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DEEPLY ETCHED IN MY MIND
My extracurricular activity was running a cafe that sold Vietnamese noodle soup and avocado ice cream. After hiring the ninth person, our cooking was still subpar, and we only sold 9 bowls on one day, resulting in a loss. So, we switched to selling broken rice with grilled pork. Just as we were about to start, my business partner, Mrs. Tú, suddenly changed her mind and refused to continue, demanding 40 million VND for a "technology transfer." This was a huge shock to me.
I had learned that to solve a problem, one needs to: analyze, synthesize, and apply. In reality, Mr. Minh, who replaced Mrs. Tú for marinating the meat, was not a skilled cook. He searched online for recipes. Moreover, he remembered the feeling of eating shrimp dumplings with coconut milk when he was a student; hence, he applied coconut milk to marinate the meat. As a result, our revenue increased fourfold in four months. This experience has been deeply ingrained in my mind, helping me understand the role of "intelligence" in work.
The picture above and below is the book: DO YOU DREAM OF STUDYING ABROAD 0N A SCHOLARSHIP?
In the book, there are many essays written by previous scholarship recipients. These essays introduce the book "Conquering the Skies," which provides detailed information on applying for scholarships, including the address of an American institution where you can obtain SAT certification from Ms. Anh.... Reading through these essays, you will vividly imagine the main aspects of the scholarship application process that I am experiencing and telling you.
Mr. Lam, a literature student at Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, has earned 13 scholarships from American universities. He recently completed his Master's degree at Harvard University. Despite having a past of being the worst student in his class during 10th and 11th grade, he had a sudden realization and transformed into a renowned figure in the world of full 100% scholarships. Hoa Hoc Tro magazine featured him in an article.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GjCdy1R7uI. Above is the video link of Mr. Lam Python
Previous students have created YouTube channels to share their experiences with learning IELTS, studying abroad in the US, and their experiences at their respective universities... Notably, Jenny Huynh has a YouTube channel with 3.7 million subscribers and received a scholarship from the prestigious Stanford University.
Ms Vung received a scholarship to attend Cornell University, one of the Ivy League schools in the US. Moreover, Dieu Van, from Bac Ninh in the north, shared on her YouTube channel about her journey to Hanoi to study for the SAT and IELTS, even though no one in her hometown had ever studied abroad before. She detailed the challenges and difficulties she faced while preparing alone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNvtSV6SXW8) Above is the video link of Ms. Vung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65l0kGM3mXk Above is the video link of Ms. Dieu Van
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zV3AXBZ3rk Above is the video link of Ms. Jenny Huynh
You can refer to the section titled 'The Blind Man saw the Elephant' in my book: Until now, I've prepared individual parts of my scholarship application, but I've never seen a complete, highly successful scholarship application to an American university. It's like a blind person touching an elephant: touching a leg, they think it's a pillar; touching a tail, they think it's a broom; touching an ear, they think it's a fan. But in reality, they're just parts of a whole elephant.
When I was applying to Thang Long High School, I found previous years' English, Literature, and Math tests. By doing those exams, I had a comprehensive view, identified my weaknesses, and was able to be admitted to the English specialization at Thang Long. My point is that we need to see a complete, successful scholarship application to have a holistic view, to learn from it, to avoid mistakes and weaknesses, and to learn from its strengths in order to obtain a scholarship. I've been searching for such an application but haven't found one. If you know anyone who has a successful scholarship application, please share it with me so I can learn directly. Thank you very much. The book 'America in your hand' (pictured below) is full of information, so please check it out.
I'm Running Out of Time” is the 15th entry in this book. I've been pondering this, and I wanted to share it with you all as a reminder to hurry up.
I love traveling and exploring new places, so I've had plans to study abroad since 10th grade. In the summer of 10th grade, I attended a 3-month English course at CIA Philippines and got a 7.0 on IELTS. Throughout 11th grade, I balanced preparing for the SAT with my regular schoolwork. I planned to take the SAT in the second semester of 11th grade but didn't make it. So, from May until now, I've been studying for the SAT to take it on August 24th. After that, I'll retake the IELTS aiming for an 8.0 to strengthen my scholarship application and improve my essay writing skills.
During this time, I've also been working on my essays and observing the impact of my extracurricular activity, the Mo Cafe at 21 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 10, Da Lat, which I run with a classmate and my family. With the early application deadline just a few months away, I've been working around the clock, sometimes staying up until 2 AM.
I'm sharing this story to encourage you all to work efficiently and quickly so you don't end up like me, rushing at the last minute and producing a subpar application.
Here's a picture of my extracurricular activity, the Mo Cafe.
I wish you every success in your pursuit of scholarships.
