Vi Ha NGUYEN and the journey of understanding herself

Spending 4 years at ISV since 2017, Vi definitely had an intimate experience here. From her viewpoint, everyone really got a personal connection to others, from peers, teachers to the school staff. She still remembers how she was surprised that the whole school knew she was coming and welcomed her on her first day. From forming wonderful relationships with others, ISV lets students navigate their own way and understand the meaning of self-growth.

Vi successfully gained a full scholarship to study the IBDP, the world’s most popular international qualification for high school students recognized by leading universities and employers worldwide. The IB Diploma might be considered as an international passport to progression and success, and Vi immediately knew that it would be her chance to study at top universities abroad. 

But the IB programme was not an easy journey. To Vi, most of the stress actually came from multitasking outside work and college applications. “IB is mostly about self-learning; teachers are there to guide you but it is you who will really determine how far you will go and how big you want to achieve”, she said. 

Due to her untiring effort and determination, Vi received an admirable IB score: 43, out of 45. Years of studying and researching have taught her a lesson that the biggest tip is to always take initiative, make your own plans, and don’t wait for others to tell you what to do. As proof, Vi said thanks to that, she had more than enough time to finalize everything, as well as to remember to get the feel of the subject since each subject, each field has its own niche that needs a “trained instinct” for.

Vi admitted that she was a quite ambitious person and always optimised everything even with the littlest question, yet Ms. Alyssa and Ms. Chau from the ISV University Counsellor never hesitated to help her. Endless meetings with Ms. Alyssa just to adjust the tiniest wording in an essay or fill in the n+1th form, the individualized attention; every success, every setback, Vi could always freely share with them without any fear of judgment or disapproval. On her journey of finding herself and what she wants, they have been a safe zone for her so that she can really look back on herself and discover the within, which was essential for her university application.

In the end, Vi said: “Just try your best and really take advantage of your opportunities. And don’t hesitate to reach out, your experiences are really determined by how much you want to be included!” What wise words from an excellent alumnus for the potential students applying to ISV and the scholarship programme!