Orange County student, son of Mexican immigrants, accepted to every Ivy League school

Published May 03, 2016

A Fullerton High School senior achieved a surprising academic clean sweep — he was accepted to every Ivy League school.

Seventeen-year-old Fernando Rojas, the son of Mexican immigrants whose schooling stopped in the eighth grade, is planning on attending Yale University in the fall.

The national speech and debate champion tells The Orange County Register in Saturday's editions that he applied to all the elite schools hoping he might be accepted to one.

But they all wanted him.

He tells the newspaper he was "excited and scared" after realizing he would have to choose among them.

Rojas attributes his success to hard work and guidance from his siblings.

His debate coach at Fullerton, Sal Tinajero, says Rojas' biggest motivation was letting his parents know that their hard work meant something.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/orange-county-student-son-of-mexican-immigrants-accepted-to-every-ivy-league-school