Abu Dhabi girl gets admission offers from 19 top universities
abu dhabi — Brighton College Abu Dhabi student Dami Adekeye screamed with joy and broke into a spontaneous dance as she received her first acceptance letter from a top university.
The celebrations soon become a regular affair as admission offers followed from 18 other elite universities. Yale University even wrote a note: “Your school thinks the world of you and so do we.”
Dami always had faith in her abilities but never expected to secure 19 admission offers out of 20 applications. And she rates this as her ‘biggest achievement ever in life’.
“I’m very grateful that I was fortunate enough to be accepted because I know very deserving people who weren’t able to. I had faith in my abilities but didn’t expect to get into these many universities because they have single digit acceptance rates. I was not over confident in my thinking and I am excited to get into 19 out of the 20,” the 17-year-old said.
Dami’s family had moved to the UAE from the US in 2011, the same year Brighton College opened its campus in Abu Dhabi.
“I am from Houston, Texas. It was a different continent; we had to go across ocean to get here so it was a big cultural shock. The community, school and church have been fundamental in promoting my growth as a person, pupil, musician and more.”
At Brighton, Dami bagged the Golden Effort Award for all round work. She was made a senior school prefect and head of Performing Arts. Dami is passionate about music. She was introduced to violin at an early age by her parents. And she finds music a great stress buster to manage daily pressure. “I’ve been a member of my school choir orchestra and string ensemble for seven years and I started my own choir, the Brighton Belles, two years ago. For me, music is very therapeutic and helps to relieve the pressure,” she said, adding that extracurricular activities are extremely important as the US universities have a very holistic application consideration process.
For Dami, her family, friends and teachers are the greatest support system. “I’m extremely blessed to come from a loving family especially when I’ve grown older the academic pressures have increased 10 folds. Friends and teachers have been extremely important. I’m sure the friends I’ve made at Brighton College will last a very long time. My teachers are so dedicated to their subjects and you can tell they’re not just doing this for a pay cheque, they’re also doing it to foster our learning and getting us excited about academics.”
On ways to replicate her success of getting this many offers, she said: “Try to stay on top of your essay writing and give it to a trusted teacher or someone outside your family to check because your family might not be as objective as they should be.”
Yale, Stanford, McGill, Columbia, Berkeley and London School of Economics are some of the top names in her list of 19 acceptance letters. However, she remains undecided on the university she would like to join. “My dream schools are definitely Yale and Stanford. If I can get any scholarships or financial aid from them I would likely be attending one of those,” Dami added.
My dream schools are definitely Yale and Stanford. If I can get any scholarships or financial aid from them I would likely be attending one of those.”
The community, school and church have been fundamental in promoting my growth as a person, pupil, musician and more.”
I started my own choir, the Brighton Belles, two years ago. For me, music is very therapeutic and helps to relieve the pressure.” Dami Adekeye, student, Brighton College Abu Dhabi