Twin Cities Student Accepted To All 8 Ivy League Schools

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Twin Cities high school student has a big -- and remarkable -- decision to make.

Munira Khalif, a senior at Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul, was accepted into all eight Ivy League schools. She's one of only two students in the nation to accomplish that this year.

"I was completely surprised," Khalif said. "It took a couple of days for the news to sink in."

Khalif also got into Stanford, the University of Minnesota and Georgetown. In addition to an outstanding academic record and ACT score, the 18-year-old state speech champion also founded a social justice club at school.

"She's not a singular dimension person, she's just got so many things she's good at," Mounds Park Academy Upper School Director Randy Comfort said. "She's, to me, someone who I think's going to be making a mark and changing the world for a better place."

The cause most dear to her heart is finding accessible education for East African youth. That cause comes from Khalif's role model, her mother, who attended school in Somalia.

"I feel like what happened with my mom, in her giving me the opportunity to attend school and receive an education, I felt like I had to give that gift forward to other girls," Khalif said.

Despite her success, Khalif says she's still a regular teenager and is enjoying what's left of senior year with friends.

"I think that they said, 'Congrats,' and then the day went on, and that's a blessing in itself," she said.

Khalif hasn't made a decision on where she'll spend her next four years. But no matter where she goes, her message stays the same.

"Have an unrelentless pursuit of knowledge," Khalif said.

She has until May 1 to choose a college. She plans to go into public service someday.