Hanoi teenager secures $360,000 US scholarship with essay about growing up in dad's motorbike repair shop

Nguyen Tien Dat, a 12th-grade student at the United Nations International School of Hanoi (UNIS), learned the news on Feb. 28 when a congratulatory email from Franklin & Marshall College popped up on his phone.

He had applied for Early Decision but was rejected, so this acceptance came as a huge surprise.

"I immediately called my parents, told them I got the scholarship, and then burst into tears," said the 19-year-old.

The scholarship covers tuition, living expenses, housing, and book costs. However, Dat's family still needs to pay $3,000 per year.

Franklin & Marshall College ranks 31st among the best liberal arts colleges in the U.S., according to the QS 2025 rankings.

"I cried tears of joy," said Dat's mother, Nguyen Thi Hong. She added that she plans to borrow money from relatives to cover what the scholarship does not.

Nguyen Tien Dat in a photo he provided.

Initially, Dat planned to study math education at Hanoi National University of Education to become a teacher. However, after joining an international program and interacting with students aiming for overseas universities, he changed his mind and set his sights on studying abroad.

"I want to explore the world, experience new things, and improve my life so I can support my family," Dat said. He started working on his college applications when he was 17.

For his 650-word college essay, Dat wrote about his "special home" and how it shaped him. His family of four lives in a small loft above his father's motorcycle repair shop. The walls are made of plywood, and the roof leans against a neighboring building. Most of their furniture is either donated or salvaged from discarded items. The shop itself takes up the entire ground floor and front yard.

"People might imagine an oily, cluttered, and cramped space when they hear about my home," he said. "But to me, it's always been a warm place where I grew up and matured."

Growing up around customers at the shop made him outgoing. His love for math grew from a teacher who often stopped by for repairs.

Neighbors noticed how good Dat was with math and started bringing their kids to him for tutoring. Over time, his family's tiny loft turned into a free tutoring space. Many regular customers of his father asked him to tutor their kids, which allows Dat to make some money to support his family.

His passion for math grew beyond tutoring. He started a math club at school, where he and a team of 10 classmates held free one-hour lessons twice a week for elementary and middle school students. He also assisted teachers in high school math classes.

In June 2024, he launched a nonprofit club called Guiding Stars, which provides online math tutoring and raises funds for students in need. Recently, the group helped a blind child in Bac Ninh that borders Hanoi afford to go to school.

But balancing school and extracurriculars was tough. In his last two years, he enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, a demanding curriculum that prepares students for university-level studies. At times, his mock exam scores did not meet expectations, making him doubt whether he could keep up.

"I told my mom I was too stressed and wanted to give up," he recalled. "But she reminded me that studying is the shortest path to a better future and encouraged me."

To keep up with his education, Dat quit his school's basketball team and music band. He used the Pomodoro technique—studying for 25 minutes, then resting for five—to study more effectively. During exam season, he took 20-minute naps after school before continuing studying late into the night.

His hard work paid off. His predicted IB score is 44 out of 45. He scored 1470 out of 1600 on the SAT and 150 out of 160 on the Duolingo English Test.

Dr. Jeff Leppard, high school principal at UNIS, called Dat a role model who excelled in academics while staying dedicated to his community.

"His success isn't just a personal victory but also proof to future generations that education can improve their lives," Leppard said.

Dat is considering a mathematics or public health major and hopes to continue his studies after college.

"I want a stable job so I can build a proper home for my parents and buy back the land where my father's shop stands, keeping it as part of our family's history," he said.