Success Story: Murod Aslamov - From Essay Writer to NYU Abu Dhabi Scholar
I first met Murod when he joined fasih.uz as one of our founding volunteers, where he excelled at translating philosophical articles into Uzbek. Over time, he frequently sought my guidance on college admissions, essays, and recommendation letters.
Murod joined my Essay Program when it launched in November, despite already possessing impressive academic credentials — a 1550 on the SAT and an 8.5 on IELTS. Though academically strong, he worried about effectively communicating his experiences and aspirations through his college essays. Through the program, he connected with fellow ambitious students who later earned full scholarships to prestigious universities, including Jamshidbek at Vanderbilt University and Sevara at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Surrounded by such motivated peers, Murod embarked on a mind-changing journey. He devoted tens of hours to reading, analyzing, and refining his writing skills. His dedication to studying and revisiting challenging texts, such as the Structure of Scientific Revolutions, cultivated a genuine passion for writing — a skill that would ultimately distinguish his college applications. While his test scores were impressive, they alone wouldn't set him apart at highly selective institutions like NYU Abu Dhabi. It was his compelling essays, born from months of intensive work and refinement, that contributed to securing his acceptance to NYU Abu Dhabi with a staggering Full-Ride Scholarship valued at $345,000.
Reflecting on his experiences, Murod shares:
As his mentor, it has been deeply rewarding to guide a student with such determination, ambition, and persistence. I look forward to connecting Murod with my network of dearest friends already studying at NYU Abu Dhabi, and I'm confident he will thrive in this prestigious environment, home to Nobel Prize-winning faculty members.
@levshacloser
I first met Murod when he joined fasih.uz as one of our founding volunteers, where he excelled at translating philosophical articles into Uzbek. Over time, he frequently sought my guidance on college admissions, essays, and recommendation letters.
Murod joined my Essay Program when it launched in November, despite already possessing impressive academic credentials — a 1550 on the SAT and an 8.5 on IELTS. Though academically strong, he worried about effectively communicating his experiences and aspirations through his college essays. Through the program, he connected with fellow ambitious students who later earned full scholarships to prestigious universities, including Jamshidbek at Vanderbilt University and Sevara at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Surrounded by such motivated peers, Murod embarked on a mind-changing journey. He devoted tens of hours to reading, analyzing, and refining his writing skills. His dedication to studying and revisiting challenging texts, such as the Structure of Scientific Revolutions, cultivated a genuine passion for writing — a skill that would ultimately distinguish his college applications. While his test scores were impressive, they alone wouldn't set him apart at highly selective institutions like NYU Abu Dhabi. It was his compelling essays, born from months of intensive work and refinement, that contributed to securing his acceptance to NYU Abu Dhabi with a staggering Full-Ride Scholarship valued at $345,000.
Reflecting on his experiences, Murod shares:
Having good test scores and impressive extracurriculars is not enough. Presenting them in the most meaningful and elegant way is what matters in admissions. The Essay Program and mentorship with levsha was the most integral and decisive part of my journey in admissions. After writing thousands of words of reflections, reading dozens of books, editing countless essays, and meetings discussing my work, levsha and I made sure that there was no reason for NYUAD to reject me.
As his mentor, it has been deeply rewarding to guide a student with such determination, ambition, and persistence. I look forward to connecting Murod with my network of dearest friends already studying at NYU Abu Dhabi, and I'm confident he will thrive in this prestigious environment, home to Nobel Prize-winning faculty members.
@levshacloser