Physics Golden Boy Wins MIT's 9.3 Billion Scholarship

The owner of two gold medals at the Physics Olympiad won a full scholarship worth 9.3 billion VND, and was evaluated by MIT as one of the "most competitive candidates in history".

Vo Hoang Hai, a 12th grade Physics major at the High School for Gifted Students in Natural Sciences , Vietnam National University, Hanoi, won a full scholarship from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on March 22.

"I received a scholarship worth over 9.3 billion VND," Hai shared at a study abroad seminar on the afternoon of March 24.

MIT is currently the best university in the world , according to the QS rankings. The school is famous for its research and training in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

In the acceptance letter, the MIT representative wrote: "You are one of the most outstanding and potential students, among the most competitive group of applicants in the history of the academy." This school is more than 160 years old.

Hai said he applied to MIT's Physics program in the early admissions period, and usually receives results by the end of December 2023. However, his application was "deferred" (reviewed), so Hai only received the results on March 15.

"I was confused when the results were returned late, but in the end, all my efforts were rewarded," Hai said.

Vo Hoang Hai at the experience sharing session on getting admitted to an American university, on the afternoon of March 24. Photo: Binh Minh

Hai is the owner of two gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), the first 10th grader in Vietnam to achieve this achievement. In addition, Hai achieved an average GPA of 9.9, IELTS 8.0 and SAT 1570/1600 points.

The Physics Golden Boy dreamed of becoming an MIT student after a 2015 trip to Boston, Massachusetts, when he was in fourth grade. The trip took him to visit many universities, including MIT. At a souvenir shop near the school, Hai bought a red stuffed lobster with the word Boston embroidered on it.

"That toy has been with me everywhere, reminding me of my dream of going to MIT to study Physics," Hai said. "The lobster also accompanied me in extracurricular activities when applying to study abroad."

Hai started his application in July 2023. He admitted that he is an introvert and doesn’t communicate much, so he has difficulty writing essays. In addition, although he uses English to study and listen to lectures, he rarely practices writing skills.

"I had difficulty expressing my ideas. Thanks to the advisors' guidance on appropriate topics, I completed the essay in about three months," Hai recalled.

According to Hai, MIT requires 5 essays. Each essay is under 250 words, so Hai must try to tell a concise story, expressing himself through his experiences and lessons learned.

The first 100-word essay asks the candidate why he chose the major. The third essay is about the impact of life experiences on the candidate's dreams and aspirations. The male student acknowledges that he has had outstanding achievements, so the essay will not focus on competitions, but on his journey to pursue Physics.

Hai said that since he was a child, he liked to read books about science, astronomy, and social nature. In middle school, Hai started to pay more attention to Physics at school, and liked to experiment and observe natural phenomena. In high school, Hai participated in major tournaments and had the opportunity to meet and compete with friends from all over the world.

"Love for Physics did not come overnight. It was accumulated over many years, helping me become the person I am today," Hai explained.

Stuffed lobster, a souvenir Hoang Hai bought when he visited the US in 2015. Photo: Binh Minh

In the second essay, the school asked about an activity that Hai did just because he enjoyed it. Hai talked about how practicing Karate helped him relax after stressful school hours. Thanks to practicing this martial art, Hai also made many new friends.

In his fourth essay on his experience collaborating with others, which was approximately 200 words, Hai shared how he went to music school with the hope of setting his mother’s poem to music. Through this, Hai learned how to express his emotions through rhythm.

The final essay asked about how to handle unexpected challenges, the male student mentioned the ATEC science and technology club for students in Hanoi . Hai said that before he was like a "bookworm", only spending time studying. When he became the head of ATEC, he encountered many difficulties but gradually learned how to manage and coordinate work.

In addition to the essay, Hai also focuses on extracurricular activities. Hai believes that if he focuses on quantity, he will lose his personal style, so he only focuses on two projects: the "Shrimp Goes to School" Scholarship Fund and ATEC.

"I want to not only study well and understand science, but also apply those things to help people around me," Hai shared.

The "Shrimp Goes to School" scholarship fund was established by Hai in early 2023, a few months after attending IPhO and receiving many awards. Having met many good students but in difficult circumstances, Hai wondered why not create opportunities for them to pursue their passion, demonstrate their talents so that they can later contribute to society.

Hai used the image of a stuffed shrimp as the symbol of his scholarship fund because it represents his dream of going to MIT. The scholarships are a combination of Hai’s own bonuses and contributions from his family and relatives. At the end of last year, Hai supported about 50 elementary and middle school students in Tuong Duong, Nghe An, with textbooks, notebooks, pens, and 50% of their tuition.

With the ATEC club, last year, Hai and his friends carried out a technology project to support people with hand disabilities. The image of the lobster continued to appear at ATEC, with the meaning of persistently pursuing dreams.

Hai (center) shares his experiences at a study abroad seminar on the afternoon of March 24. Photo: Binh Minh

Mr. Tran Dac Minh Trung, Deputy General Director of American Study, said that MIT is the most competitive school, the rate of international students admitted is only about 2%. To get into MIT, students must excel in academics, family cultural factors, moral and social background.

"Hai's profile is strong in all three of these areas," he commented. "Hai has a very clear MIT color: a scientist but still interesting through the image of Tom going to school and romantic through composing poetry."

Next August, Hai will go to the US to study. He hopes to pursue research after graduation and continue to develop the scholarship fund to help more poor students.

Dawn

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