguish between rhetoric and reality. It is a book without...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
483 Words
Why UChicago
UChicago provides what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. In this environment that champions interconnectedness and individuality, I plan on pursuing an East Asian Civilizations major while exploring my interest in global studies in order to emerge as a more insightful and perceptive scholar. As someone who grew up in a homogenous community, I crave the multidimensional environment that UChicago fosters through its diverse student body, cultural exchange, and absence of...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
326 Words
Communities Essay
The band I play in is one like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught Chinese dizi flute player. This band doesn’t have the right blend of instruments nor the experience of the marching band section I lead, yet I eagerly await our attempts to harmonize during the holidays. I take pride in being...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
593 Words
Why that College or School?
As I seek to explore Asian studies and languages, I find myself drawn to new perspectives that continuously enrich my studies. After speaking with Thalassemia patients in Vietnam who experienced discrimination due to their facial deformities, I felt compelled to act. My survey found that the inefficiency of the hospital’s Thalassemia information sessions led to a lack of understanding, instigating discrimination, and I presented these findings to the Thalassemia department head to improve the sessions. My aspirations continued through...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Issue of personal significance
272 Words
Expand on an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or
gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life
experiences thus far?
The band I play in is one like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught Chinese dizi flute player. This band doesn’t have the right blend of instruments nor the experience of the marching band section I lead, yet I eagerly await our attempts to harmonize during the holidays. I take pride in being...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
268 Words
If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be and why?
“You speak English well.” To the airline agent, my one sentence answer to how my day went was sufficient enough for him to deduce my English ability. To me, his comment was a rebuke of my American identity, as he clearly viewed me as a foreigner coming in from Vietnam. As I stood at the border of the nation that raised me, I felt isolated and excluded after a single remark. Eager to expose microaggressions like this one, I interviewed...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
484 Words
For my patient diary project in Vietnam, I sat side by side with patients and listened intently to their stories and concerns. However, I had a uniform response to every story: I simply nodded along. I was frustrated by the language barrier I had encountered and my inability to speak proper Vietnamese - my dinner table level fluency with my parents in Nebraska was clearly proving insufficient. Hence, I looked to my grandfather’s Vietnamese poetry collection to enhance my...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
213 Words
Penn provides what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. As someone who grew up in a homogenous community, I crave the multidimensional environment that Penn fosters through its diverse student body and cultural exchange. Through the Vietnamese Students’ Association, I can use my voice to preserve my country’s history and tradition, and as part of SPEC-TRUM, I see myself hosting concerts and planning socials to represent other minority groups on...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Issue of personal significance
266 Words
What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you?
For my patient diary project in Vietnam, I sat side by side with patients and listened intently to their stories. I was fascinated by their traditions, and I sympathized with them when they voiced their financial concerns or contempt over government apathy. However, I had a uniform response to every story: I simply nodded along. The activist inside me was frustrated by the language barrier I had encountered and my inability to speak proper Vietnamese - my dinner table level...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
271 Words
Academic Interest
I seek in USC what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. In this environment that champions interconnectedness, I plan on exploring the intersection between East Asian linguistics, history, and tradition in order to emerge as a more open minded and perceptive scholar. Being Vietnamese, I wish to study the historical connections with China, whose history has been intertwined with Vietnam since before the Common Era. With courses like China in International...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
179 Words
Describe yourself in three words: Evolving, Animated, Balanced What is your favorite snack? Home grown mung beans Best movie of all time: Perfect Blue, but anything else by Satoshi Kon would suffice Dream job: If I had time, manga artist; I’d continue the rough drafts I have at home If your life had a theme song, what would it be? It’s my life by Bon Jovi Dream trip: Flying to Japan to attend Noh plays in person, starting...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
270 Words
Many of us have at least one issue or passion that we care deeply about – a topic on
which we would love to share our opinions and insights in hopes of sparking intense
interest and continued conversation. If you had ten minutes and the attention of a million
people, what would your talk be about?
“You speak English well.” To the passenger service agent, my one sentence answer to how my day went was sufficient enough for him to deduce my English ability. To me, his one sentence reply was able to shatter my confidence and the perception I had of my own language capabilities. As I stood at the border of the nation that raised me, I felt isolated and excluded after a single remark. I dwelled on those feelings when I returned home,...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Extracurricular activity
388 Words
The band I play in is one like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught dizi player. This band certainly doesn’t have the right blend of instruments nor the experience of the low reeds section I lead in marching band, yet our attempt to harmonize every holiday is what brings me the most gratification. ...
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
269 Words
In about 250 words, tell us about something that really sparks your intellectual interest and curiosity,
and compels you to explore more in the program/area of study that you indicated. It could be an idea,
book, project, cultural activity, work of art, start-up, music, movie, research, innovation, question, or
other pursuit.
My engagement with Vietnamese culture and language continuously leads me to new topics of scholarly interest. For my patient diary project in Vietnam, I sat side by side with patients and listened intently to their stories and concerns. However, I had a uniform response to every story: I simply nodded along. The activist inside me was frustrated by the language barrier I had encountered and my inability to speak proper Vietnamese - my dinner table level fluency with my parents...
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
129 Words
Why do these areas of interest appeal to you?
After witnessing discrimination towards Thalassemia patients with facial deformities in Vietnam, I conducted a survey that revealed that the inefficiency of Thalassemia information sessions led to a lack of understanding that instigates discrimination. Hence, I presented these findings to the Thalassemia department head to improve the sessions. Recognizing the harm of damaging stereotypes, I devoted myself to fostering a more interconnected society with a global mindset. My aspirations continued through cultural exchanges at home with Vietnamese exchange students, whose insight...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
133 Words
Why Yale
Yale provides what I lack at home in Nebraska: a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, opportunity, and discovery. From its residential-college system to the cultural immersion and research opportunities the Council on East Asian Studies offers, Yale embodies the value of interconnectedness by encouraging the synergistic interaction of different individuals. Pursuing interdisciplinary study, I also plan on taking full advantage of Yale’s extensive course offerings taught by world-class professors, including classes on ancient China, whose history has been intertwined...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
34 Words
What inspires you
My Aunt, a teacher in rural Vietnam, taught impoverished students for free while battling with cancer. Although she lost her fight, her altruism compels me to actively seek ways to help others.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
33 Words
Yale’s residential
colleges regularly
host conversations
with guests
representing a
wide range of
experiences and
accomplishments.
What person, past
or present, would
you invite to
speak? What
question would
you ask?
For writer Vu Trong Phung: “Dumb Luck” mocks Vietnamese obsession with Europeanization during the time of French colonization. Did you expect this attitude to still be prevalent in the 21st century?
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
31 Words
You are teaching
a Yale course.
What is it called?
East Asian Horror Literature, with guest speaker Junji Ito. Utilizing literary elements to expose societal issues in East Asia, horror fiction sheds light on a darker side of humanity.
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
36 Words
Most first-year
Yale students live
in suites of four to
six people. What
do you hope to add
to your suitemates'
experience? What
do you hope they
will add to yours?
I’m the spontaneous party planner who hosts karaoke nights, decorates our suite with origami, and makes cultural dishes at midnight to share the next day. I hope my suitemates share their recipes too!
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
269 Words
Essays
My engagement with Vietnamese culture and language continuously leads me to new topics of scholarly interest. For my patient diary project in Vietnam, I sat side by side with patients and listened intently to their stories and concerns. However, I had a uniform response to every story: I simply nodded along. The activist inside me was frustrated by the language barrier I had encountered and my inability to speak proper Vietnamese - my dinner table level fluency with my parents...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
271 Words
Chosen Essay
The band I play in is one like no other. There’s an astrology loving violinist, a Rubik’s cube genius as a trumpeter, a guitarist with artistic sleeping positions, a succulent enthusiast for a pianist, and me, a self-taught Chinese dizi flute player. This band doesn’t have the right blend of instruments nor the experience of the marching band section I lead, yet I eagerly await our attempts to harmonize during the holidays. I take pride in being...
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School Specific Advice

