A 17-year-old girl receives acceptance to four US Ivy League schools after graduating as high school valedictorian with a 4.00 GPA.
With a 4.00 grade point average, 17-year-old Kelli Higgins has been named the valedictorian of Jackson High School. Four Ivy League universities in the United States accepted her.
After graduating with a cumulative grade point average of 4.57, Kelli was named the overall best-graduating student from Benicia High School in the United States.
According to Mlive, Kellli was first accepted to Harvard University in December. A few months later, on National Ivy League Day, she received news that she had also been accepted to three additional Ivy League schools.
Eight private institutions in the US make up the Ivy League, which is renowned for its tough admissions procedure, high academic requirements, and prominent reputation.
On National Ivy Day, Kelli learned that she had been accepted into the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and Columbia University, the other three Ivy League schools. The majority of Ivy League universities make their admissions decisions public on “Ivy Day.”
“Determining exactly what I wanted to look for in my college education was quite the process,” she remarked.
When deciding where she would spend the next four years of her life, Kelli said she gave careful consideration to the living conditions in the dorms and the local culture of each school.
Despite how difficult her decision was, she claimed that she was motivated by her past interactions with the institutions, having participated in summer learning programs at Yale and Harvard.
In order to determine which institution she would feel most comfortable at, Kelli also enrolled in online classes at Columbia.
She also returned to Harvard’s campus in mid-April for a second visit, which she attributes to being the decisive element in her decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree there.
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“I was able to observe the living conditions, learn about all the opportunities available at the school, and even take some lessons with a host. I kind of knew there was no other place I would rather be after that,” she remarked.
She was one of 692 potential students accepted into Harvard University’s Class of 2028 out of over 8,000 early applicants.
“Being a woman of color and one of the few Jackson-born scholars accepted into multiple Ivy League schools has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my life,” she added.
Kelli, who grew up admiring successful Black women like Michelle Obama, said she is proud to know that her accomplishments could serve as an example for future generations.
“That feels fantastic. It means a lot to me to be successful like Michelle Obama and to know that I’m in a position to achieve that degree of professional success and that I may someday play her role in motivating other young Black women and academics,” she said.
Kelli credits her success to the work she has done in both her extracurricular and academic pursuits during her time at Jackson High School. She actively participated in community relationships and worked with advocacy and youth development organizations.
She participated in the student government and newspaper staff at her school, and she completed over ten advanced placement subjects. She was also a member of the Youth Council of the City of Jackson.
Kelli stated that when she returns to Harvard University in Massachusetts later this year, she will be studying government.
