Luong Tran Tung Chi, born in 2005, is a former student of the specialized Geography class, cohort 2020-2023, at the High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Before the high school graduation exam, Tung Chi was delighted to receive acceptance letters from three universities: Marketing Management at the British University Vietnam, Law at Hanoi Law University, and International Communication at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.
Luong Tran Tung Chi, a student in the specialized Geography class, academic year 2020-2023, High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Turn disadvantages into advantages.
In 2020, when the High School for Social Sciences and Humanities held its first entrance exam, Chi's family allowed her to take the test simply because the school was close to home and had a team of high-quality teachers from universities.
As one of the first students at the new school, studying on the same university campus, Chi and her friends received special attention from their teachers. This gave Chi the opportunity to fully develop her abilities and experience many interesting activities and events with her university peers.
Tung Chi is the Youth Union Secretary, the Vice-Class Leader for Arts, Sports, and Culture, and the Head of the Geography Department in the 2022 "Knock and Joys" welcoming program for 10th-grade students. Chi also regularly assists teachers in managing and organizing class events.
Tung Chi said: “I feel very lucky that my geography class is very united and supportive when I joined the class committee. I also have a close group of friends who are all talented and lovely, always there for me when I face difficulties and helping each other to improve.”
Tung Chi has been recognized as an "Individual with positive contributions to Youth Union work" for three consecutive years (2021, 2022, and 2023); an "Outstanding young person at the grassroots level" in 2021 and 2022; and an "Outstanding student" in the 2022-2023 school year at the High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities.
However, as first-year students, Chi and her classmates lacked guidance from senior students and did not have any clubs for extracurricular activities. Tung Chi turned this disadvantage into an advantage by independently organizing and starting a club, and becoming an active member of several other projects. She also independently researched and learned to become a pioneering role model and inspire younger students.
Tung Chi is the founder, president, and head of dance at the HSSH Lands of Art (HLA) club, affiliated with the High School for Social Sciences and Humanities. This environment not only helps Chi develop her dancing and performance talents, but running a club also provides her with many management and problem-solving skills. Additionally, Chi served as the head of human resources for the Humans of HSSH club from 2020-2022 and as the deputy head of dance for the Melomance charity project.
In her studies, Tung Chi also achieved impressive results with a GPA of 9.5 in 12th grade and an IELTS score of 7.0. However, Chi said that she is not a student who spends all 8 hours a day just studying. She always manages to balance her studies with extracurricular activities and socializing with friends. This helps create a relaxed mindset, avoiding the pressure of studying and exams that can lead to discouragement and giving up.
Win a scholarship by applying to only one school.
Tung Chi is the recipient of a national scholarship covering 50% of tuition fees for three years at the British University Vietnam (BUV). It is known that from over 1,000 applications, the university selected 12 of the most suitable students to award various scholarship levels, and Chi was outstandingly chosen for this list.
This was the first and only international university that Tung Chi applied to, so she faced considerable difficulties. The scholarship was highly competitive, requiring thorough research and preparation to ensure her application impressed the selection committee. Furthermore, she decided to apply late, leaving very little time to prepare her application – just one month.
In the application round, the personal essay was the most challenging part for Chi, as it had to be written entirely in English. Chi had to revise it many times to ensure the content was both engaging and showcased her personal strengths to the committee.
For the in-person interview, Chi, being someone with good communication skills and interpersonal abilities, didn't feel much pressure. Thanks to that, she maintained a calm demeanor and confidently answered questions from the interview panel.
When asked about his strengths that make him stand out, Tung Cho shared: “Besides my academic achievements and IELTS certificate, I participate in many extracurricular activities and often hold leadership positions.”
I also run a small business selling custom-designed stickers. This gives me experience in sales management and marketing. I think this is a big plus when applying to the Marketing Management program at BUV.”
Although still waiting for the admission results from several other universities, Tung Chi is certain she will attend BUV. After experiencing it firsthand a few times, Chi really likes the new facilities, the spacious campus, and the experienced and friendly team of 100% foreign teachers.
After completing her high school graduation exams, Tung Chi will spend time with her family, friends, and herself. Taking advantage of the summer break, Chi plans to learn some new skills such as presentation skills and photo editing software like Photoshop, and how to create PowerPoint presentations, in order to be ready for the new school year in a new environment.
"I am a very dynamic person and extremely confident in my abilities. All the achievements I have made to date are due to my unwavering belief in myself. So, if anyone is planning to win scholarships, please always maintain this belief," Tùng Chi affirmed.
