17-year-old, Kelli Higgins has emerged as Jackson High School’s valedictorian with a 4.00 grade point average. She earned acceptance from four Ivy League Universities in the United States.
Kelli was awarded the overall best-graduating student of Benicia High School, Benicia in the United States after she graduated with a 4.57 cumulative grade point average.
She was initially accepted into Harvard University in December and few months later on National Ivy Day, Kellli was informed she had also been accepted into three other Ivy League Schools aacording to Mlive.
The Ivy League is a group of eight private universities in the United States known for their high academic standards, prestigious reputation, and selective admissions process.
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Kelli found out about her acceptance into the three other Ivy League Schools including Yale University, Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania on the National Ivy Day. “Ivy Day” is the day that most Ivy League schools release their admissions decisions.
“It was quite the process of trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to look for in my college education,” she said.
Kelli mentioned that she she paid special attention to the dorm-living situations and the culture of each school’s surrounding area when considering where she would spend the next four years of her life.
As tough as her choice was, she said she drew inspiration from her prior experiences with the schools having attended summer learning programs at Harvard and Yale University.
Kelli also took online courses at Columbia to decide which school she would be the most comfortable at.
Additionally, she made a second visit to Harvard’s campus in mid-April, crediting the experience as the deciding factor in choosing the university as where she would study for her bachelors degree.
“I got to get exposed to all the opportunities at the school, see what the living situation is like and got to even attend some classes with a host. From there, I kind of just knew there was nowhere else that I’d rather be,” she said.
Out of about 8,000 early applicants, she was among 692 prospective students to be accepted into Harvard University’s Class of 2028.
”To be among the rare Jackson-born scholars to be accepted into multiple Ivy Leagues and to do so as a woman of color has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my life,” she said.
Having idolized accomplished Black women like Michelle Obama while growing up, Kelli said she takes pride in knowing that her successes may inspire future generations in a similar way.
“It feels absolutely great. To have success like Michelle Obama, and to now know that I’m sort of in the position where I can obtain that level of success career-wise and that I can also kind of have her role one day to inspire other young Black women and scholars, just means a lot to me,” she said.
Kelli attributes her success to the effort she has put into her schoolwork and extracurricular activities while at Jackson High School. She was actively involved at in community partnerships and with organizations that promote youth development and advocacy.
She took more than 10 advanced placement classes and was involved in her school’s student government and newspaper staff. She also served on the City of Jackson’s Youth Council.
Kelli mentioned that she would be studing Government when she resumes at Harvard University, Massachussets in the United States later in the year.
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