When it comes to Khôi Minh (12Austin), Dewey teachers are always impressed by his strong time-management skills and his determination to pursue his goals to the very end. Determined to gain admission to Foreign Trade University (FTU), Minh simultaneously completed the online program at Dewey’s partner school, Mount Vernon School (USA), while keeping up with Vietnam’s national curriculum. Despite receiving offers from leading universities around the world, including the University of Sydney, Monash University, and the University of Melbourne, Minh remained committed to his original plan. This September, he will officially begin his university journey as a Finance and Banking student at Foreign Trade University (FTU).
Explaining his decision, Minh shared that he plans to study and build his career in Vietnam. Studying at one of the country’s leading universities in Economics and Finance, such as FTU, will allow him to gain closer exposure to the domestic market, develop a deeper understanding of the realities of the industry, and gradually build a professional network from the university classroom. In particular, FTU’s Advanced Program shares many similarities with Minh’s learning experience at Dewey: it emphasizes practical application, incorporates design thinking, and is taught entirely in English. This will give Minh an advantage in continuing to leverage his academic English proficiency and ability to thrive in an international learning environment.
Minh’s interest in Finance and Banking was first sparked by his father, who has more than 20 years of experience in the industry. However, Minh did not simply accept it as a predetermined career path. Instead, he took the initiative to explore the field, gain practical exposure, and evaluate it against his own strengths and interests to validate his choice. Since Grade 10, he has explored how money flows through businesses and banks, regularly followed financial and economic news, and challenged himself through competitions such as the Dewey Business Venture and the Vietnam Economics Olympiad.
The Adventure Program also gave Minh practical advantages for his future field of study. He deliberately chose supporting subjects such as Statistics and Psychology. For Minh, Statistics serves as the “backbone” of quantitative analysis, helping transform market data into models for forecasting, asset valuation, and risk management. Meanwhile, Psychology has helped him better understand consumer behavior—an advantage in negotiation and investment decision-making. Minh also has a particular passion for technology and programming. Recognizing the rapid growth of FinTech, he hopes to apply his technological strengths to optimize traditional processes, shorten transaction times, and increase transparency, ultimately creating greater value for customers.
Minh says one of the greatest advantages he has had throughout this journey is the support of Dewey’s College Counseling team and subject teachers. From SAT preparation to strengthening his academic foundation for Vietnam’s National High School Graduation Examination, his teachers have consistently supported him in preparing for each of his goals. Rather than seeing the challenge of studying two curricula simultaneously as a burden, Minh considers it a “dual toolkit” that has allowed him to maintain a strong academic foundation while developing the skills and capabilities needed for his future field of study.
By choosing a path different from the majority, Khôi Minh’s story demonstrates that an international-program student’s destination does not have to be defined by studying abroad. From exploring his interests and testing them through real-world experiences to proactively building the capabilities needed for his chosen field, Minh has gradually shaped a path that is truly his own. What makes his journey meaningful is not simply reaching FTU, but the courage and confidence to make a different choice, pursue what he believes in, and remain committed to it until the very end.
