A Houston teenager who applied to all of the top 20 colleges in the U.S. won offers from all of them with a full ride along with $260,000 in additional scholarship offers.
Micheael Brown, a 17-year-old senior at Mirabeau B. Lamar High School, opened his first acceptance letter in December at his friend’s house to relieve the pressure of doing it before his family.
Three months later, on March 28, he revealed the last four admissions, this time accompanied by his mom, who took the day off her two jobs as a chemical dependency counselor to be with him.
Micheael Brown, a 17-year-old senior at Mirabeau B. Lamar High School, is pictured looking online to check his final four acceptance letters (left) on March 28 to complete a 20-college streak which he celebrates with friends (right)
‘It’s something I’m proud of because I see my hard work paying off, determination paying off, sacrifices paying off,’ Micheal told CNN.
His mother, Berthinia Rutledge-Brown, filmed as her delighted son completed his astonishing streak before celebrating with friends.
Michael now has the enviable task of choosing between his top eight choices: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Northwestern, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, Georgetown and Vanderbilt.
Rutledge-Brown lost three babies before she gave birth to Michael, so poured all her energy into helping him with his studies.
Michael, far right, stands with friends Eric Muthondu and Sammantha Garcia during the Subiendo Academy at University of Texas, Austin
‘After sixth grade, Mike was in control of his education,’ she said. ‘He was focused, he knew what he wanted and he made his own decisions.’
Micheal – who has only ever received one B grade – plans to major in political sciences with a possible second degree in economics.
His involvement with programmes that match students from low-income communities like his with higher education institutions means he has at least one friend at every Ivy League school.
He will spend a month looking round different schools before making his final choice on May 1.
Harvard (pictured in a file photo) is one of the elite institutions on Michael’s final list, which he will whittle down to just one on May 1
Micheal, who went to Mirabeau B. Lamar High School, (seen in an undated file photo) plans to major in political sciences with a possible second degree in economics