The Foundation

I was born and raised in the southern part of Kyrgyzstan, in the Osh region. For the first five years of middle school, I studied in a village school where the curriculum was taught in Kyrgyz. Everything around me felt familiar: our rural lifestyle, my large family of seven children, and a simple rhythm to life. But I always had this hunger inside me. A hunger to explore more, to change something, to find a new path.

This journey continued in a city where my parents decided to send four of us to study in a Russian school. That shift was difficult, but it opened new doors. Eventually, I was invited to study in a top private school called Kupuev Academy in the city by the co-founder after winning the English Olympiad they had conducted.

When the opportunity came to study at Kupuev Academy, I was in 10th grade. But the school, which was still quite new at that moment, only had up to 9th grade. They offered me a place with the only choice that I would repeat one academic year. Many people might hesitate to repeat a year. But I didn’t see it as losing a year. I saw it as gaining a life-changing experience. I said yes without even thinking twice. That’s how much I wanted to be there, and I feel grateful that my parents did not make me reconsider my decision.

Looking back, I believe growing up in a rich rural culture, with my siblings, taught me how to make the most out of limited resources. I tried to show this in my applications: to let people see that my background was a strength, not a disadvantage. That mindset helped me in every step, including my application to Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS).

At Kupuev Academy, everything was intense and challenging. It was far beyond anything I had experienced in my previous schools. I came from being top of my class, getting perfect grades, even being class president. But at my new school, my grades dropped. Suddenly, I was just one among many brilliant students.

This competition made me focus only on my academic goals and isolate myself. I lived in a bubble: doing assignments, keeping my head down, avoiding distractions, and not interacting much with other students. I accomplished a lot this way. But after I went to the U.S. through the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program, I realized the power of connection and communication. That realization changed how I approached things afterward.

While school was highly competitive, I have received incredible support. I spent hours in the school counselor's office, especially when I was applying to programs like FLEX and YYGS. I’d go there almost every day to talk through my ideas, get advice, or just brainstorm. She explained how things worked. I learned how to email properly, how to ask questions, how to find the right documents for financial aid. This guidance was essential for someone like me who was new to international applications.

My experience at Kupuev Academy shaped so much of who I am today. It’s a place that gives students real opportunities. If you want to do something, you can literally knock on the principal’s door and say, “I have an idea.” And she will help you bring it to life. 

I still stay in touch with my school principal. I’m now helping other kids at the school, and even brought my younger sister there.

My YYGS application

When I applied to the Yale Young Global Scholars program, I never imagined I would actually get in. I hesitated for a long time because I thought that my couple of “B” s would negatively affect my application. But in the end, I took a chance and applied. 

At the start of the application, I had to choose my preferred session. YYGS offers four sessions: Innovations in Science & Technology; Literature, Philosophy, and Culture; Solving Global Challenges; and Politics, Law, and Economics. I was most drawn to the Literature, Philosophy, and Culture session. I had to explain why I chose it in the application. That part of the application helped me reflect on my own interests and goals.

There were also short essay questions. One was about my experience with the English language: how I learned it, how long I’ve studied, and how I use it. Since I didn’t have official test scores at the time (no Duolingo or TOEFL), I wrote an essay instead. I explained that I’d taken mock tests and my estimated score was around 140 on Duolingo. I also mentioned that many of my classes were taught in English and described how I’ve improved over time. This option made it easier for students like me who didn’t have access to official exams at this age.

In general, these were the essay topics I had to answer: 

• We know students have many options for academic enrichment programs to which to apply. Please explain why you chose to apply for YYGS specifically AND why you would be a great fit for the program. What will you contribute to YYGS, and what do you hope to take away from YYGS and bring back to impact your community? (100 words)

• Please explain why you chose the session(s) above, including your reasoning for how you ranked each session. (100 Words)

• We want to learn more about your background, beliefs, values, and/or the important people in your life. Please tell us about something that has influenced you and articulate how it has shaped you(200 words)

• What can you do today that you did not think you could do a year ago? Please reflect on what it looked like to learn and develop this skill, including if others helped you. How do you encourage yourself when you are trying something new? (200-400 words)

• For students whose native language is not English, please describe your experience with aspects of the English language. Examples of experience are formal schooling, immersion program, life experience. (200 words)

• What is the best advice you've heard? Please note the source of the advice, if possible. (280 Characters)

Extracurriculars

For extracurriculars, I had to choose five activities and describe their importance. This was a chance to show different sides of myself. Before attending Kupuev Academy, I was the kind of activist who participated in every event possible. I was just everywhere and doing everything.

I volunteered at places like the American Corner, the Educational Coworking Center called U-Great, and the Red Cross. One of my proudest experiences was organizing guest speaker sessions at my school. We invited students who studied abroad (the U.S., Korea, Hong Kong) asking to share their journeys with others. It was both online and offline, and it helped build a sense of global community at our school.

But what really made my application unique was something that might seem unexpected: I included my experience as a farm girl. I wrote about my butchering skills, feeding cows, and doing farm chores. I even included how many sheep I butchered and how many hours a week I spent doing this work. It may sound strange, but it reflected a big part of who I am. Many applicants are from cities and talk about shadowing professionals or attending programs. I wanted to show a different side - life skills, resilience, and a strong work ethic shaped by my rural upbringing.

Financial Aid

Financial aid was another important part of the process. The program itself costs $6,500, which covers tuition, food, and dorms, but not transportation. I had to provide documents like my parents’ income certificate, a bank statement, and a tax return from the local tax office. It wasn’t difficult. I even translated one document myself and wrote a small statement to explain it. In the end, I was lucky to receive full financial aid ($6,500). YYGS covered everything for me - tuition, dorm, food, but travel cost was not covered by the program. A round trip to the U.S. can cost around $1,500, so it’s something students should prepare for. Some people fundraise or ask friends and family for help.

