Sixteen-year-old scholar Dennis Maliq Barnes has been offered a record-breaking 125 college acceptances and more than $9 million in scholarships – which may be more than any other college-bound senior in U.S. history.
“This whole experience that I’m having right now has given me a sense of gratitude for everything that I do,” Barnes, a senior at the International High School of New Orleans (IHSNO), told Fox News Digital.
“I give all the glory to God because he played a huge role in everything that I’m doing today and all of my success. I thank him for allowing me to get through, even when I didn’t want to. Days may be hard. I may be tired. I may be having a bad week, but he always lifted me up to be able to move forward.”
Barnes, who plans to announce his college decision by Wednesday, May 3, has acceptances and scholarships from all over the country – from Louisiana Tech and Kansas State to the University of Arkansas and the University of Iowa, just to name a few.
He started the college application process last August and everything just started to add up, Barnes said.
“Breaking a record wasn’t necessarily a goal or something I set out to do,” Barnes said.
“I am just a college-bound student seeking somewhere where I’m comfortable that has a great program in my major and that’s going to compensate me financially,” he added.
Barnes said he plans to pursue a degree in computer science.
“I’m interested in software development, which is a growing industry right now,” Barnes said.
“And then there’s intellectual property, NFTs, AI and cybersecurity. I’m interested in all those things. And I also want to pursue a law degree,” he said.
Barnes said. “My parents have been very supportive and encouraging, and I thank God for them.”
Barnes has been dually enrolled in Southern University of New Orleans for the past two years, earning college credits while completing his high school diploma at IHSNO.
When he graduates from high school on May 24, he will almost have earned enough credits to enroll in college as a sophomore.
Maintaining a 4.0 GPA, Barnes was able to test out of two grades, promoting him to the classification of senior at the young age of 16.
He also ran track and played basketball throughout high school.
Barnes said he wants other young people, no matter their story or their struggle, to stay the course of their education.
“Make a goal and stick to it,” Barnes said.
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