"Dare to dream, dare to apply: High school students gain winnings strategies from alumni "scholarship hunters"

Organized by the GFS Career Orientation Department, the workshop featured three distinguished alumni representing diverse academic paths. Despite their different journeys, they share a common achievement: securing admission and prestigious scholarships from leading domestic and international universities.

• Nguyen Ngoc Thuan (Class of 2025, 12G1): Winner of the British Ambassador’s Scholarship (100% tuition) at British University Vietnam (BUV); currently pursuing Data Science & Artificial Intelligence.

• Nguyen Hoang Anh (Class of 2025, 12C1): Recipient of a 70% scholarship from VinUniversity and offers from Australia’s Group of Eight (G8) and the UK’s Russell Group; currently studying Business Administration at VinUniversity.

• Dao Le Khanh Tam (Class of 2025, 12C1): Recipient of an 80% scholarship from Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) and admission to Monash University (Australia) and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam; currently studying Arts & Media at FUV.

During the two-hour session, the speakers shared authentic and inspiring stories, offering a personal lens on the challenges and triumphs of the university application process. Key takeaways included:

• Self-Discovery as a Foundation: High school is the "golden period" to identify strengths and interests through academic subjects, career aptitude tests, and practical experiences. Students were encouraged to explore and reflect deeply to choose the right major and institution.

• Strategic Preparation: Each university has unique selection criteria. The alumni emphasized the importance of researching requirements early—from academic profiles (SAT, TOEFL/IELTS, GPA, and awards) to extracurricular activities and personal narratives (essays and letters of recommendation) to stand out to Admissions Boards.

• Leveraging Curriculum Strengths: While Hoang Anh and Khanh Tam utilized the A-Level program to unlock scholarships at prestigious institutions, Ngoc Thuan found the Computing & Digital components of the Global Citizen Bilingual program vital for his admission into AI and Data Science. They collectively agreed that a comprehensive educational environment is the ultimate springboard to top-tier universities.

• The overarching theme of the workshop was that success favors the prepared. The speakers urged younger students to begin building their profiles as early as possible. “Those who proactively step out of their comfort zones, engage in activities, and build connections will hold the ‘key’ to their dream university,” the panel noted. The inspiring session concluded with a final message: Do not fear failure, as every setback is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Greenfield School extends its heartfelt thanks to our alumni for returning with such positive energy and authentic stories. Their contributions have undoubtedly empowered the next generation of Greenfield School students to pursue their academic roadmaps with confidence, courage, and passion.

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