GLENDORA, Calif. — As high school seniors decide which college to attend in the fall, one Glendora student has a tough decision to make.
Glendora High School student Monique Vobecky received 18 college acceptance letters and some full scholarships from schools across the country. She still can’t believe she was accepted to so many universities.
"I was very shocked," Vobecky said. "I applied to a lot of schools and especially during the coronavirus the application season was very hard this year. I wasn’t expecting much."
Her acceptances are a big accomplishment, even for someone who has already accomplished so much. She is a soccer player and violinist, all while maintaining a 4.7 GPA in advanced placement classes.
Vobecky is also a founder, having started an award-winning nonprofit at 14 years old called the Little Sunshine Foundation, which helps kids learn to read, play sports and pay for AP test fees.
“I wanted to make change in my community, especially with children who were in need in the community that I’m a part of,” she said.
Vobecky wants to continue helping the community by studying medicine and treating people around the world.
“Since I want to be a doctor, I’m interested in doing Doctors Without Boarders and traveling to different countries and providing medical services to those who are in need,” she said.
Vobecky explained how her family has always been her biggest supporters. She calls her mom her inspiration after she watched her start her own business a few years ago. They have been helping her to make her final decision.
“Luckily, they gave me the decision that ultimately, whatever I want to choose, whatever fits right for me, I’ll be able to choose,” she said.
Vobecky ultimately chose Harvard and will move to Boston in the fall. The university's undergraduate acceptance rate for the Class of 2025 was a record-low 3.43%.