Hi there, my name is Omar and I live in Egypt. After completing STEM High School for Boys – 6th October in 2022, I now find myself as a senior at the University of Debrecen. Here’s how I got here…

My Background

My high school years at STEM High School for Boys - 6th of October were nothing short of exhilarating. I joined with dreams of discovery, fierce competition, and self-growth that could only come in a boarding school setting. Every year was a different adventure.

Year One: “OMG!” That was awesome! Made friends with people all over Egypt and created relationships which will last forever.

Year Two: The future started to take shape. In summer programs, Virginia Tech and X-Culture accepted me. Also started preparing for standardized tests.

Senior Year: It was all about admissions and college applications; it was an intense but rich process.

Why I Chose to Study Abroad

Just as it did for me in joining a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) school, the urge for more opportunities made me choose to study abroad. I yearned to tour the world, learn new ways of thinking and pursue a career that makes an impact globally.

Stats, Grades, and Test Scores

• High School GPA: 4.0/4.0

• ACT Score: 29/36 (Eventually, I chose to go for Test-Optional)

• TOEFL Score: 98/120

My Journey Through the U.S. Admission Cycle

It was really thrilling having to create a balanced college list. With utmost care I selected my Early Decision 1 (ED1) and Early Decision 2 (ED2) schools knowing that these were the choices that provided best financial aid packages. My school gave us an Excel program with which we could coordinate our ED submissions so that none of us applied for the same spots.

I initially chose Franklin & Marshall as my ED1 choice but later learnt that seven other classmates had chosen it too. So, I switched to Dickinson College; however, all my attempts were futile since I was denied admission. But this did not discourage me because I also applied through Regular Decision and got accepted by 60% of them on my list. The main challenge however remained financial aid.

My Personal Statement

I used two reference books to write my personal statement, College Essay Essentials and 50 Ivy Personal Statements. It was about a near-death incident that happened in my childhood which led to hearing loss with the help of a computerized device that helped me recover; thus, I became passionate about computers.

My Journey Through the Hungarian Scholarship

By the end of the U.S application cycle, I felt a mixture of disappointment and hope. After making an online application, writing an entrance test and attending an interview it was in July 2022 that I received the thrilling acceptance letter from The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship to be the trigger of my new adventure in Europe.

Extracurricular Activities & Competitions

• Finalist at International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

• 1st Place in IoT Challenge participating at UAE finals

• 2nd Place at Smart Innovation Challenge (SIC) in Egypt

• CCO at TEDx Sadat STEM

• Head of Content Writing for TEDx October STEM & TEDx Dakahlia STEM

This journey has been all about hard work, excitement, joy and thrillers. My dream is that other students may find inspiration from my story to pursue their own dreams of studying abroad and taking advantage of each opportunity!