Tran Nam Thai, a student at Olympia High School (Hanoi), recently received news that he was accepted into 7 universities, all of which are in the top 100 in the US. Of these, at Fordham University alone, the male student was awarded a scholarship of more than 200,000 USD (about more than 5 billion VND).

“Fordham University is the school I chose because I believe the training program here can help me develop financial thinking. In addition, the school is located in New York City - the world's leading financial center, which will be an opportunity for me to expand my network of connections with experts in the industry,” said Nam Thai.

Nam Thai has just been accepted into 7 American universities. Photo: NVCC

Inspired by his father’s business stories and practical lessons on financial management, Thai soon decided to pursue related majors. Therefore, in the middle of 10th grade, the male student researched American universities with strengths in this field, and at the same time built a study path and extracurricular activities to highlight his profile.

According to Nam Thai, instead of “trying to show off” a high-scoring profile with a series of extracurricular activities “playing, playing, painting, and writing”, he wants to show his determination to pursue his passion and have a clear direction. Therefore, in most of the activities he participates in, Thai focuses on topics related to business and finance.

In 2024, under the guidance of lecturers from Thai Binh University, Nam Thai participated in the research "Applying the circular economic model in macadamia and avocado production, helping to improve financial efficiency in the agricultural sector". Here, the male student supported the survey of nearly 170 cooperatives to assess the impact of the circular economic model on financial efficiency in agriculture.

Through this, the research team proposed solutions to optimize resource use, reduce costs and enhance value. This research was then published in the International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences.

The male student is also the founder of the “FinAgri” project to support people in Moc Chau, Son La to improve business efficiency. The project includes seminars on economic investment and business development, thereby helping farmers attract financial investment, increasing profits by nearly 10% compared to the previous crop.

While working with the locals here, after visiting the Pa Khen avocado garden, Nam Thai decided to launch a startup selling Moc Chau avocados. In two summers, Thai's group sold 650kg, earning more than 30 million VND. All of this money was donated to buy books and clothes for students at Pa Khen Primary School.

Thai has a passion for finance and business. Photo: NVCC

Also because of his passion for business and finance, the male student has become one of the active managers of a finance club for high school students, and also participates in organizing a business and startup competition for 16-18 year olds.

“I didn't choose to list too many activities but focused on the things that I spent a lot of time and effort on, helped me grow and brought valuable lessons,” Thai said.

In her main essay, Nam Thai told about her journey of playing the role of Quasimodo in the musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame. “At first, I just wanted to challenge myself, but that role made me face my insecurities and my desire to control everything too much when working in a group. After that, I learned to trust, listen, and accept the 'imperfections' of myself and others. I used the image of Quasimodo - 'imperfect but sincere' - to express my journey of growing up in leadership thinking, empathy, and perseverance.”

According to Nam Thai, these are all factors that contribute to creating the portrait of an active student, with clear ideals and commitment to long-term goals.

Overall, Nam Thai assessed that what she did was to present a “sincere” profile. “When I dared to share my ‘imperfections’ and learned great lessons, that was when the admissions committee understood me for who I am, without any embellishment. That made my profile memorable,” Thai said.

Nam Thai plays Quasimodo in the musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Photo: NVCC

Studying in the Vietnam - US integrated program, Nam Thai is in his final year of high school in the US. Last semester, at Marianapolis Preparatory School, the male student studied finance-related subjects such as: Introduction to Finance, Business Startups, Business Ethics, helping him build a basic understanding of finance, thereby making him more certain about his path.

In addition, classes in the US focus on critical thinking and teamwork skills, helping Thai become more mature, especially in time management and problem solving.

This September, the Hanoi male student will begin a new journey at Fordham University, pursuing his passion. During his university years, the 10X hopes to explore more about his strengths and passions, seek internship opportunities, and connect with experts in the financial field.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dam-me-voi-kinh-doanh-giup-nam-sinh-trung-tuyen-7-dai-hoc-my-2389933.html