Top Student of the University of Foreign Languages (ULIS) Admitted to the World's #1 University.

Vu Thu Hang studied English Education at the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Hang said she was happy and proud of her results but not too surprised because she had set this goal from the beginning.

"When I started university, I decided I would study for a master's degree abroad. To do that, I needed to keep a high GPA for all 4 years of university to have a competitive advantage," she said.

The top graduate said she had no specific study secrets, just set goals, tried hard to achieve them, and believed she could reach what she wanted. Each day, Hang divided her time between studying, social activities, and work. She focused most on studying, usually early in the morning or late at night, depending on her school schedule.

Hang said because she wanted high grades, she was always strict with herself, trying to do her best on assignments. Many times, when she wasn't happy with her work, Hang stayed up all night to study.

"Keeping up my grades made me feel pressure, sometimes I felt discouraged and asked myself why I had to struggle so much. However, the pressure was also what motivated me to stay disciplined to reach my goals," Hang shared.

Hang said she didn't have much trouble with her major subjects because she had studied English for many years. She was a former student at Nguyen Trai High School for the Gifted in Hai Duong, winning many gold medals in English Olympics and gifted student competitions in the Coastal and Northern Delta regions. In 2020, Hang won first prize nationally and was directly admitted to many universities like Hanoi Medical University, Foreign Trade University, and University of Languages and International Studies.

She chose to study English Education because she liked working in education. After entering the University of Languages and International Studies, inspired by her teachers, Hang grew to love teaching even more. Through hard work, Hang won scholarships in 7 out of 8 semesters.

At the same time, Hang paid attention to extracurricular activities to improve her study abroad application, such as being a research team leader and presenter at scientific conferences on foreign language teaching. She also applied for and was chosen to participate in many exchange programs in China, Singapore, Japan and Thailand, as well as some volunteer activities.

Additionally, Hang arranged to work part-time to gain teaching experience, starting from her first year. With an IELTS score of 8.0, Hang taught IELTS preparation to students of many ages and levels. She saw this job as helping her understand learners' psychology, put herself in their position to create connection and trust, and improve effectiveness.

At the end of her third year, Hang focused on researching master's programs and decided to apply to Oxford University in England. This university is currently ranked first on the Times Higher Education (THE) university rankings.

The biggest challenge for Hang was finishing her graduation thesis while preparing her study abroad application. Because she had to focus on her thesis, she missed Oxford's scholarship application deadline in mid-January and had to submit her application in March. Hang said it took her three months to finish writing her personal statement, two academic essays, and get recommendation letters. The interview round was easier.

"I didn't face any difficulties during the 20-minute interview because the atmosphere was relaxed," Hang said. "The admissions committee asked in-depth questions about my research plans for my master's degree."

Hang said she wants to research artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on teacher development in Vietnam, to propose appropriate policies and support for teachers.

Dr. Nguyen Thu Le Hang, Head of the Liberal Education Department, Faculty of English Language Teacher Education, was proud when her student received an Oxford acceptance letter before graduating. Dr. Hang said she was impressed that no matter how busy Hang was, she always completed group projects creatively and carefully.

"I believe she will continue to go far and be steady on her chosen path," she said.

At the end of September, Hang will leave for England to study for one year. She plans to return to Vietnam after finishing, hoping to teach and do research at a university.

"Have faith in yourself and your abilities. When you are determined enough about what you want, sooner or later you will achieve your goals," Hang concluded.

CREDIT: Thanks to Bình Minh, on vnexpress.net