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Tiếng ViệtStudent Profile
Student Name: Lucas
Admitted to: Emory University
About Lucas
Lucas attended a private U.S. boarding school, but his journey started in China. In fifth grade, he transferred from a local public school to an international school, which opened the door to new perspectives. Frequent opportunities to travel and study abroad helped him experience different cultures early on. These moments sparked his interest in storytelling, communication, and how people express themselves across languages and backgrounds.
Although he’s now outgoing and confident, Lucas was a quiet and observant student before. Over time, he found his voice by adapting to unfamiliar environments and learning how to connect with others.
When he arrived at his American high school in 9th grade, Lucas thought the transition would be easy because of his international school background. But the fast-paced class discussions and subtle language differences proved more challenging than he expected. Instead of stepping back, he chose to focus on his strengths. He joined dorm activities, made friends by talking about shared interests like music and sports, and started conversations about cultural identity. Through these experiences, he realized that meaningful communication is less about perfect grammar and more about listening, connecting, and showing genuine interest in others.
Working with Ivy Talent
By 10th grade, Lucas felt uncertain. Most of his classmates were focused on STEM, and he started to wonder if his interests in photography, media, and human connection were realistic. His family had similar concerns. They wanted the best for him but were unsure about a path that didn’t follow a more traditional academic track. During this period of uncertainty, Lucas and his parents decided to look for expert guidance.
After hearing strong recommendations from other families, they reached out to Ivy Talent. What impressed them was the thoughtful, personalized approach to planning. Lucas was looking for support that went beyond academics. He wanted help identifying what made him different and figuring out how to move forward with clarity and confidence. They started working together in the second half of 10th grade. At that point, Lucas didn’t have a clear path in mind, but he knew he didn’t want to keep drifting. With Ivy Talent’s support, he began taking a closer look at his strengths and exploring how his interests could shape a meaningful and authentic application narrative.
How Ivy Talent Helped
Ivy Talent supported Lucas by helping him see the value in his own experiences. He had always enjoyed photography as a hobby, but hadn’t thought of it as something that reflected leadership or communication skills. Our team helped him reframe those activities as examples of visual storytelling, cross-cultural understanding, and community engagement.
With this new perspective, Lucas started getting more involved on campus. He co-founded a photography club, covered school sports events, contributed to promotional videos, and led social media content creation. He also joined a competitive academic research program and successfully published his work. This not only strengthened his academic profile but gave him a real boost in confidence.
Throughout the process, we worked closely with Lucas to shape a clear application strategy. Early on, we identified Emory University as a potential fit because of its collaborative environment and strong media and communication programs. At first, Lucas wasn’t sure. He had attended a summer program at USC and felt more familiar with that campus. But after talking with current Emory students and thinking more deeply about the kind of environment he wanted, he realized that Emory was a better match for his values and goals. He applied for ED2 and got in.
Reflections
Looking back, Lucas sees how much he has grown as both a communicator and a leader. He credits Ivy Talent with helping him recognize that his multilingual background and passion for connecting with others were not obstacles to overcome but strengths to embrace.
He also reflects on a few things he wishes he had known earlier. While strong grades matter, he now understands the importance of planning ahead. If he could go back to ninth or tenth grade, he would have given more thought to course selection and how his academic choices connected to his long-term goals.
With support from Ivy Talent, Lucas made the most of the time he had. By focusing on what made him unique and shaping a clear and honest narrative, he was able to build a strong application while staying true to himself.
