School News

Chooi Je Qin: The KTJ Student Who Won The Golden Ticket To Harvard

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Apr 20, 2022

“I didn't choose to study at Harvard. Harvard chose me to study there.”

Chooi Je Qin was one of just six Malaysians to gain admission to Harvard

Ivy leagues schools are highly selective and competitive to get into. Sitting at the summit of this prestigious league is Harvard University. With a highly competitive acceptance rate of only 3%, Harvard is consistently ranked first among the top universities in the world. 

Despite this fact, students worldwide still have the burning desire to study at this prestigious university, proven by the tens of thousands of applications Harvard receives each year. However, it wasn’t the case for Chooi Je Qin, the Malaysian student from Johor who was among the six Malaysians who gained admission into Harvard for the class of 2026. Chooi admitted he had no intention of initially pursuing his studies at Harvard, and he simply “tried my luck applying there”. 

Little did he know then that he was about to hit the biggest jackpot in his life. On April 1st, 2022, at 7 am, Chooi found out that he was among the 1,954 students who got into Harvard University for the class of 2026.

“It was an unbelievable moment. Very surprising. I had a hard time believing it because it was April Fool’s day,” Chooi says. 

He was not alone, as his older brother had a hard time believing him until Chooi showed him the acceptance letter through video call - as seen on his YouTube Channel.

A-Levels in Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar

The youngest of three siblings, Chooi completed his primary education at SJK(C) Foon Yew 5 before doing his secondary education at SMK Sultan Ismail. Upon completing SPM —he scored straight As— he obtained a scholarship to pursue his A-Levels at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ). 

Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar was established in 1991 by the Negeri Sembilan Royal Family

Nestled in Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, KTJ has successfully sent its students to Harvard University both in 2021 and now in 2022. In KTJ, the students get a glimpse into their futures by rubbing shoulders with well-qualified staffers who provide a wide range of learning experiences. Chooi was no different as he continued his remarkable achievement by further developing his skills and scoring As in his A-Level subjects, which included Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics.

Well-qualified and experienced teachers ensure KTJ students excel in Maths and Science subjects.

“KTJ also emphasises soft skills. Every week, they have a mentoring class that teaches you relevant skills required in universities and life,” says Chooi. “I was the President of the Tech Club and was part of the lifeguarding club, social justice club and others. I believe all these skills will help me in Harvard, and anywhere I go.”

Apart from his academic achievements, Chooi has participated and won in numerous Astrophysics and Astronomy Olympiad competitions, co-authored a 259-page book called Everaise Academy: Astronomy and coached younger students along the way. He also went above and beyond by creating a website, AMISO, to help Malaysian students know more about the Olympiad competition.

Chooi won a gold medal at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2021

Harvard University Application Process

When it came to Harvard application, the Johor teen admitted that he wouldn't have applied to the esteemed university if it weren't for his friends. 

“It's an outstanding university, and everyone wants to study there. I was inspired by my friends because I had no intention of applying to Harvard until one week before the deadline,” Chooi says. 

The application process for universities often is hectic, but thanks to the dedicated personnel in KTJ, Chooi completed them smoothly. He acknowledged that the counsellors in KTJ were immensely helpful by guiding him every step of the way, be it managing his transcript, providing recommendations, helping out with the essays etc.

“KTJ empowers the students like me to seek opportunities independently. They support us wholeheartedly whenever we organise something or do something of value,” Chooi says.

With both of his older siblings studying for a medical degree in the UK, one could be forgiven for thinking Chooi would follow in their footsteps. However, he is still undecided on what course he will be pursuing at Harvard for now. 

“I’ve not made a final decision on a specific course yet. But I’ll be taking classes like maths, computer science, and astrophysics,” Chooi says. “And then I’ll make up my mind in the second year.”

For someone not fond of maths, Chooi has planned to take Math 55 at Harvard. According to the Harvard University Department of Mathematics, Math 55 is the most difficult maths class in the country. Yet, it doesn't seem to faze him.

“I believe we should seize the opportunity available to us and not be afraid of the difficulty it possesses. If it is difficult, then I have to overcome it. But I would ensure I’m fully prepared before going through with that,” Chooi says.

Besides, Chooi hopes to take Maths as he believes it could be beneficial for the course he would take in the future, especially when he has yet to nail down his chosen field. 

Chooi Je Qin’s Hope For The Future

Chooi urged all aspiring students who wish to emulate his footsteps to make the best use of all the resources and opportunities given to them.

“Don’t use the opportunities with a mindset of applying to college. Instead, choose activities that fit your interests and capabilities,” Chooi says. “You need to keep learning and growing your skillset. As you grow and move upwards, you can then take on more challenging tasks. One step at a time.”

The young lad hopes to establish connections whilst he studies at Harvard as the university has a proven track record of educating the most CEOs around the world and many others in various notable professions. As such, he looks forward to meeting brilliant minds and “very motivated students” from all around the world. 

Looking back to the day he discovered he was going to Harvard, Chooi still has not fully recovered from the shock of getting into Harvard. He even admitted he had “zero confidence” in getting into Harvard at the point of his application. “I was just lucky,” he says. 

Lucky he may have claimed but based on his accomplishments both academically and his other notable achievements, it's undeniable that Chooi Je Qin truly deserves a spot at the prestigious Harvard University which he will be attending in September 2022. And Chooi couldn't be more grateful to KTJ for being instrumental in his journey to Harvard University.

“If I wasn't in KTJ, I wouldn't have been accepted into Harvard,” he says.