For every high schooler, the college admissions process is incredibly daunting. Thankfully, for me, the years of hard work all paid off.
I recently graduated from PCTI STEM Academy in Wayne, New Jersey. This spring, I was accepted into 10 of the top 25 universities in the U.S., including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. This fall, I’ll be attending Harvard University.
Among my acceptances, I was offered a merit-based full ride from Washington University as a Langsdorf Scholar and a direct phone call from their Dean of Engineering, along with a Likely Scholar Designation through Columbia University’s C.P. Davis Scholar program.
What made all the difference? It started long before high school, with the way my parents raised me. We couldn’t afford college consultants or expensive enrichment programs, so they focused on simple, consistent routines that laid the foundation for my success.
Research consistently shows that good sleep and proper nutrition lead to better academic performance. My parents took this seriously.
To make sure I got enough rest, my dad would wake up early so that he could drive me to school every morning before heading into work. Not having to catch the bus gave me an extra hour of sleep. My mom would similarly get up before sunrise, sometimes as early as 4:30 a.m., so that she could make me a nutritious breakfast — usually a couple of eggs, some protein, and garlic toast.
My parents also arranged their schedules so that I’d never come home to an empty house. As soon as I was done with school, they’d be home from work.
In Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” he talks about how success requires not just talent and hard work, but also finding opportunities to develop our own interests. That really stuck with me.
At the start of high school, I was too focused on academics. Yet, my parents encouraged me to join clubs. If I didn’t like it, I didn’t have to commit. Growing up, my immigrant parents didn’t have access to extracurricular activities. I was reminded of how lucky I am.
I became one of the most involved students in my district, and surprisingly ended up having a lot of fun. I participated in Robotics, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and SkillsUSA. I even worked on real-world engineering projects, like optimizing math models for school-based initiatives.
My proudest accomplishment? Leading a NASA HUNCH team that designed a lunar rover built to survive the moon’s harsh terrain. We were invited to present our design at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, directly to NASA engineers and astronauts.
My parents taught me that you can become talented through skill development, but you need opportunities to put that talent to good use.
My parents, who immigrated to the U.S. without a formal American education, taught me that success means more than grades. It’s also about character.
They instilled in me values rooted in our Islamic faith: curiosity about the world, honesty, gratitude, and perseverance. Our faith also encourages us to observe and appreciate the beauty of the world, which is initially what got me interested in science!
Those values shaped how I approached everything, from academics to relationships with teachers and classmates. When it came time for recommendation letters, my teachers didn’t just write about my grades. They spoke about who I am as a person, and that came from how my parents raised me.
What matters most to me is giving back — to my parents, my community, and everyone who helped me along the way. I believe that’s how I’ll truly make the most out of my Harvard education.
Salman Chowdhury is a recent graduate of PCTI STEM Academy in Wayne, New Jersey. He grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, and plans to attend Harvard University in the fall.
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