From choosing Computer Science to “playing games” to winning a multi-million scholarship: Minh Tri’s journey

Can an essay about playing video games help you win over 1.5 billion VND in scholarships every year from top universities around the world? For Minh Tri (12A), that’s a true story! What started as choosing Computer Science to kill time with video games, turned into a great passion for him through programming games in Python with his teacher, Tran Quoc Thu (Computer Science Teacher).

This journey didn’t stop at small joys. From disliking natural sciences, Minh Tri gradually became fascinated by computer science, joined real-world projects, worked part-time, and dreamed of using his knowledge to change the fields of Economics and Education – two areas he is passionate about. “The essay reflected my true passion for this field. I think that’s the reason I was able to impress these universities,” Minh Tri shared.

It was this excellence that helped Minh Tri gain acceptance into a series of prestigious universities, including:

– VinUni – Computer Science – Dean’s Scholarship 80% (Dean’s Scholarship)

– Gettysburg College (#61 Liberal Arts – U.S. News 2025) – Scholarship of 1.5 billion VND/year (60,000 USD)

– Dickinson College (#47 Liberal Arts – U.S. News 2025) – Scholarship of 1.45 billion VND/year (58,000 USD)

– St. Olaf College (#51 Liberal Arts – U.S. News 2025) – Scholarship of 1.175 billion VND/year (47,000 USD)

– University of Auckland (#65 in the world – QS World University Rankings 2025) – 20% scholarship for the entire program in Science

– University of Melbourne, Australia (#13 in the world – QS World University Rankings 2025)

– University of Sydney (#18 in the world – QS World University Rankings 2025)

Not only did Minh Tri have an impressive personal statement, but he also boasts an outstanding record at SenTia:

– Second Prize in English, City-level Exam for Excellent Students in 12th Grade, 2024-2025

– First Prize in English, Olympic Exam for Cultural Subjects for 10th, 11th Grade in the Nam – Bac Tu Liem High School Cluster, 2023-2024

– First Prize in English, Excellent Student Exam in the Nam – Bac Tu Liem Cluster, 2022-2023

– Scored 8.5 in IELTS, 1530 in SAT (Top 3%)

– Founder and President of the Rubik’s Club

– Contributor to an economic research paper and an educational game development project

Minh Tri shared: “The journey of preparing for university has been everything to me, from lessons to extracurricular activities and exams. Everything has contributed, big and small, to my profile. At SenTia, everything is clear, and the environment is well-structured to provide students with hard and soft skills. Here, I learn from knowledgeable and dedicated teachers and get inspired every day by a dynamic, open community that encourages personal growth.

Every student at SenTia has a unique passion and personality, which has created a well-rounded environment where we help each other grow and develop our abilities. I believe that the support from my teachers, the help from my friends, and the positive academic environment at SenTia have played a crucial role in my success today.”

Once again, congratulations to Minh Tri on his “brilliant journey.” We wish him continued success in the future as he pursues his degree in Computer Science!