MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Some students dream of attending an Ivy League school, but this graduating senior turned her dreams into college applications and was accepted into all eight of them.
Ashley Adirika, at 17 years old, was accepted into all eight Ivy League institutions: Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University and Yale University, USA Today reports. Each of the schools have low acceptance rates with Harvard accepting less than 6% of applicants, The Harvard Crimson said, and Columbia accepting less than 4%, according to Crimson Education.
As a first-generation Nigerian American, Adirika is among a small number of prospective students to be accepted into all eight.
Since collecting her many acceptance letters, the Miami Beach Senior High grad's career goals have changed, she told Good Morning America. She hopes to explore more of what she wants out of life and "maximize the impact" she has in empowering young women when she begins school in the fall at Harvard University.
Initially, Adirika's first choice was Yale University, she told CNN.
"But when I did further research for what I want to do specifically, which is explorations in policy and social policy and things of that nature, Harvard just had a better program," she said.
Adikira credits her mother and older sisters for inspiring her to dream big.
"They empowered me and supported me throughout the entire way. So whatever dream I have, big or small, they've just been my No. 1 fans," she said to Good Morning America.
And upon receiving all of her acceptance letters, they helped her celebrate.
"My siblings and I were just really excited, like screaming, jumping around. It was crazy," she said. "The tears just started to come out."
Adikira is the founder of "Our Story Our Worth" at her high school. It's an organization built around mentorship, community service and sisterhood for high school girls.
She was also part of the school's speech and debate team and student government president.
