Ams female student admitted to Johns Hopkins University

Bui Tu Uyen, 18 years old, entered the number 1 school for biomedical engineering training and the top 10 universities in the US with a strong academic and extracurricular record.

The 12th grade female student majoring in English 2, Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, said she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the words "Welcome to the class of 2027" from Johns Hopkins University, today. March 18. Last year, only 6.5% of applicants were accepted out of more than 37,000 applications to this prestigious school.

"I hugged my face happily and cheered, my father beside me clapped, and my mother asked me, 'Isn't the school really good?'", Uyen recalled. Tuition at Johns Hopkins University is about 60,000 USD (1.4 billion VND) a year. The school provides financial support for Uyen 15%.

Having won many achievements in studies, being a performer at the National Youth Symphony Orchestra, but according to Uyen, her journey to find the direction was not easy.

Tu Uyen in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2021. Photo: Character provided

In elementary school, Tu Uyen participated in many competitions for good students in Math, English and Informatics. Thanks to a first prize in online math at the city level, the female student has a ticket to attend secondary school of Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. However, pursuing the orientation to specialize in Mathematics until the end of 7th grade, Uyen realized that her ability was not as good as before, so she switched to majoring in English. In 9th grade, I won the second prize at the district level and the third prize at the city level in this subject.

Previously, the female student also passed the valedictorian entrance exam of the intermediate level violin major at the National Academy of Music, performing in the Vietnam Young Symphony Orchestra since the end of 2019.

Ms. Bui Thanh Huong, homeroom teacher of class 9D at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, wrote in her guestbook in 2020 that she "admires Uyen" because she is "very talented and dynamic".

Enrolled in class 10 for English majors at Ams, but Uyen once again changed course. The female student sees English as a supporting tool, not the intensive path she chooses. I decided to experience more different fields through extracurricular activities in photography, media, and music.

But also because of that, Uyen is confused between pursuing a music major or a STEM (Science, technology, engineering, math) field at university.

Tu Uyen and violinist Bui Cong Duy at a concert, June 2020. Photo: Character provided

The turning point came for Uyen at the end of 10th grade. When organizing a volunteering activity, supporting doctors to examine and distribute medicine to the poor and rural women in Y Yen district, Nam Dinh, Uyen felt interested in the field of medicine. Returning home, the female student studied Biology by herself according to the AP curriculum (a college preparatory program for high school students in the US) and joined the breast cancer gene data research group of Hanoi University of Pharmacy. in a technical support role.

At the same time, Uyen and two friends came up with an idea for a biodegradable sanitary napkin product, unprecedented in the Vietnamese market. While not finding the materials, the group heard about the campaign "rescuing dragon fruit" because it could not be exported amid the Covid-19 epidemic. Supported by her parents who are pharmacists, Uyen and her friends researched and discovered that dragon fruit peels are more absorbent than lemon or orange peels and have water-resistant properties.

The group of girls then founded the company Adorbsy to research and produce. Uyen plays the role of founder and technical director.

In March 2022, the project team participated in the environmental protection invention competition "The Earth Prize 2022" in Switzerland and won the first prize with a prize of 100,000 USD (2.3 billion VND). A month later, they won the "Conrad Challenge 2022" scientific invention contest in the US, surpassing more than 900 other projects.

Tu Uyen (wearing glasses) and two friends present about the project of tampons made of dragon fruit at the Villars Symposium environmental conference in Switzerland, in June 2022. Photo: Character provided

Finding passion and support from her parents, Uyen has a clear direction to pursue Biomedical Engineering when applying to study in the US.

Uyen said she had the courage to apply to Johns Hopkins because of her long history of academic, research and extracurricular achievements. The average academic score of female students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade respectively is 9.2; 9.5; 9.7. In addition, Uyen has an IELTS 8.0 certificate.

According to the female student, the tampon product made from dragon fruit skin and the project to support breast cancer gene data research are two bright spots that help her demonstrate her research background and potential to pursue biomedical engineering.

Uyen took 6 months to complete the main essay. I wrote about various experiments during middle and high school to "find myself". The female student also mentioned her mother, who gave her great motivation to pursue this field.

In a 400-word supplementary essay, Uyen tells about her experiences after a health check-up program for women in Nam Dinh. "I realize that education and research are the premise for developments in health services in rural areas in particular and the world in general," Uyen wrote.

Ha, Uyen's mother, said that her daughter has a strong personality. When determined to do something, Uyen will seriously put in time and effort to pursue.

Because of the busy schedule, having to travel a lot when studying at two schools at the same time and participating in many projects and extracurricular activities, Uyen asked her parents to ride a motorbike by themselves for convenience. Female students arrange a tight schedule, sometimes having to take time off from class to take exams at the conservatory, then continue to review and take exams at Ams. After about three years with this hectic schedule, Uyen has forged discipline as well as time management, prioritizing important things and running plans under pressure.

"I'm not afraid to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, even if my parents don't know where I found that hobby and how I grew up with that passion," Ha shared. .

Uyen had to reserve her studies at the Conservatory of Music when she went to study abroad. I think that besides studying, Johns Hopkins University with modern facilities and wide network can also help me develop a project to produce tampons from dragon fruit peels. In the long term, I want to become a biomedical engineer, research genomics and have my own company in biotechnology, aiming to take care of women's health, including women with breast cancer, cervical cancer. uterus.

" Dare to dream big and do your best for passion to express your identity clearly and enthusiastically," Uyen said.