As students near the end of their high school careers, they’re ultimately faced with a rather big decision: do they continue pursuing their education at a post-secondary level or do they follow some other career path they feel best suits their ultimate goals in life?
There are many factors that can have an affect on which choice students make, but for many, the cost of attending university or college can be simply much too staggering to even consider. While there are loans available to students, it can take decades to pay those off, and accumulated interest can leave them in a pit of debt.
One shining light at the end of the dark tuition tunnel comes in the form of scholarships, whether academic, athletic, or some other form targeted at helping college-bound students achieve their education goals without worrying about the cost.
One high school student has been left in a state of utter shock and joy after earning more than $1 million in scholarships from 18 different colleges.
As Good Morning America reported, 17-year-old Shanya Robinson-Owens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been offered a total of $1,074,260 which her aunt, Christine Owens, said was a “pleasant surprise.”
“We are overjoyed,” she told GMA. “I knew [Shanya] wouldn’t have a problem getting into colleges, but we didn’t know they would award her this much money in scholarship funds.”
Shanya is currently a senior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science where she has a 3.2 grade point average.
She applied to 20 post-secondary schools and so far has been accepted into 18, including La Salle University in Philadelphia, Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Temple University in Philadelphia.
Although her favorite subject is chemistry, she says she plans on studying psychology in college.
Ted Domers, Shanya’s principal at George Washington Carver High, praised the teen for her extracurricular involvements.
Not only Shanya involved in both journalism and the school’s yearbook committee, but she also interns for her Chinese language teacher who she helps grade students’ papers.
“In addition to being a part of a movement to bring more social action to our school, she’s involved in a number of extracurricular activities that show the breadth of her skills, from robotics to journalism,” Principal Domers told GMA . “It is a privilege for us to count Shanya as one of our own and we are excited to see her create opportunities for her future.”
Shanya admitted the overwhelming response from colleges has made her decision “a little harder.”
“It’s just a matter of checking out the campus, how I feel in the classes,” she told WPIV , explaining that she hasn’t been able to visit any of the campuses of the schools she’s been accepted at yet.
Her advice to fellow students who are trying to keep up with their studies during the pandemic is to “take [their] time” with their work.
“You really have to be patient,” she said, as per GMA. “Stay focused. If you need to have some time away, it’s OK. You can tell your teachers that because they know you’re stressed.”
h/t: Good Morning America