Nguyen Huy Anh, a senior student specializing in physics at the Hanoi-Amsterdam high school for gifted students, has just learned of his admission to Yale University, with a full scholarship worth 10.8 billion dong. Yale is part of the prestigious Ivy League, ranked among the four best universities in the United States.
“As soon as I opened my admission letter to Yale, I heaved a sigh of relief because, after so much effort, this university had offered me this opportunity and provided me with sufficient financial aid so that I could continue my studies in the United States with complete confidence,†said said Huy Anh.
Nguyen Huy Anh, final year student in physics at the Hanoi-Amsterdam high school for gifted students. Photo: provided by the interviewee.
Don’t “fine-tune” your CV, focus on your real added value.
Despite his passion for robotics, Huy Anh did not choose a purely technological institute, but rather aspired to join Yale, a renowned university of letters and human sciences. The student explained that this desire stemmed from his belief that “technology is never isolated.”
“We need to create a robot that not only has smooth operational technology, but also can solve problems related to social and environmental impact,” said Huy Anh.
He started preparing for his application early, but instead of pursuing a strategy of “showcasing” his credentials or joining lots of clubs, the student focused on going deep and doing “genuine things.”
“To realize my dream of attending an Ivy League university, I believe that a solid academic background remains essential,” said Huy Anh. This is why the student strives to maintain good grades, cultivate a true spirit of learning and pass international certification exams.
Outside of his studies, Huy Anh devotes most of his time to robotics. As president of the GreenAms Robotics team – his school’s robotics club and team – Huy Anh and his teammates have participated in many major competitions such as VEX IQ, VEX V5 and FIRST Tech Challenge.
Notably, in 2025, the student and his teammates won second place at the World Robotics Championships held in Houston, Texas (USA).
Huy Anh and his teammates during a robotics competition. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.
Not only participating in competitions, Huy Anh has also undertaken many practical projects, such as designing drones for waste collection in mountainous and rugged areas.
Furthermore, this student spent a month presenting his science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and robotics projects at the Tri Le ethnic boarding school in Lang Son, in the hope of bringing science and technology closer to students in disadvantaged areas.
“For me, creating a functional robot, correcting a piece of faulty code… it’s much more valuable and meaningful than high-sounding titles on social networks that are not accompanied by any concrete action. I believe that universities are not looking for “perfect machines†. What they want are authentic people who can strive for excellence,” said Huy Anh.
In his essay submitted to Yale, Huy Anh also chose to tell a symbolic story about “waste.” The student said that, for him, things that are thrown away and considered “waste” also have their own value and deserve a chance for rebirth.
This idea matches my vision of people. “I see extraordinary potential in young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and I always want to help them have a second chance to flourish,” said Huy Anh.
While applying to Yale, the student was interviewed by the admissions committee. According to Huy Anh, the interview took place in a relaxed and open atmosphere, and focused on university culture, accommodation and a collaborative learning environment.
“This conversation allowed me to express my interest in community values, as well as my desire to put my skills to the service of society – directions that correspond to the values that Yale strives to promote, ”said Huy Anh.
Huy Anh and his family. Photo: Provided by interviewee.
Grow through experience and strive to contribute to the community.
Despite his many successes, what Huy Anh is most proud of is not his individual awards, but the journey he shared with his younger brother. According to Huy Anh, guiding and supporting his brother’s robotics team to victory at the VEX V5 National Robotics Championship was “an emotional adventure.”
“It was a journey that allowed me to realize that I had learned lessons from my past failures and setbacks. I also learned to step back, pass on my experience in design, program debugging and, most importantly, to my younger brother, to never give up,” said Huy Anh.
Furthermore, personal development also involves family events. As the application process entered its most stressful phase, his father suffered a sudden stroke. Despite the worries, Huy Anh had to continue his studies and support his family during this difficult period.
This fall, the student will leave for the United States. He therefore spends this time with family, accompanies his father during his convalescence, supports his younger brother and continues to perfect his professional skills.
During his four years at Yale, this student hoped to make the most of the academic environment to further integrate engineering and entrepreneurship, with the goal of developing highly applicable technology projects.
In addition, this Ams high school student dreams of bringing the knowledge he has accumulated back to Vietnam in order to contribute there, in particular by popularizing science and technology among communities that do not have access to it.
Source : https://vietnamnet.vn/nam-sinh-chuyen-ly-gianh-hoc-bong-toan-phan-gan-11-ty-vao-dai-hoc-yale-2503355.html
