Insights from Students, Counselors, and School Leaders on Top University Admissions.
What does it actually take to get into a world-class university? Is it about taking every Advanced Placement (AP) course available, staying up until 2:00 AM cramming, or building a flawless resume?
Recently, St. Paul American School Hanoi hosted its first-ever Pathways to Excellence 2026 panel discussion. Moderated by Middle School Principal John North, the event brought together school leadership, university counseling, and six remarkable Grade 12 students who recently secured admissions to some of the world’s most elite institutions: including Stanford, Yale, Cornell, Northwestern, UCLA, UCL, and KAIST.
The biggest takeaway from the evening? There is no single “perfect” formula. Instead, global readiness is about self-discovery, unique passions, and building true resilience.
If you missed the live event, here are the core themes and game-changing insights shared by our powerhouse panel.
Finding Your Core Theme and Authenticity
When asked to summarize their multi-year college application journeys in just one word, the students didn’t use words like “perfection” or “stress.” Instead, they chose words like Self-Discovery, Uniqueness, Fearless, and Reflection.
A major theme of the night was moving away from the checklist approach to activities and leaning into what makes you genuinely unique.
Nhu (Heading to Stanford University): Rather than just joining standard school clubs, Nhu carved her own path by designing curricula for elementary students and supporting women and disability-owned businesses. Her advice to younger students? “Do as many things as possible. Don’t go too deep into anything [at first] and just try to find what you like.”
Andrew (Heading to Northwestern University): Andrew stood out by combining two completely different worlds: data science/economics and underground hip-hop music production. “What makes you unique and stand out during the college application process is making yourself unique,” Andrew shared, emphasizing that deep engagement with a field you truly love creates an unmatched narrative.
Emma (Likely heading to UCL): Emma recommended building a “theme” early on. “Choose a theme in the beginning of the high school journey and stick with it for several years while still choosing a variety of courses through academics.”
The Admissions Equation: Grades vs. Personality
Many students believe that racking up an endless list of AP classes is the ultimate ticket to an Ivy League or elite acceptance. High School Principal Mr. T.J. Shiers and University Guidance Counselor Mr. Gus Marantos pushed back on this myth, advocating for depth over sheer volume.
“Admissions counselors want to see depth in what you decide to do,” explained Mr. Gus. “They are emphasizing how the student impacts the community around them… they’re not evaluating you on how many exams you take.”
Nhu perfectly summarized how students should view their transcripts:
“The grades, they keep you out, but it’s the activities and your personality and your essays that get you in. Because you have to meet a certain benchmark, but after that, it all comes down to your personality and the different values that you brought to your community.”
Redefining Stress and Finding “Maximum Focus”
With heavy AP workloads, leadership roles, and college applications, how did these seniors maintain their sanity?
Emma shared a brilliant, practical tip for students who want to keep their evenings free of late-night cramming: Maximum Focus during class time. “When you’re in the class and the teacher gives you an instruction, focus on that task only without multitasking… listen actually to the teacher’s instructions.”
Head of School Dr. Moo Eiselstein also reframed how the school looks at academic pressure, drawing a sharp line between “stress” and “productive struggle”. While struggle helps you grow, chronic stress is counterproductive. “You don’t have to be stressed to be successful,” Dr. Moo noted, reminding students to be proactive and rely on St. Paul’s robust counseling and advisory supports before reaching a breaking point.
Embracing Failure as a Growth Tool
Perhaps the most inspiring part of the panel was the students’ absolute honesty about rejection and disappointment. Quang Anh, who is heading to Cornell University this fall, faced multiple rejections earlier in the admissions cycle before finding his perfect match.
“Failing is a part of the process,” Quang Anh stated honestly. “What matters is you have to learn from your mistakes and keep reflecting on it. As long as you’re dedicated to fixing those setbacks and keep moving forward, you should be fine.”
Nhu echoed this mindset, revealing that when her Early Decision round didn’t go as planned, she leaned on her teachers and friends, rewrote almost all of her essays for the regular round, and looked at the initial setback as a sign to improve.
Principal Mr. T.J. Shiers highlighted why this resilience is the true goal of a St. Paul education:
“It’s okay to aim high. It’s okay to fail. The question is, what do you do after that? Do you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try to be reflective about what you need to do better and what you need to do different? Those are the kind of things that we try to teach our young people here because that is how you succeed at life.”
Final Words of Wisdom
As the evening wrapped up, Hyunchan, who is heading to KAIST after also getting accepted to Johns Hopkins University and Tornonto University, got a push from Mr. Gus to aim high, reflected on what the past four years were truly about:
“The process was not only my attempt to go into university, but also thinking about what I did for the four years and discovering also about myself.”
To all our middle and high school students: excellence isn’t a final destination or a single acceptance letter. It is the pathway of authenticity, dedication, and curiosity that you choose to walk every single day.
Congratulations to our graduating seniors, and thank you to our faculty and counseling teams for your relentless support.
Want to learn more about our Advanced Placement (AP) program or University Guidance counseling? Reach out to Mr. Gus Morantis or visit the counseling office today!
Pathways to Excellence will be an interactive university admissions forum featuring distinguished Grade 12 students admitted to top universities, alongside school leaders and university counselors.
The event will bring together students, parents, and invited guests from the wider community for an engaging discussion on the university admissions journey, including:
The program will include:
The goal of the event is not only to celebrate student achievements, but also to inspire and guide younger students and families by sharing authentic experiences, practical insights, and the values that contribute to long-term success.
