A remarkable feat has been achieved by a New York teenager, Malena Galletto, who has been accepted to all eight Ivy League schools, along with all 20 other colleges and universities to which she applied.
Malena Galletto, a 17-year-old from Washington Heights, New York City, received positive responses from every college application she submitted. This includes prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia.
"When I opened each letter, I prepared for it to be the first rejection. But every single one said, 'Congratulations on being accepted!'" Malena told The New York Times. She expressed surprise at being accepted everywhere.
Malena, a recent graduate of Bronx Science High School, has an impressive academic record. She took 11 advanced placement classes, led the speech and debate club, founded a group advocating for gender equality, and served as secretary of the Senior Council. She graduated with a 97% GPA.
Her journey involved 200 hours crafting 70 supplemental essays and extensive SAT preparation, achieving a score of 1560 out of 1600. College application fees were covered by a College Board financial program.
"Malena embodies the American dream," said Frances Kweller of Kweller Prep, who has worked with Malena since sixth grade.
The first acceptance came from the University of Albany in December. From there, letters of acceptance from top institutions nationwide followed, including the University of Michigan, New York University, Columbia, Boston University, Georgetown, Barnard College, and Vassar.
Malena credits her parents, Argentine immigrants who taught tango, for instilling the importance of education.
The most nerve-wracking day was March 28, when Ivy League decisions were released. Malena described her reaction to her acceptance letters from the Ivy League schools, especially Cornell and Harvard, as life-changing and overwhelming.
Harvard admitted only 3.5% of nearly 60,000 applicants for its class of 2027, highlighting the competitiveness of Malena's accomplishment.
Malena plans to double major in government and physics at Harvard. "I'm very excited. I can't wait," she said.
Her mother, Karina Romero, expressed immense pride in Malena's achievements, emphasizing her daughter's dedication and hard work.
The New York City Department of Education praised Malena's 28 college acceptances as a testament to her hard work and dedication.