How to increase chances at my school
84 Words
I have noticed that Stanford chooses applicants not just on tangible accomplishments but also intellectual vitality and potential - they value this quite a lot....
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More Essays

These essays haven't been tagged by school. Click school logos above to see tagged essays.

General Admissions Advice

My advice about getting recommenders
145 Words
For your recommenders, make sure you choose teachers or advisors that have a deep connection with you outside of an academic setting. This is because within their recommendation, they should include personal examples of times you have interacted with them that show your...
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How I narrowed down my essay topics
38 Words
My goal was to format my applications in a way that...
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How to deal with the stress of applying to college
40 Words
As you can tell from my essays, I recycled the same ones...
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Misconceptions I had about college before attending
53 Words
The additional information section isn't just meant for academic explanations. I used it to add more...
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What I’d change about my application process
42 Words
Start writing and planning out your essays soon, preferrably in the summer of...
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High School Performance

Weighted GPA
4.35
(equivalent to 4.00 unweighted)
Rank
N/A
 
Academic Performance in High School Steady

Test Scores

Highest ACT
35
 
ACT Score Details
 
Other ACT Scores
ACT Prep

AP / IB Classes and Scores

Details8 classes and scores

Sports

Extracurriculars

ActivitiesCultural, Research, Cultural, Research, Cultural, Cultural, School Newspaper/Magazine/Journalism, Debate Club/Team, Other Club/Activity, Science/Math, Music: Instrumental

Experience & Awards

Volunteer Experiences
Awards Received

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