Crowdfunding

Before YYGS even started, I learned one of the most important lessons in my life. I had to raise money to get to the program, to cover my transportation expenses. I honestly didn’t think it would work. I mean, who would donate money to a high school student they didn’t even know? But I was completely wrong. So many people supported me. Some sent kind messages, others helped financially. I had never expected such kindness from strangers.

People reached out from different places. Mirayim, a student at Stanford, contacted me asking if I had someone with a PayPal account so her American friends could send support. My mentors from the Proact Mentorship Program raised $300 in Kazakhstan for me. Proact is run by two Kazakh girls and one Kyrgyz girl, and they help students from Central Asia. One of them was Dina, who was at Columbia University at the time. After helping me with funding, she invited me to Columbia just to show me what campus life is like. I realized then that life isn’t just about struggling on your own. It’s about helping each other. People help because someone helped them once, and now they’re passing that kindness on.

My First Time Abroad: From Osh to Yale

Before I came to the United States for the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) program, I had never even booked a ticket. Suddenly, at 17 years old, I was booking a ticket across the world on my own. And when I was flying back, I accidentally booked my return flight from Newark instead of New York. But somehow, even that mistake turned into a blessing: one folk’s family who was from Kyrgyzstan hosted me in New Jersey, which was around 30 minutes away from the airport. And there were many other cases similar to this. It felt like the world was trying to help me at every step. 

This journey was very different from other programs like FLEX, where many things are arranged for you. With YYGS, I had to handle my own visa, buy my own plane ticket, and organize everything myself. Of course, I received help from so many people along the way, but it was still overwhelming. I was 17, unfamiliar with this “foreign world,” and yet my parents trusted me. No one from my family had lived in the U.S. before, but my mom just gave me her blessings and said I would be fine. That moment still means so much to me.

When I arrived at JFK, I had no idea what to do. The airport was huge. I didn’t know where to go, how to leave, or even how to contact my cousin, who lives in New York. I didn’t have the internet. I was scared, and it felt natural. Then, a woman from Tajikistan, with whom I had a long conversation at the place, noticed I was alone. She and her family drove me to my cousin’s apartment, even though it took them a long time with many stops. That act of kindness changed everything for me.

After New York, I had to travel to New Haven for the program. At the time, I was already feeling uncomfortable due to my subway experience in the city. It didn’t feel safe for someone my age. So I sat on the train to New Haven with my head down the whole way. But at the New Haven station, I met some students who were also going to Yale. We recognized each other and went to campus together. 

At YYGS, I studied Literature, Philosophy, and Culture. But the program was not only academic. We had lectures, open seminars, discussions, and even games. There were guest speakers and casual conversations over meals that turned into deep talks about identity, society, and dreams. My favorite seminar was on storytelling. We took small ideas and turned them into big stories. Our teacher had studied at both Yale and Cambridge, and her guidance really inspired me. My second seminar, “Drugs and Religion,” was a surprise. I didn’t know anything about the topic at first, but I learned so much thanks to my classmates and instructor.

My capstone project was about identity. My team had five people, mostly Americans and one Chinese-American. In the beginning, I was too shy to share my thoughts. Coming from a culture where we don’t talk openly about ourselves, I felt reserved. But the people at YYGS always asked, “Tell me more about yourself.” They truly wanted to listen. Slowly, I opened up. In this capstone project, one of my roles was to analyze identity by discussing characters from various books. I focused on two books: Educated by Tara Westover and Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov. I connected Tara’s struggle of growing up in a closed-off religious environment to my own experiences. And with Jamilia, I wanted to explain not just the story of a woman leaving her husband but the cultural background behind her actions. I felt responsible not only to express my identity but also to represent Kyrgyz women in a meaningful way.

Our team was so collaborative. Everyone shared ideas so quickly that sometimes you had to interrupt just to speak. We debated, brainstormed, and originally planned to make a video. But in the end, we decided on a presentation that captured all our stories. I’m proud of what we created.

Additionally, we also had activities like watching movies and participating in discussions. One film was about a migrant girl from Iraq with a powerful story. After watching, we answered questions and shared our thoughts. These sessions helped me understand how to connect what I see to what I believe.

One of the most meaningful moments came at the end of the program. My group mentor, a Yale student, wrote me a message that I will never forget. He said, “You became a leader.” He remembered that it was my first time traveling outside my country, and that I had come all the way from a small town. And still, I had grown into someone who could lead discussions and inspire others. 

Another highlight was the speaker session and talent show. At YYGS, students get the opportunity to speak on stage about anything they care about. I remember one Russian girl who highlighted how often people misunderstand or stereotype a country's population, failing to distinguish between its citizens and the political decisions made by its government. It was so eye-opening. The talent show was amazing too. For instance, some students gave dramatic speeches, others danced. 

YYGS changed me so much. It was only two weeks, but I feel like my personality completely transformed. I learned how to be more independent, more open-minded. I also had to adjust to American-style communication. For example, when someone says “How are you?” it doesn’t mean they expect your life story. It’s more like a way of saying hi. These small differences taught me a lot about communication and culture.

Final Words

YYGS wasn’t just an academic experience. It was personal, emotional, and transformative. If you're doubting yourself like I once did, please don’t. You don’t need perfect grades, perfect English, or a fancy background. You should show who you are and what you care about.

That's what I did. And it took me all the way to Yale.