From Karakalpakstan to Harvard: Why Jasurbek’s story matters?
In an age when elite college admissions feel like a game rigged for the privileged, Jasurbek Umarov’s acceptance to Harvard is a reminder that success is possible even without access to extensive resources.
After graduating from 8th grade at his Karakalpak public school, Jasurbek moved to Tashkent to pursue stronger academic opportunities. One day, his brother informed him about Sodiq School, a newly established private school offering scholarships to outstanding students. Jasurbek seized the chance, earning a full scholarship after passing the entrance exam. His ambition only grew as he continued his secondary education in Tashkent.
At the same time, Jasurbek discovered an unusual new passion: mnemonics. He made rapid progress, and soon transformed from beginner to champion, winning a gold and two silver medals at the Uzbek Memory Championships and qualifying for the finals of the Russia Memory Championship within a year.
Guided by Temurbek, his older brother, Jasurbek was determined to study beyond the school curriculum, inspiring his college application preparation. His first step was enrolling in the Ivy Bridge Course by B&S Admissions, where he gained important knowledge about US admissions.
Later, Jasurbek dived into rigorous self-preparation: he surfed the internet, watching dozens of workshops and interviews from admission officers and top university admits from around the world. When some of his questions still weren’t answered, he took the initiative to reach out to the speakers on LinkedIn.
“Most of them didn’t reply, but some did and offered to give feedback on my essays,” Jasurbek says.
During the summer of 2024, Jasurbek participated in the Top 100 Uni Camp, sponsored and led by the Youth Agency in collaboration with Freshman Academy, along with 200 ambitious Uzbek students. There, he met his peers from all over Uzbekistan, expanded his network, and participated in advanced seminar discussions.
By the end of the camp, 50 participants were selected for the Freshman Special Program funded by the Youth Agency, one of them being Jasurbek. After applying to NYUAD in Early Decision at the end of October, he continued improving his application with Freshman mentors, who provided feedback on his essays.
As Early Decision results were rolling out in mid-December 2024, a rejection was waiting for him. After being rejected by NYUAD, Jasurbek doubted himself: “If I got rejected now, I won't even get a waitlist from the Ivies,” he thought.
However, he has made impressive progress in his essays since the Early Application round. By the end of March 2025, Jasurbek received his long-awaited acceptance letter—and it was from Harvard.
“If I didn’t have friends who were always so determined and driven, I don’t think I would be able to achieve this,” Jasurbek shares.
Now, Jasurbek is planning to pursue Mechanical Engineering at Harvard, and apply the knowledge and experience he will gain to better his community in the Amudarya Region.
Jasurbek’s journey is an important reminder that with determination, you can make the most out of the limited opportunities available to you and reach your dreams.
In an age when elite college admissions feel like a game rigged for the privileged, Jasurbek Umarov’s acceptance to Harvard is a reminder that success is possible even without access to extensive resources.
After graduating from 8th grade at his Karakalpak public school, Jasurbek moved to Tashkent to pursue stronger academic opportunities. One day, his brother informed him about Sodiq School, a newly established private school offering scholarships to outstanding students. Jasurbek seized the chance, earning a full scholarship after passing the entrance exam. His ambition only grew as he continued his secondary education in Tashkent.
At the same time, Jasurbek discovered an unusual new passion: mnemonics. He made rapid progress, and soon transformed from beginner to champion, winning a gold and two silver medals at the Uzbek Memory Championships and qualifying for the finals of the Russia Memory Championship within a year.
Guided by Temurbek, his older brother, Jasurbek was determined to study beyond the school curriculum, inspiring his college application preparation. His first step was enrolling in the Ivy Bridge Course by B&S Admissions, where he gained important knowledge about US admissions.
Later, Jasurbek dived into rigorous self-preparation: he surfed the internet, watching dozens of workshops and interviews from admission officers and top university admits from around the world. When some of his questions still weren’t answered, he took the initiative to reach out to the speakers on LinkedIn.
“Most of them didn’t reply, but some did and offered to give feedback on my essays,” Jasurbek says.
During the summer of 2024, Jasurbek participated in the Top 100 Uni Camp, sponsored and led by the Youth Agency in collaboration with Freshman Academy, along with 200 ambitious Uzbek students. There, he met his peers from all over Uzbekistan, expanded his network, and participated in advanced seminar discussions.
By the end of the camp, 50 participants were selected for the Freshman Special Program funded by the Youth Agency, one of them being Jasurbek. After applying to NYUAD in Early Decision at the end of October, he continued improving his application with Freshman mentors, who provided feedback on his essays.
As Early Decision results were rolling out in mid-December 2024, a rejection was waiting for him. After being rejected by NYUAD, Jasurbek doubted himself: “If I got rejected now, I won't even get a waitlist from the Ivies,” he thought.
However, he has made impressive progress in his essays since the Early Application round. By the end of March 2025, Jasurbek received his long-awaited acceptance letter—and it was from Harvard.
“If I didn’t have friends who were always so determined and driven, I don’t think I would be able to achieve this,” Jasurbek shares.
Now, Jasurbek is planning to pursue Mechanical Engineering at Harvard, and apply the knowledge and experience he will gain to better his community in the Amudarya Region.
Jasurbek’s journey is an important reminder that with determination, you can make the most out of the limited opportunities available to you and reach your dreams.