Duong Quoc Khanh – Accepted to New York University

“I chose to study Real Estate because my family works in the real estate business, which is one of the major reasons,” Khanh shared.

“NYU was one of my top choices because of its location. It’s in the heart of New York City, right next to Wall Street. Along with real estate, I’m also planning on studying finance, so being at a university close to Wall Street, the center of finance will be beneficial for me. The prestige of NYU is also something that I look forward to.”

He still remembers the day the decision was announced.

“I remember that the decision came out on a school day. The night before, it was difficult to fall asleep, and I woke up at 6 am, just to check because of the time zone difference. When I opened the portal with my mom, saw the confetti and the ‘Congratulations’, we both jumped out of our seats.”

The biggest challenge for Khanh during his application process was writing his personal statement.

“A personal statement can be revealing and exposing, which made me uncomfortable, especially because I had to share it with teachers and other people to fix my essay. So it’s something that I had to overcome, and I think it was the toughest challenge for me.”

To prove he was the right fit for NYU, Khanh dedicated his time to researching the university.

“I spent a lot of time looking into NYU, their clubs and activities, like the Asian Students Exchange Club and the Finance Club,” Khanh explained. “Doing that helped me plan my extracurriculars and projects to match what NYU looks for. One of the projects I’m most proud of was about perfume, where I combined creativity with business ideas. I wanted to show NYU that I’m already working on aspects that fit with their values.”

Khanh expressed gratitude towards the teachers who supported him throughout the process.

“Mr. Gus, my college counselor, was a tremendous help in guiding me through the application process. It’s a very different application process for US Universities because you have to complete so many tasks compared to others. Additionally, I’m grateful to Mr. Ethan, Mr. Jesse, and Mr. Laroi for writing outstanding letters of recommendation..”

Getting into NYU is a milestone Khanh will always remember:

“This achievement is something that I believe I can look back on when I finish school and be proud of myself. But it’s also something that I can reflect on, to look at my mistakes. There are more prestigious schools out there, and I realize I probably made some errors or missed opportunities, which I can learn from moving forward.”

To younger students just embarking on their academic journey, Khanh advises: “It’s never too early to start preparing for university.”