Hanoi student's passion for robotics lands him in Ivy League school

Pham Gia Nguyen, a 12th grade physics student at Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, received an acceptance letter in March from Columbia University.

One of the eight Ivy League universities and ranked among the top 13 universities in the U.S., Columbia has a student acceptance rate of only 4-5%.

Pham Gia Nguyen at the Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. Photo courtesy of Nguyen

Nguyen recalls the disappointment of his unsuccessful application to Duke University in December 2024, and his low expectation of being accepted by Columbia as a result.

So, when he received communications from several Ivy League schools on the same day, he chose to open Columbia's email first, starting with the one he thought had the least chance of success.

"I was incredibly surprised when I saw the acceptance letter," he says.

He was also accepted by Georgia Tech University (ranked 33rd) and Rochester University (44th) with a scholarship of US$146,000 over four years.

He is also on the waiting list at the University of Pennsylvania, another Ivy League school.

Having an older sister and other relatives studying in the U.S., Nguyen set himself a similar goal from the start of secondary school.

Initially his parents told him to study English for the specialized entrance exams, and later to pursue a language major like his sister did.

However, after a year of studying languages, Nguyen felt "tired and not happy" and decided to switch to physics, his strongest subject.

After being accepted into the physics program at Amsterdam High School, Nguyen spent his 10th grade obtaining language and academic certificates for his study abroad application.

Thanks to his experience with international programs, he adapted quickly to standardized tests, achieving an IELTS score of 8.5 and SAT score of 1540/1600.

The decision about what to study was another challenge as he needed to decide on an extracurricular activity.

Nguyen and his parents discussed and considered many options such as pursuing computer science, which is popular, or electrical engineering, which is more closely related to physics.

By chance, during the summer of 10th grade, Nguyen's homeroom teacher, who also oversaw the school's robotics club, suggested that he should take part in the World Robot Olympiad competition.

Nguyen joined merely with the intention of trying out a new thing, but soon became passionate about robotics.

"I could work on robots from morning until night without feeling tired," he says.

"My favorite part, and the one I often took on, was 3D design."

Nguyen's teacher, Pham Vu Bich Hang, describes him as "very intelligent, eager to learn, creative, and a natural leader."

She says that in less than two months he took on multiple tasks, including learning theory and practical work, design and several rounds of testing to optimize robots' performance.

"Nguyen led the team from having nothing to achieving a Gold Certificate and reaching the top four at the national level."

Nguyen had earned the trust of his club mates and, after the competition, was elected deputy head of the mechanical department, which involved managing various training activities and events.

The achievement Nguyen is most proud of is leading the school robotics team to a win at the FIRST Tech Challenge in 2024, one of the world's largest robotics competitions, held in Vietnam for the first time last year.

Nguyen recalls the final stretch before the competition when progress was not as expected and he and his teammates practically lived at the school to build the robot.

"There were days we worked all night and did not sleep until 1-2 a.m. Despite that, I did not feel tired; on the contrary, I was very happy."

He describes it as a very enjoyable experience.

Building robots helped him gain more knowledge about 3D design and mechanical engineering.

Along the way, he also made many friends with similar interests.

This year he served as advisor to the school robotics team in the FIRST Tech Challenge as it won second place to qualify for the finals in the U.S.

Over the past year he participated in five robotics competitions as both a contestant and coach, and believes this is one of the highlights of his application.

"I wanted the admissions board to see that when I am passionate and committed to something, I am serious and capable of pursuing it to the fullest," Nguyen says.

In his personal essay, he wrote about a special friend who had difficulty communicating and was often teased.

Supporting this friend helped him gain a different perspective on dealing with failure, he wrote.

When playing basketball, for instance, he always wanted to be the top player, and when things did not go his way, he felt crushed and could not accept it.

But then he realized that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and things do not always go according to plan.

"This friendship also helped me redefine success. Success does not always mean being first. Sometimes, it is about helping others become better."

To further enrich his profile, he participated in several competitions and community activities.

He and two friends won second place in the 2024 Solve for Tomorrow science and technology innovation competition with a project titled "HFA - Health For All: A Comprehensive Healthcare Solution for Home Care."

Pham Gia Nguyen (R) and a classmate organize a tournament for robot clubs at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted in 2025. Photo courtesy of Nguyen

Last year Nguyen was one of 10 students selected for the Samsung STEM Membership Scholarship Program from all over Vietnam.

He received direct training from engineers on data structures and algorithms, artificial intelligence, IoT, and big data.

Launched in Vietnam for the first time last year, the Samsung program searches for and trains outstanding high school students in various countries in science.

Nguyen also passed the Samsung Software Competency Test - Advanced Level, which is equivalent to the entry level for software engineers at Samsung.

Hang says once a "clumsy" student struggling with practical problem-solving, he has now become a trusted leader, creating unity and being the cornerstone of his robotics team.

"Nguyen has learned to work not only creatively but also scientifically, thoughtfully and with improved critical thinking skills."

Nguyen plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at university because it aligns with his strengths and interests.

If possible, he also wants to study other fields like management or business to diversify his knowledge and skills.