In mid-December, Phan Linh Lan, a student at Concordia International School Hanoi, was informed about her admission to Harvard University, the only school she applied to in this year’s early enrollment campaign. Harvard ranks third among 2025 THE ranking. Linh Lan is the first Concordia student accepted to Harvard since the school's establishment.

"It was a nice surprise to me. I know that the acceptance rate at Harvard is very low every year and getting rejected by this school is quite normal, so I had mentally prepared myself for that possibility," Lan said.

Born into a family whose parents paid high attention to education, Lan began going to international schools when she was small. With an enthusiasm for the US after watching many movies, she left British international school BIS for Concordia International School in Hanoi after she finished the sixth grade to be able to wholeheartedly pursue the ‘Dream of America’.

At that moment, she began learning about aptitude tests and decided to prepare for the ACT (American College Testing). She recently ‘conquered’ the certificate with 35/36 score.

Among American prestigious schools, Linh Lan targeted Harvard University, known for its esteemed professors and successful alumni. To solidify her choice, she applied for Harvard's 7-week summer program at the end of 10th and 11th grades.

During these trips, Linh Lan took college-level courses in Law and History, experiencing college life in dorms like a bona fide university student.

Under the program, high school students from all over the world had the chance to attend some in-depth classes at university level. During these trips, Linh Lan took college-level courses in Law and History, experiencing college life in dorms.

"These were all valuable experiences that strengthened my determination to conquer Harvard," Lan said.

The girl began preparing dossier for her application when she entered the 11th grade but began building her groundwork much earlier. 

She was always among top excellent students of the school. She participated in research projects and won two first prizes at AI JAM (International Association for the Promotion of Advanced Innovation) with the topics of conserving bird species in danger of extinction in Vietnam by using AI technology to discover animals’ sounds, and preventing traffic accidents thanks to AI that discovers road errors.

She currently acts as the high school president of DECA Vietnam—an international nonprofit organization promoting business and entrepreneurial skills among students.

In her main essay to Harvard, Linh Lan expressed her love for history and her desire to preserve cultural identity, which motivated her to learn the dan tranh (16-string zither), a traditional Vietnamese music instrument, to uphold Vietnam's cultural values amid modern life's hustle and bustle.

However, it was her supplemental essay that Linh Lan found most satisfying. She wrote about her family's business. At the age of 12-13, she often accompanied her parents abroad as an interpreter, which helped her better understand the family business and appreciate her parents' efforts.

"Sometimes they were absent at home during Tet holiday, because they had to discuss with partners in Canada. The trips abroad made me feel like I was contributing to the family’s business and underscored the importance of learning foreign languages," she recalled.

That is why after the trips, Lan learned a new foreign language. In addition to English and Spanish she is studying at school, she is learning Chinese and French.

At school, Lan is a famous student as she can play many different music instruments, such as dan tranh, piano, violin and flute. She also has won prizes at many sports events at swimming, basketball, tennis and golf competitions.

Do Thuy Linh, her mother, said she was surprised as her daughter has so much energy to do so many things.

“In addition to study at school, she participates in numerous competitions and engages with peers from other schools. She maintains a habit of reading and working out. She plans everything weekly, daily, maintaining discipline," Linh said.

Ben Compton, her college advisor, said he is impressed by Lan’s curiosity and eagerness to discover many fields, especially history and politics.

Thuy Nga