Haitian-American teen gets accepted into 17 colleges with over $1 million in scholarships

Yves-Ann Comeau, 18, is gaining attention for her recent accomplishment of being accepted into 17 colleges and receiving over $1 million in scholarships.

The Haitian American explained why she sent in several college applications, saying,  “I understand that acceptance isn’t assured. That’s why I applied to a diverse array of colleges.”

Comeau, a resident of Atlanta, attended Westlake High, where she excelled as an International Baccalaureate Diploma, according to Black News. Besides doing well academically, she also led community service projects and was into football, the platform added. 

She consistently included breaks in her extracurricular and academic schedule, acknowledging that she knew she needed to prevent burnout. “I created a schedule to stay afloat,” she said, displaying her capacity to overcome hurdles through smart planning.

Still, during her college application process, she realized she was well behind schedule. “That evening, I felt disheartened. But I knew I had to push through.”

She recalled that receiving letters of acceptance to 17 different colleges felt surreal, and she expressed gratitude that her family wouldn’t have to worry about paying for her school because she had been awarded over $1 million in scholarships.

The teen chose the University of Notre Dame because she admired the school’s active community and lively atmosphere. She wants to learn how to raise awareness of health inequities and curate charity art exposés, among other things.

She advised other students to “know your story”, stressing that they should embrace their unique experiences and aspirations, and let those things guide them through the college application process.