Chicago high school senior gains admission to 6 Ivy League colleges

A Chicago high school senior, who applied to Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Penn, Columbia, and Cornell, had something to smile about on Ivy Day as all the six prestigious educational institutions offered him admission. 

In an interview with ABC 7 Chicago, 18-year-old Payton Pitts, who attends Francis Parker School, said the outcome of Ivy Day was a weight off his shoulders because “everyone knows that’s the day where the last few decisions come out.”

Payton’s mother, Adrienne Pitts, said she wasn’t “aware of a student, particularly from Parker, who has that sort of success in the Ivy Leagues.” She also said her son had always wanted to succeed in his endeavors. 

Besides his academic prowess, Payton is a standout basketball and violin player. He also managed to reinvigorate his school’s Black Student Union. “I think them having a place to come and build a sort of camaraderie between Black students and Parker, which is a primarily white school, would help,” the straight-A student said.

Besides being offered admission to the six Ivy League schools, Payton was also accepted to several other prestigious institutions including Stanford and Morehouse College. 

“What comes through is his warmth, his insight, and his humility about all of his achievements, his successes and the respect he has for his classmates, teammates and teachers,” the principal of Payton’s school, Dan Frank, said. 

Payton is, however, yet to decide on the college to attend. “This is all going to be a little embarrassing for him, but he’s earned this with all his hard work and dedication,” Adrienne told ABC 7 Chicago.