A graduate of the Philippine Science High School–Cordillera Administrative Region (PSHS-CARC) has secured a full four-year scholarship to Harvard University.
Reya Nikole Maryella Maligro Siojo, batch valedictorian who ranked first among 83 students, shared her journey to Harvard in a lengthy Facebook post.
Siojo said she returned to the United States in July and made the decision to pursue her studies there without initially informing her family.
“As an international student seeking full financial aid, I knew I had a very slim chance. But still, I tried,” she wrote.
“In the past few weeks, I have received various decisions. I was accepted at Washington and Lee University, waitlisted at the University of Notre Dame and Amherst College, and received mostly rejections from other schools,” she added.
Siojo said she was surprised to receive her acceptance letter from Harvard, where she will join the Class of 2030.
Her scholarship package covers four years of tuition, housing, living expenses, and annual airfare.
Aside from Harvard, Siojo also received offers from Washington and Lee University, Oral Roberts University, National Sun Yat-sen University, and De La Salle University. She also qualified for the University of the Philippines’ INTARMED program.
“To Pisay, DOST, and to the taxpayers, thank you for giving me the privilege of studying at PSHS. Pisay opened the door to many opportunities, and I am truly grateful,” she said. — Photo from Reya Siojo/Facebook
