Nigerian teen will get 19 scholarship provides price over $5M in US and Canada
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Posted On May 1, 2021
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Victory Yinka-Banjo, a 17-year-old highschool graduate, was supplied greater than $5 million {dollars}’ price of scholarship cash for an undergraduate program of examine, in keeping with admission paperwork and estimates of monetary help awards.
“It nonetheless feels fairly unbelievable. I utilized to so many faculties as a result of I did not even assume any college would settle for me,” Victory advised CNN, relishing her tutorial prowess.
Born to Nigerian mother and father, Chika Yinka-Banjo, a senior lecturer on the College of Lagos, and Adeyinka Banjo, a personal sector procurement and provide chain government, Victory was given potential full scholarships from the Ivy League faculties, Yale Faculty, Princeton College, Harvard Faculty, and Brown College.
Different US scholarship provides included these from the Massachusetts Institute of Know-how (MIT), Stanford College, Johns Hopkins College and the College of Virginia.
In Canada, Victory was supplied the Lester B. Pearson scholarship from the College of Toronto and the Karen McKellin Worldwide Chief of Tomorrow (KMILOT) scholarship from the College of British Columbia.
“Their admissions processes are extraordinarily selective,” Victory added. “They solely settle for the very best of the very best. So, you’ll be able to think about how, each day, I’ve to remind myself that I truly acquired into these faculties. It’s surreal!”
Tutorial strides
A senior prefect throughout her time in highschool, Victory rose to nationwide prominence in late 2020 after she scored straight As in her West African Senior Faculty Certificates Examination (WASSCE).
Months earlier, the Nigerian teen had been rated because the “Prime within the World” in English as a second language (talking endorsement) by the College of Cambridge Worldwide Examination (CIE). Victory aced the Cambridge IGCSE examination — buying A* in all six topics she sat for.
Victory advised CNN her exceptional achievements are borne out of onerous work.
“They’ve made me actually really feel proud concerning the onerous work I’ve put into a number of areas of my life over time. I’m slowly starting to comprehend that I deserve them,” she mentioned.
{The teenager} remarked that her a number of scholarship provides “have made me stand taller, smile wider, and pat myself on the again extra usually.”
Victory mentioned she hopes to check Computational Biology. Nonetheless, she continues to be weighing up her choices on which college to decide on, having been wooed by many prestigious establishments.
“I’m nonetheless doing analysis on some faculties which can be on the high of my checklist, like Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and simply making an attempt to match and distinction all of them totally,” she advised CNN.
An inspiration to Nigerian youth
Victory’s mom, Chika, says her daughter’s story might encourage different younger Nigerians.
“It’s noteworthy that she will not be one of many Nigerian-Individuals who usually get into these faculties due to their benefit of being born and bred within the US. She accomplished her secondary college right here [in Nigeria]. It might be nice if her story can be utilized to encourage the youths of our nation,” she advised CNN.
Victory credit her tutorial success story to religion, parental steering and self-discipline. She at the moment spends a few of her free time tutoring different college admission seekers — by the radio — on key topics equivalent to math, English language, biology, chemistry and physics.
