A New Orleans high school senior has been accepted to more than 80 colleges!
Darrin Francois, a student at the International High School of New Orleans, was accepted to 83 colleges thanks to hard work and the school’s insistence that students apply to as many colleges as possible, which IHS helps them do by encouraging students to create a daily routine of applying to multiple schools a day.
WGNO reports that about a dozen students at the school have been accepted to at least 20 schools.
Francois told reporters, “I just applied, applied, applied. I didn’t know how many it was, so once they started to come through the mail, I was like oh my gosh, this many? Then, they started coming more and more. Now, today, I have 83 now.”
The college acceptances come with nearly $3 million in scholarships, a blessing considering paying for college is a big concern for most students and parents.
“Eighty-three colleges? That is wonderful, that is a blessing from God. I’m very proud, a proud mother to see my son go forward into his success and go forward into his goals,” Francois’ mother Bridget said.
The school’s faculty considers this a stellar year with the director of student support services, Rufus Mcgee, adding, “I think we got on some of their nerves to be honest with you, but we continued to hammer at them to let them know that the world is yours, if you reach out and get it.”