Thien will attend Macalester College, a top 20 liberal arts college in the US, according to the 2025 US News rankings. His scholarship is worth approximately 98,500 USD (2.57 billion VND) per year.

Thien expressed satisfaction with the achievement. He said he targeted liberal arts colleges from the start because of their small class sizes and opportunities for interaction with professors.

Previously, Thien graduated from the United World College (UWC) in China.

Duc Thien at his UWC graduation ceremony in China at the end of May. Photo courtesy of the subject

Duc Thien at his UWC graduation ceremony in China at the end of May. Photo courtesy of the subject

Duc Thien, a former student in the advanced English program at Nguyen Du Specialized High School in Dak Lak province, decided to apply to UWC after learning about the school at a debate camp.

"I wanted to study abroad to broaden my worldview and learn more about different cultures, people, and the world," Thien said.

The UWC selection process involved three rounds: application, interview, and teamwork. Thien's application included grades above 9 in all subjects, a recommendation letter from his homeroom teacher, essays, and extracurricular activities in debating.

The two-day online teamwork round was the most memorable for Thien. One task required participants to describe pieces of themselves to 30 other people, then assemble those pieces to create a complete picture. The challenge was that no one could reveal their keywords. Thien said this activity helped him realize the importance of sharing, empathy, and teamwork.

In 9/2023, Thien went to China to study the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. He became particularly interested in analytical mathematics and economics after spending more than 10 months with his teachers researching the application of game theory at a transportation service company.

Thien also assisted a doctoral candidate in research on startups. This inspired him to continue studying economics, which he believes strengthened his application to Macalester College.

For his two essays, Thien expanded on the essay he wrote for his UWC application. He described growing up with his single, hearing-impaired mother.

"Growing up with those differences, and how my mother and I overcame them by learning sign language together, motivated me to help the disabled community," Thien explained.

This time, his perspective was more mature. Previously, he simply described his life, emotions, and what he learned growing up with his mother.

"This time, I wrote more reflectively, looking back on my experiences living with my mother while being away from home," Thien said.

In his other essay, focusing on community contributions, he wrote about the ethnic minority communities in the Central Highlands, a place closely tied to his childhood and personal growth.

Thien believes a good essay requires careful crafting, finding the story by rewriting past experiences, and then selecting and synthesizing them into a logical flow. His essay clearly expressed his goal of contributing to his hometown's economic development in this era of globalization.

"Essay writing is a microcosm of the effort involved; the beginning is never perfect, so I'm always ready to revise multiple times," he said.

Duc Thien's mother signs "I love you" during an online event. Photo courtesy of the subject

Duc Thien's mother signs "I love you" during an online event. Photo courtesy of the subject

Jacob Thomas Sevick, Thien's teacher at UWC, described him as a determined student with strong presentation and analytical skills, understanding, and a curious mind. These qualities set him apart from most of his classmates.

"Despite starting with a less developed English literature background and struggling with academic essays and presentations, he excelled and achieved the highest results in his cohort," Sevick said. He was also impressed by Thien's dedication to discussing topics with classmates after class, researching assigned materials, and completing everything on time.

Over the next four years, Thien plans to double major in mathematics and financial economics. He also hopes to develop social projects focused on community development.

"I want to return to my hometown in the Central Highlands and make positive changes in the place where I grew up," Thien shared.

Mai Trang - Phuong Anh