GA Senior, Accepted To 84 Colleges, Awarded $2M In Scholarships

JEFFERSONVILLE, GA — The future is fantastically bright — and debt-free — for Aylah Birks, a senior at Twiggs County High School in Georgia.

Birks, who will graduate this spring with a 4.0 grade point average, was not only accepted to 84 colleges — she also was awarded more than $2.2 million in scholarships, according to a report by 11 Alive.

It’s an achievement Birks can add to her already impressive resume. The teen is also a finalist for the Gates Scholarship and is a published author.

Birks credited her mother as the driving force behind her ambition, she told 11 Alive.

“Just seeing her tireless effort of always taking the time out to read me a story, or teach me something new as a child,” Birks told the television station.

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Birks told 11 Alive she overcame plenty of adversity to get where she is today. In addition to caring for a sick grandparent, Birks said she was bullied. She now an advocate against bullying.

“My story is not ending in Twiggs County, but it’s only just beginning. I think the most rewarding part is that I’ve made my family proud and I’ve made myself proud,” Birks told 11 Alive.

Because of her accomplishments, Birks will avoid a huge hurdle that not only deters high school students from seeking post-secondary education, but also continues to burden college students long after they graduate.

Total student loan debt in the U.S. reached a record high of $1.57 trillion in 2020 — an increase of about $166 billion since 2019, according to credit reporting agency Experian. The average person carries about $38,792 in student loan debt.

In Georgia, that number is higher — the average student loan debt per person is about $44,872, according to Experian.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and his administration have indicated they’re open to canceling some student loan debt. Officials say the president has not ruled out canceling up to $50,000 in student loan debt, according to a report published Tuesday by The Hill.