Outstanding Senior: Meet Tommy Cho

Tommy received offers from Northeastern University, Purdue University, and Arizona State University. He decided to accept the offer from Northeastern – a very selective university in Boston, United States with an acceptance rate of 18%. Tommy will be studying Computer Science and Design, and his desired career is working in framework design, as a front-end developer or a programmer for the entertainment industry.

College offers:

         🔸 Northeastern University

         🔸 Purdue University

         🔸 Arizona State University

AP International Diploma (2022)

Student Government President

Boys Varsity Soccer team captain

Member of the National Honor Society

Tommy has been studying at Dalian American International School since Grade 6. These have been remarkable seven years in our school for this amazing student who combines passion for sports, mathematical mindset and strong leadership skills. He has been involved in STEM disciplines, especially in information technology, from a young age. Has been coding since he was 12, and in 2019 was the youngest participant in the Global Game Jam in Chengdu.

Another of Tommy’s life passions is soccer. He was first invited to train with the High School Varsity team in 6th grade and recently became the Varsity Soccer team captain. In spring 2023, Dalian American International School hosted the Gold Division ACAMIS Football tournament on our campus, and DAIS Boys and Girls teams both finished in 3rd place.

His favorite subject at school was Mathematics. However, he has been successful in all classes, including 8 Advanced Placement courses he’s taken in high school, maintaining a high GPA and receiving good scores in tests and exams. Tommy says he really appreciates how our school successfully integrates a sense of freedom (more common in universities!), diverse classes, and established routines and schedules that bring the whole community together. Tommy played alto saxophone on DAIS stage many times.

Another of Tommy’s life passions is soccer. He was first invited to train with the High School Varsity team in 6th grade and recently became the Varsity Soccer team captain. In spring 2023, Dalian American International School hosted the Gold Division ACAMIS Football tournament on our campus, and DAIS Boys and Girls teams both finished in 3rd place.

“I'm just really proud of what our team was able to accomplish within the 3 short months we've trained together, and I hope in the coming years those who are still remaining at DAIS will be able to surpass 3rd place in future tournaments,” addressed Tommy to his team.

Tommy developed his leadership skills in many ways. We asked Tommy what he thinks makes a good team leader. “Through my experience, I think being a good team leader is just about trust. Being able to hand over a task without worrying about how it'll turn out and instead just letting your team members take care of it takes the pressure off them and myself.”

Apparently, Tommy developed this leadership mindset and great self-discipline through the support of his family. “Throughout high school my parents have been pretty relaxed with what I do academically. For the most part, I work better when I'm myself aware of what I must do rather than being told of what to do.”

Tommy: “The only advice I have to younger students is to just have fun with it. I don't think college application or the process itself through high school is inherently supposed to be a stressful or painful thing. Just be unique, roll with the flow, and do whatever it is that you enjoy since you'll find yourself developing that interest far better and quicker than if you were to do something every applicant was doing.”