Birmingham High School Senior Awarded $3 Million In Scholarships With 4 Ivy League Acceptances

As graduation season approaches, this high school senior from Birmingham, Alabama has options.

According to WBRC, Kylan Benson has been promised more than $3 million in scholarships from some of the nation’s top Ivy League and post-secondary institutions. The awards came pouring in as he anticipates graduating this year with a 4.5 GPA.

“Getting accepted into Ivy League schools like Harvard and Yale has been a wonderful feeling, especially with how selective schools of that caliber are,” said Benson. “After working hard in school for so many years, it’s good to see the fruits of my labor. In the past few years, I’ve been able to see some of my peers at Ramsay get accepted into these types of schools and they all inspired me to want to do the same.”

The international baccalaureate has been accepted into 18 schools. Of the 18, Benson got accepted into four Ivy League despite having no intentions of applying to any. But after visiting schools like Harvard and Columbia, he felt like he could have a place among the elite schools.

In fact, he credits his achievements to his family and the help of a non profit that provides support and resources for for motivated, high-achieving students from disadvantaged, under-resourced backgrounds so they can gain entrance into and attend college.

“It was a long process,” Benson told WVTM 13. “I’m a part of the College Choice Foundation, which is a local nonprofit that helps youth find colleges that meet full financial need. That’s been a big help for me and they’ve helped me navigate throughout the whole entire college process.”

Additionally, Benson is preparing to cross the stage as co valedictorian. His ambition to lead comes from his experience as the head of multiple school organizations including the president of the youth and government club at Ramsay. Throughout his high school career, government became a growing passion. He is inspired by the work of Mayor Randall Woodfin and Jefferson County Commissioner LashUnda Scales.

As for the future, the aspiring lawmaker hopes to make an impact in the community on the state, national and global level from the lessons he’s learned.