Schools

Bridgewater-Raritan High School Student Accepted To Five Ivy League Schools

Even though graduation is right around the corner, Bridgewater-Raritan High School senior Liam McGill still has no idea where he’ll be attending college next fall - but then again, having five Ivy League schools to choose from doesn’t make for an easy decision.  

McGill, 17, was accepted into five of eight Ivy League Schools, Harvard College, Princeton University, Columbia University, The University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, and Duke University, while wait listed for two, Yale College and Cornell University.

Not to mention his other acceptances to The University of Toronto, George Washington University, and Rutgers University. 

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“I was ridiculously happy and as equally proud when the acceptances started rolling in,” McGill’s father, Christopher McGill, said. “I knew he did extremely well and stood a good chance - but five out of the eight accepted and two wait-listed was pretty impressive.”

Although he hasn’t decided where to go, McGill does know that he wants to major in Human Evolutionary Biology or Biological Anthropology - depending on the school he chooses.

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“I enjoy this science because it provides a logical framework with which the human experience can be understood on a level that both transcends and relies upon the individual,” he said. 

With so many acceptance letters under his belt, you could say McGill knows a thing or two about the college admissions process. While good grades are important, McGill says staying true to the person you want to become is what brings success when its time to start filling out applications.

“Pursuing a path that makes sense for you is as important as or more important than good SAT scores and a high GPA,” McGill said. “You should try to use the rest of your high school experience to develop yourself in the ways that are important to you.”

He has done just that – playing the Scottish Snare drum since he was 5-years-old, McGill has competed numerous times at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, England.

Among other extracurricular activities, McGill has also served as the secretary of his school’s chapter of Jersey Cares, participated in his school’s forensic team, and has participated in two research projects dealing with biological anthropology and linguistics.

“Come senior year, it is your job to show the admissions committees who you are through you applications, “ he explained. “The admission decision ultimately comes down to what the people working in admissions though of the person you, your teachers, and your guidance counselor presented to them.”

 

 

 


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