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Time of India
01-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How a Bengali teen made it to Harvard, Yale, Princeton and 7 top US universities with 3 simple mantras
Getting into a top-tier university in the US can feel like an arms race. Families spend thousands on private tutors, college consultants, and exclusive enrichment programs. Summer schedules are packed with internships, competitions, and résumé-building boot camps. The message is clear: if you want a shot at the Ivy League, you'd better have every advantage money can buy. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MCA PGDM Finance Leadership Public Policy Data Analytics Degree Data Science Digital Marketing Data Science Product Management Cybersecurity Design Thinking Artificial Intelligence Management Operations Management others CXO healthcare MBA Project Management Technology Healthcare Others Skills you'll gain: Programming Proficiency Data Handling & Analysis Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Master of Computer Applications Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details And yet, every so often, someone breaks that mold. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Victoria Principal Is Almost 75, See Her Now Reportingly Salman Chowdhury didn't just dream big, he made it happen. The son of Bangladeshi immigrants, Chowdhury recently graduated from PCTI STEM Academy in Wayne, New Jersey. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Also Read: 10 countries with the best work-life balance in 2025 Live Events This year, he cracked the admissions code at ten of America's top 25 universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and UPenn. But here's what makes it more remarkable: he got in without a private college consultant, pricey prep courses, or elite extracurriculars handed to him on a silver platter. Instead, he credits his family's grounding approach, small things done consistently over time. In an article for CNBC's Young Success series, Chowdhury reflected on his journey and shared three things his parents did early on that, as he puts it, 'made all the difference.' Prioritising health before hustle Salman's parents didn't chase academic perfection at the cost of well-being. They made sure he got proper sleep, good food, and stability at home. His father would wake up early every day just to drive him to school, giving Salman an extra hour of sleep by avoiding the bus. His mother, often up at 4:30 a.m., would cook him a proper breakfast of eggs, garlic toast, and protein. They even coordinated their work hours so he'd never come home to an empty house. That structure, Salman says, made his academic grind sustainable. 'Research consistently shows that good sleep and proper nutrition lead to better academic performance. My parents took this seriously.' Letting him explore, even if he failed Salman admits he started high school with a narrow focus on grades. But his parents nudged him to try new things, clubs, competitions, teams, even if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone. 'If you don't like it, you don't have to stay,' they told him. That push unlocked a floodgate of opportunities. He became one of the most involved students in his district, joining Robotics, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and SkillsUSA. He led a NASA HUNCH team that designed a lunar rover and presented it to astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. '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,' he wrote. 'My parents taught me that you can become talented through skill development, but you need opportunities to put that talent to good use,' he added. Raising him with values, not just ambitions Academic success wasn't the end goal in the Chowdhury household. His parents, who immigrated to the US without formal American education, focused on character. Salman grew up with values rooted in his Islamic faith--honesty, curiosity, gratitude, perseverance--and a sense that success should be about serving others. That mindset shaped how he treated people and how he showed up in school, which in turn showed up in his glowing recommendation letters. 'They instilled in me values rooted in our Islamic faith... 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.' Among his many offers, Salman received a full-ride merit scholarship from Washington University in St. Louis and a personal call from the Dean of Engineering. He was also named a Likely Scholar by Columbia. But he's heading to Harvard this fall, with a quiet confidence that it's not just what you achieve, but who you are that counts. 'What matters most to me is giving back, to my parents, my community, and everyone who helped me along the way.' Salman Chowdhury's journey is proof that even in the hyper-competitive world of college admissions, authenticity, consistency, and community roots still matter.
Economic Times
01-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- Economic Times
How a Bengali teen from Bangladesh made it to Harvard, Yale, Princeton and 7 top US universities with 3 simple mantras
AI generated image for representation purposes. Getting into a top-tier university in the US can feel like an arms race. Families spend thousands on private tutors, college consultants, and exclusive enrichment programs. Summer schedules are packed with internships, competitions, and résumé-building boot message is clear: if you want a shot at the Ivy League, you'd better have every advantage money can buy. And yet, every so often, someone breaks that mold. Salman Chowdhury didn't just dream big, he made it happen. The son of Bangladeshi immigrants, Chowdhury recently graduated from PCTI STEM Academy in Wayne, New Jersey. Also Read: 10 countries with the best work-life balance in 2025 This year, he cracked the admissions code at ten of America's top 25 universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and here's what makes it more remarkable: he got in without a private college consultant, pricey prep courses, or elite extracurriculars handed to him on a silver he credits his family's grounding approach, small things done consistently over time. In an article for CNBC's Young Success series, Chowdhury reflected on his journey and shared three things his parents did early on that, as he puts it, 'made all the difference.' Prioritising health before hustle Salman's parents didn't chase academic perfection at the cost of well-being. They made sure he got proper sleep, good food, and stability at home. His father would wake up early every day just to drive him to school, giving Salman an extra hour of sleep by avoiding the mother, often up at 4:30 a.m., would cook him a proper breakfast of eggs, garlic toast, and even coordinated their work hours so he'd never come home to an empty house. That structure, Salman says, made his academic grind sustainable. 'Research consistently shows that good sleep and proper nutrition lead to better academic performance. My parents took this seriously.' Letting him explore, even if he failed Salman admits he started high school with a narrow focus on grades. But his parents nudged him to try new things, clubs, competitions, teams, even if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone. 'If you don't like it, you don't have to stay,' they told push unlocked a floodgate of opportunities. He became one of the most involved students in his district, joining Robotics, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and SkillsUSA. He led a NASA HUNCH team that designed a lunar rover and presented it to astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.'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,' he wrote. 'My parents taught me that you can become talented through skill development, but you need opportunities to put that talent to good use,' he added. Raising him with values, not just ambitions Academic success wasn't the end goal in the Chowdhury household. His parents, who immigrated to the US without formal American education, focused on grew up with values rooted in his Islamic faith--honesty, curiosity, gratitude, perseverance--and a sense that success should be about serving others. That mindset shaped how he treated people and how he showed up in school, which in turn showed up in his glowing recommendation letters.'They instilled in me values rooted in our Islamic faith... 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.'Among his many offers, Salman received a full-ride merit scholarship from Washington University in St. Louis and a personal call from the Dean of Engineering. He was also named a Likely Scholar by he's heading to Harvard this fall, with a quiet confidence that it's not just what you achieve, but who you are that counts. 'What matters most to me is giving back, to my parents, my community, and everyone who helped me along the way.'Salman Chowdhury's journey is proof that even in the hyper-competitive world of college admissions, authenticity, consistency, and community roots still matter. 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