Tytianna Smith, a senior graduating from Lafayette High School in Lafayette, Alabama, has achieved an incredible milestone. She was accepted to 49 out of the 50 institutions she applied to, and has been awarded a total of $1.7 million in scholarships. Although she was not accepted to her first choice school, Stanford University, she firmly believes that God is guiding her to Norfolk University, the place she feels she was always meant to be.
Before graduating, Smith had already set lofty objectives for herself, such as attending a school on the falling school list, wanting to lift the bar and prove that despite attending a failing school, she is not a failing student. Her academic GPA of 4.6 and ACT score of 29 certainly helped her reach her goals. On top of that, she also served as the Co-Drum Major this year, helping the entire band to get ready for five games without a band coach. In addition, she is a founding member of “Warriors of Women”, an organization dedicated to supporting women in their fight against society’s unfair standards.
Despite being accepted to 49 schools, Smith was still having a hard time choosing between predominantly white institutions and historically black colleges and universities. She ultimately decided to trust in her faith and her relationship with God. “I follow God & I don’t care what anyone says. I thought he was leading me to Stanford but I’m confident the final destination was Norfolk and Stanford was just a part of the journey,” she said. With her hard work, dedication and faith, she has achieved an amazing feat of being accepted to 49 schools and earning $1.7 million in scholarships.
