When Thomas Chan (‘25) opened his Harvard acceptance letter on Ivy Day, he could not believe what he saw.
“It felt like I was dreaming. It’s like what people said was real,” said Chan.
Chan, a first-generation immigrant from Hong Kong, moved to the U.S. when he was eleven years old. His journey has been shaped by his family’s values.
“Harvard was my lottery choice. I did not expect myself to get in in the first place, but my parents always say to give it your shot, so I just wanted to expand my horizon and also to follow my parents’ advice, just to always learn and also be curious,” said Chan.
Throughout the application process, Chan’s parents were his biggest supporters. They provided him emotional support and encouragement.
“They’re able to provide that mental support, even though they couldn’t really provide a lot of actual application support or anything because they’re not fluent in English. But having them next to me and supporting me every day throughout the process really helped me,” said Chan.
His acceptance did not come on a whim. Outside the classroom, Chan focused on what he truly enjoyed. He worked as a teacher for his church’s after-school program and served as an officer in Amador’s neuroscience club.
“Don’t be a cookie-cutter. I did what I think was interesting to me…not just compete, compete, compete and get first place,” said Chan.
Chan believes it was his essays and interviews that helped him stand out. He focused on sharing his authentic story and personality to show colleges the real person behind the statistics.
“Everyone has strong GPAs and SAT scores. But your voice in the essay and how you come across in the interview really matter. Colleges want to see who you are,” said Chan.
As Chan prepares for the move to Boston, he is both excited and nervous. Chan is most eager to meet the people who will shape his college experience and future career.
“I just came back from an admitted students event, and everybody there is very energetic, and I believe they contribute to their community with enthusiasm,” said Chan.
With Harvard as the first step, Chan has already begun thinking about the future. He hopes to go into medicine and dreams of working internationally with organizations like Doctors Without Borders.
