Daniel Akindehin, Anna Bui, and Holland Thompson are bound for three of the top universities in the country after qualifying as finalists and being selected as QuestBridge National College Match recipients. These Jenks High School seniors received full, four-year scholarships covering tuition, housing, food, and other expenses to MIT (Daniel), Columbia (Anna), and Washington University (Holland).
More than 20,000 students applied from across the nation, and only 2,500 received matches to one of their top college choices. These Trojans carry at least a 3.9 GPA, participate in advanced coursework and AP classes, and scored in the upper tier on the ACT.
“This is incredible, I can’t believe I got a full ride to MIT,” said Daniel, who moved to Jenks from Nigeria when he was 9 years old. “I’m overwhelmed by this opportunity to attend one of the best engineering schools in the country. It made me so proud to be able to share with my parents that they don’t have to pay anything or worry about money for my college. I know I’m opening a whole new chapter for myself and for my family. I’m going to a place where I can explore my passion and I can’t wait for what’s next.”
“It was so unexpected and exciting,” declared Holland, a Jenks student since first grade. “Matching with WashU was the best-case scenario with their amazing psychology program. I never thought I would go to such a prestigious school. I know it’s a huge relief to my parents, and I’m so excited to start the college experience I always dreamed of, but never imagined was actually possible.”
“I never thought something like this was possible,” stated Anna, a Jenks lifer. “My parents are immigrants from Vietnam, and we don’t have a lot of money, but now I can start a new path for my family that will hopefully impact our next generation. I’m so thankful for this scholarship.”
The College & Career Counselors at JHS worked closely with these students to guide them through each step of the application process—writing essays, completing financial forms, recording personalized videos, and much more.
QuestBridge is a national nonprofit organization that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with a thriving community and transformative educational, career, and life opportunities that help propel them to lives of fulfillment, meaning, and purpose. From QuestBridge’s founding over 30 years ago, the organization has always focused on creating opportunities for students from low-income backgrounds, regardless of race, geography, or academic interest.