He got accepted into every school he applied to!
A Florida student has been accepted into 27 colleges and earned almost $4 million in scholarship offers, The News Herald reports.
Jonathan Walker is a senior at Rutherford High School in Panama City, Florida. A curious student, Jonathan had already developed a passion for school and science. He credits his elementary school teachers with nurturing his love of science and has made sure to maximize his time in high school, playing varsity football, becoming a member of the IB program, and of course, joining the science club. When it was time to start applying for colleges last November, while he knew he had done his best, Jonathan admits he was still a little nervous.
“I would definitely say that there was like a lot of self-doubt, just in terms of where I would end up getting in. And so, that was really fueled by fear that I wanted to go to a good college and so, I tried to maximize my chances by applying to as many as possible… Thankfully, I didn’t burn out,”
Before he knew it, the acceptance letters and scholarship offers started rolling in, Jonathan getting accepted into all of the 27 schools he applied to, including Harvard, MIT and Johns Hopkins, earning nearly $4 million in scholarship offers.
“It’s such an amazing thing to happen. I’m super thankful, I definitely didn’t think that things would end up this way. But the fact that all these schools offered me admission that I have the choice to go where I want, it’s such a big blessing. And so, I’m so excited,” said Jonathan.
Walker doesn’t know which school he plans to choose yet but he knows he’ll be celebrating with his parents as soon as he decides.
“I’m thankful to God for him putting me in such an amazing position, but also just realizing that like, all these results, it’s not just because of me. I feel like I’m a product of the community that has been put around me and who’s fostered my growth… This isn’t my journey alone. I think [my parents are] the two that have poured into me more than anybody else. Just sharing that moment with them, thanking them for everything they’ve done for me, taking them out to dinner or something. I think that’d be a ton of fun,” Jonathan told reporters.
His goal is to attend a college that aligns with his passions, planning to major in electrical engineering and biomedical engineering. It is his hope that he can use his degree to create technology that will help disabled citizens and underserved communities.
“I just want people to have like a greater quality of life because I feel like if they’re able to focus more on just forming meaningful and joyful connections, instead of their own health, they can really explore what it means to contribute to life and just make everybody else’s life better. And so, if I can facilitate that, it’s honestly a dream come true,” said Jonathan.
Congratulations, Jonathan! We wish you all the best on your collegiate journey.
Photo Courtesy of Mike Fender/The News Herald