With a list of distinctive extra-curricular activities, Phan My An (12English1, Hanoi – Amsterdam high school for the Gifted) has won over the admission committee of Bucknell University (top 30 US Liberal Arts College) and received a scholarship of $180,000.

Upon her entrance to high school, My An joined Communication team of GHA, Hanoi – Amsterdam’s Environment club, demonstrating a penchant for environments and a strength for Communication. Thanks to her passion for work, in grade 11^th she was trusted with the role of the leader for Communication team. At this position, she had the chance to gain valuable experience and memorable memories. The impressive and appealing personal statement for Bucknell University was written based on such vivid experience during high school.

Not limiting herself to school’s activities, at the end of her 11^th grade, My An enrolled in International Trade Challenge organized by a US organization. With their gift for entrepreneurship at an early age, My An’s team of 2 people got into top 3 national and made their way to the international round in Singapore. At this global – scale competition, My An gained a lot of skills from her international friends: presentation skill, creativity and a number of other soft skills.

According to My An, extra-curricular activities play a highly important role in positioning college applications

My An shared her “secret” with other US applicants seeking for scholarships: “Extra-curricular activities play a highly important role in positioning college applications and demonstrating students’ personalities and abilities. Therefore, it is advisable to develop extra-curricular activities list in 3 dimensions: length, width and depth.

About the length, extra-curricular activities should be started right from grade 10^th, since the admissions committees know very clearly if applicants join activities for passion or merely a purpose to polish applications.

My An at her final round of the International Trade Challenge competition in Singapore

About the width, students should participate in activities not only in their schools but also in outside schools, even in international environments. Activities abroad demonstrate students’ professionalism and strive to reach out for the world.

Students show their passion most clearly with the depth of their activities. When they have participated in their activities for long enough, they can easily recognize their proclivity for sciences, arts, etc, their abilities for writing, public-speaking, communication, etc so that they can develop themselves in those directions.

My An stressed: “Just take passion in what you do and do it enthusiastically, there will be a day you enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

According to “Vietnamese Women newspaper”

Translator: Mai Anh (English 1 13-16)