Aarush Srivastava qualified for the USAPhO exam, explaining his passion as well as his new perspective of the world
Staff Writer
In a quiet classroom tucked into a back wing of AHS, a junior stares intently at a whiteboard cluttered with equations that look like an alien language to most. For Aarush Srivastava (11), though, it’s a world of clarity. Having recently qualified for the United States of America Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), Srivastava isn’t just solving problems, he’s unlocking the mechanics of the universe.
What sets Srivastava apart isn’t just raw intelligence. According to his AP Physics 1 teacher, Mr. Shockley, it’s more about genuine persistence. “Achieving this kind of feat isn’t something that a person can simply decide to do and then prepare for it,” Mr. Shockley said. “It is a test of extended levels of physics that I usually only see students with years of experience in the subject attain.”
Aditya Srivastava, his dad, recalled the early days fondly. “He would always ask questions that had no easy answers,” he said. “Once he asked me why time slows down near a black hole. I didn’t know, so we learned together. That early habit of seeking answers hasn’t faded. Aarush now devotes hours a week to solving challenging physics problems far beyond the AP curriculum, often participating in online forums and working through Olympiad-level problems for fun.”
Despite the rigor of his studies, Srivastava isn’t all formulas and free body diagrams. “In reality, he’s a really chill guy,” Vaishal Karpuram (12), his peer and friend, said. “Sometimes, I would be burnt out from writing college essays and I’d engage in a midnight call or conversation with Aarush, easing my mind from all my work. He is an extremely smart guy, and still has a lot of potential in him.”
Rishventh Ramoshan (10), another of his close friends, similarly said, “He’s one of those people who listens more than he speaks—but when he does speak, it’s something worth hearing.”
Jacob Wang (11), another student who is knowledgeable in the subject of physics, noted the impressive feat Srivastava had achieved in just a year. “He’s not just smart—he has the discipline to be able to study when he doesn’t want to,” Wang said. “In order to qualify for the USAPhO exam, one must pass a cutoff score, with this year’s cutoff score being 15 questions right out of 25. Being able to surpass the cutoff by 4 points out of 25 is extremely difficult, especially in such a short time span.” Abhinav Shivalli (10) added, “Qualifying for USAPhO means being in the top 400 in the nation, and requires a completely unique and holistic approach of the real world which Aarush more than possesses.”
Despite his calm demeanor and impressive accomplishments, however, Srivastava’s road hasn’t always been smooth. “There were times when I thought, ‘Maybe I’m not good enough for this,’” he said. “Sometimes, I spend days stuck on one question, and it is really frustrating when you hit a wall and nothing seems to work.”
But instead of backing down, he learned to sit with discomfort and to wrestle with the confusion. “Eventually, you realize that struggling with something doesn’t mean you’re failing, it means that you are learning,” Srivastava said. “Throughout this year, I learned that confusion is a mandatory part of any process. Most of the time, you won’t have a formula to follow.”
When asked what keeps him motivated, Srivastava gave a thoughtful pause. “Physics is just beautiful to me,” he finally says. “It’s not just numbers and equations. It’s a language that explains how everything fits together. Once you start seeing the world through that perspective, it’s hard to look away.”
Srivastava sees the world with a balance of wonder and reason. He’s not content with surface-level answers or blind acceptance; he digs deep, fueled by a desire to understand rather than impress. Whether it’s the trajectory of a rocket or the rhythm of a pendulum, he approaches it all with humility and awe. As his journey continues, with competitions ahead and dreams of studying physics in college, Srivastava remains grounded. “I’m just trying to get better every day,” he said. “And maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll understand a little more about how the universe works. And hopefully get a job that pays well while I’m at it.”
Aarush Srivastava got 19 points on the F=ma exam, vastly surpassing the cutoff of 15 points. He maintains an approachable and respectful personality whilst working extremely hard towards his goals of entering top colleges and developing his personal projects. Through his experience with physics, he now views the world in a more holistic way, thinking about the forces and internal workings of different systems (Photo Credit: Ryan Liu (10)).
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