Imagine applying for the top colleges in the United States hoping to get accepted to at least one.
Well, that was the least of Mekhi Johnson's worries when applying for colleges this year. The Gilman School senior said that at 6-years-old he heard a story on the radio about a student who was accepted to all of the Ivy League schools and knew that was his goal.
"I'm going to do that one day," said Johnson.
And on 'Ivy Decision Day' he learned that he finally made it a reality.
"When I opened the very last one, I just said oh my God, no! No, this isn't real. I checked back to make sure I didn't read anything wrong, there were no typos anywhere," Johnson said.
A leader on the Gilman campus, Johnson serves as the President of the Diversity Council, a member of the school's acapella group, school band, and an avid volunteer, all while being a National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Student with a 98.1 average.
"When I was very young, around 6 years old I heard on a radio station, a story about who got into all 8 and I told my mom, I'm going to do that one day," Johnson said.
More than 280,000 applicants applied to Ivy League schools last year. Out of that number, less than five of them were able to achieve acceptance by all eight colleges.
It wasn't just his stellar academic record that gained him entry to all the Ivys and 4 other prestigious schools.
"I sing with the acappella group, the traveling men, the glee club, I play hand bells, I played saxophone, I've gotten into the jazz band and I've also started working with the diversity council."
Johnson is not only a 'goal getter' but he's the first Gilman student to achieve this distinction of acceptance.
Now, this senior has a lot of thinking to do. He hasn't made his decision but says choosing to believe in yourself is the best thing a young person can do for themselves
"Along the way there are times where you can feel disappointed, disappointed in yourself, have bumps in the road but there is always support you can look for. I couldn't have it without my mother and you truly have to believe in yourself."
Johnson says he's interested in political science and wants to go to law school.
