In seventh grade, Tian presented his notes on the Dirichlet series of multiplicative partition functions and the generalization of Euler products for Dirichlet series of functions that are not necessarily completely multiplicative to a professor at the University of Rijeka. By the end of primary school, Tian was already in contact with professors from the Faculty of Science in Zagreb, who, together with his IT teacher, encouraged him to enroll in high school in Zagreb. He chose IX Gymnasium because of the wide range of activities the school offers, such as elective astronomy classes and volunteer work. He lives in a student dormitory, actively participates in dorm activities, and often helps other students prepare for mathematics exams.
In 2024, Tian received the Harvard Book Prize. This award is given by Harvard alumni to exceptionally talented students with diverse abilities and interests, and Tian stood out as an excellent mathematician, astronomer, and logician. During his high school education, he participated in county-level competitions in informatics and chemistry, as well as national competitions in mathematics and logic. He had already conducted serious research work, which received praise from global experts.
Tian is also a member of his school’s astronomy group, which, as part of the “NameExoWorlds 2022” project in collaboration with the International Astronomical Union (IAU), named the star WASP-63 Kosjenka and the exoplanet WASP-63 b Regoč. Tian is also an excellent pianist, as evidenced by numerous awards, including a silver prize at a young musicians’ competition. In 2024, the publishing house Novi redak published his drama Dafne.
When Tian approached us for help in mid-2024, he already had a clear vision of which universities he wanted to apply to. It was a pleasure working with a student who is exceptionally hardworking, responsible, and goal-oriented. Our mentor Krešimir Grubelić helped him achieve an outstanding SAT score of 1530, including 790 out of 800 in mathematics. Our mentor Kornelija Jurčević guided him through the early application process to Harvard University.
He remained extremely focused and motivated throughout the complex admissions process. In December, two weeks before Christmas, we learned that Tian had been successfully admitted to this prestigious university. All the effort and hard work paid off. As a reminder, Harvard University is one of the most selective universities in the world. According to data for the Class of 2023, 1,950 students were admitted out of 43,330 applicants, representing an acceptance rate of approximately 4.5%. These figures highlight the extreme competitiveness of Harvard’s admissions process, where only a small percentage of applicants are accepted.
Dear Tian, we rarely have the opportunity to work with such an inspiring student. It was an honor and a pleasure to accompany you on your journey to Harvard. We wish you all the best and every success!
See what Tian says about preparing with Arte et Marte:
