Passed Harvard with essay mentioning the principal's plagiarism scandal

Asked what she could do for Harvard, Lan Anh said she could contribute her skills to help resolve media crises, such as the principal's plagiarism scandal.

After four years of working, Nguyen Lan Anh, 27, was accepted into three master's programs in March. She won scholarships from the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania, but decided to choose Harvard University's Leadership, Organization, and Entrepreneurship in Education program.

According to QS 's 2024 rankings , Harvard is ranked 4th in the world, with tuition fees of more than 54,000 USD (over 1.3 billion VND) per year.

Lan Anh graduated with a degree in Communications from New York University, USA, in 2019 and is currently working in the Development and Strategy Department at Fulbright University Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City. After a few years of working, she realized her passion for education and decided to pursue a master's degree, with the goal of getting into a top US university.

Lan Anh on a mountain climbing trip in Nepal in 2023. Photo: Character provided

In October 2023, Lan Anh began preparing her application. She said that of the four schools she applied to, Harvard had the most complex requirements, with two essays. In the 1,500-word essay, she talked about her purpose for studying education and how her major would help her and her future career.

She was born into a family that valued education, with her grandmother being a professor at the University of General Sciences, so she was interested in education from a young age. While working at the school, Lan Anh witnessed many students from disadvantaged areas of Nghe An, Ha Tinh or ethnic minorities, thanks to financial support, having the opportunity to go to school, graduate and get a good job and change their lives.

Unlike scholarships based on academic performance, financial aid is based on the family's economic conditions. At the university, the office where she works is responsible for raising funds from companies and individuals to sponsor students who are admitted but have difficult circumstances and need financial support.

According to her, Western countries have a culture of donating to education, especially universities, but in Vietnam, this is new. In addition, she also wants to focus on the bigger picture of the country's economy. Vietnam is moving towards a service economy and education is the key to improving the quality of human resources to achieve this goal.

"I want to study educational management to provide students with access to high-quality education, contributing to improving the educational and economic situation," she said.

The 250-word essay asked what she could bring to the Harvard community. Lan Anh said that the school not only has academic concerns but also other aspects that need to be managed, such as brand and image. She gave the example of Harvard University in January when President Claudine Gay was involved in a plagiarism scandal that forced her to resign. She is willing to contribute her knowledge and skills in communications, preparing solutions for similar incidents in the future.

According to her, Harvard does not choose the best people just based on their scores and achievements, but rather looks for candidates who best fit the motto: "Learn to change the world". Lan Anh has demonstrated this through her picture of Vietnam's economy and the role of education. She also hopes to contribute her strengths in communication, which is exactly the issue the school is interested in.

Lan Anh and friends explore Son Doong Cave, Quang Binh, 2022. Photo: Character provided

To complete her application, Lan Anh had to take advantage of the evenings after work. The application needed to be consistent not only in her work but also in her interests and extracurricular activities. She joined a charity fund to help build bridges for the Western provinces when she was studying in the US, with the desire to contribute to society. Before that, she also raised funds for heart surgeries for pediatric patients in Ho Chi Minh City.

For candidates who have worked for many years, schools are not too concerned with GPA, extracurricular activities and research, but focus on the candidate's personal development and career goals.

Ms. Dam Bich Thuy, former founding President of Fulbright University, wrote the recommendation letter.

"Lan Anh has interesting qualities. She has the perseverance and determination of Gen X, the openness of Gen Y, and the passion for social impact activities of Gen Z," said Ms. Thuy.

Ms. Thuy has witnessed her many times giving up the glory of victory to her teammates but still firmly defending what is right when many people around her want to compromise.

"This is one of the necessary qualities of a leader," Ms. Thuy added.

Looking back on her journey, Lan Anh believes that when you go to work, don’t just think about work, but also do activities that help change yourself and society. Candidates need to understand clearly what they want to develop in the best way and consider before trading a few years off work to go to school.

She said she was lucky to have the support of her family, friends and colleagues, which gave her more motivation to apply. Lan Anh is currently climbing Everest Base Camp in Nepal, and when she returns, she will prepare for a 1.5-year study abroad trip to the US next July.

"I will return to Vietnam after graduation and continue my education work," she said.