“I want to stay at Dewey. I choose Dewey for my next three years of high school.” That was Wu Tuan Dat’s answer to his mother back in Grade 9, when he was deciding where to continue his high school journey.
Three years later, Dat proved that decision was the right one by receiving admission offers from 14 prestigious universities across the U.S. and around the world.
A student from The Dewey Schools Hai Phong, Dat impressed some of the world’s most selective admissions committees with his outstanding academic achievements and international accomplishments, including:
SAT score of 1510/1600 and IELTS 8.5
Winner of the Diplomacy Award at WIMUN 2025 — an international Model United Nations conference held in New York
Top 18 at the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) 2023 in Thailand
Author of the English book collection “Winter: The Icebreaker” …
Thanks to his remarkable profile, Dat received offers from 14 prestigious universities worldwide, including:
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) — one of the top public universities in the United States and part of the prestigious Public Ivy group. Each year, UCLA receives over 140,000 applications, while the acceptance rate for international students remains around 8%.
Vanderbilt University — a top-tier research university ranked #17 among National Universities in the U.S., often referred to as a “Southern Ivy,” with an acceptance rate of only 6%.
The University of Melbourne — Australia’s #1 university and ranked among the Top 13 universities in the world according to QS World University Rankings.
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) — a globally recognized research university ranked among the world’s Top 34 universities by Times Higher Education.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) — one of the Top 4 public universities in the United States.
The University of Sydney — a prestigious institution ranked among the world’s Top 1%.
Boston University — a leading private research university ranked among the Top 42 universities in the U.S.
Along with many other prestigious institutions.
GROWING THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Passionate about languages, social issues, and multidimensional debates, Dat quickly found his own identity through Dewey’s experiential learning environment. For him, the most meaningful lessons did not only come from textbooks, but from interdisciplinary projects where students could fully immerse themselves in different roles and perspectives.
His journey ranged from performing as Romeo in “Romeo & Juliet” during middle school to participating in the Grade 11 art project “Planet Cracks.” Together with his classmates, Dat developed concepts, wrote scripts, and performed shadow puppetry to explore the fragile boundaries between good and evil from different social perspectives.
Long nights spent revising scripts and refining performances taught him patience, collaboration, active listening, and the determination to pursue a shared goal until the very end.
A LAUNCHPAD FOR A YOUNG GLOBAL LEADER
Equipped with strong critical thinking skills, Dat confidently stepped beyond his comfort zone and took on bigger leadership roles. He successfully served as Secretary-General of Dewey MUN and Vice President of the DSC Student Council.
Those leadership experiences and negotiation skills later helped him win the prestigious Diplomacy Award at WIMUN 2025 — becoming a major highlight that turned his profile into a magnet for offers from top universities around the world.
Dat’s three-year high school journey is a powerful reminder that when students are placed at the center of an educational environment that respects individuality, they are able to discover and maximize their true potential.
The decision to “stay at Dewey” has now become the launchpad that helped this Hai Phong student confidently step into some of the world’s most prestigious universities.
Dat’s mother, Ms. Hai Hanh, shared: “Dat has always been a quiet boy who doesn’t share everything with me. But he felt comfortable talking with his homeroom teacher, Ms. Sau. His foreign teachers, especially Ms. Sofia, always cared deeply and gave him valuable advice for the activities he participated in. That truly gave me peace of mind.”
To Ms. Hanh, Dewey teachers are not only educators, but also listeners, mentors, and companions who genuinely understand their students. Their dedication gives students a strong emotional support system, especially during the intense pressure of Grade 12.
With a strong passion for Law and global social issues, Wu Tuan Dat chose UCLA as the next destination for his academic journey.
At one of America’s leading public universities, Dat will continue pursuing an environment rich in critical thinking, open-mindedness, and multicultural connection — values that have been nurtured throughout his journey at The Dewey Schools.
From experiential learning projects at Dewey Hai Phong to lecture halls at world-leading universities, Dat’s story is not only about achievements, but also about the importance of choosing the right environment to grow.
His journey toward pursuing justice is only beginning, but with the passion and strong inner foundation built at Dewey, the school believes Dat will continue to go further — carrying with him integrity, critical thinking, and the spirit of a true global citizen.
