(NEW ORLEANS) – With a last name like Love, it’s no wonder colleges and universities are falling head over heels and rushing to recruit 18-year old Antoinette Love, a senior at the International High School of New Orleans (IHSNO). To date, Love has been accepted into 115 colleges and universities and has been offered a total of $3,775,230 in scholarships – more than any other college bound senior in the country so far this year.
Details were shared in a press release.
Love, who plans to major in elementary education, now holds the national distinction of being among the top seniors accepted by the most colleges with the most financial offers in scholarships.
“I started applying in September, and just kept applying and applying until my tiny mailbox at home was suddenly overflowing with letter after letter and dozens of scholarship offers,” said Love, a native New Orleanian planning to begin her college career this fall.
She applied to 115 schools across the country. Her mail carrier is still delivering letters and scholarships as she awaits responses from 12 more universities.
Love is the oldest of five children, and her parents, Anthony and Yolanda Love, say they’ve wanted the best for her since they were just teenagers, when Anoinette came into the world.
“I was nervous when her dad and I had her at the young ages of 15 and 17 and I was frightened when she was viciously attacked by a dog as a two-year-old and survived,” said Yolanda, who gave birth to her daughter six weeks prematurely. Antoinette only weighed 4.4 pounds when she was born.
Last year, another senior at the International High School of New Orleans was accepted into 91 colleges with more than $2.8 million in scholarships.
“Antoinette began her freshman year as a shy girl, and she has grown into a hard-working scholar who is eager to help her fellow students with their academics,” said Sean Wilson, head of school for IHSNO, which is a public, college prepratory International Baccalaureate high school located in downtown New Orleans.
Love, who is also a gifted painter, applied to a total of 115 schools nationwide with the help of her counselor Denise James who is credited with motivating Love and 2018’s record recipient Darrin Francois.
Love was inducted into the National Senior Beta Club, the National Honor Society, the National English Honor Society, and Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society in her four years at IHSNO.
She spends most of her time helping to raise her four siblings ranging in age from 9 to 15. Her 15-year-old brother suffers from cystic fibrosis.
Love plans to be on the road for the next few weeks visiting several colleges that have awarded her scholarships.
When it comes to tips for seniors applying to colleges and for scholarships, Love’s advice is to “apply, apply, apply.”
“This really is a dream come true,” she said. “All my hours of studying, writing and classes have paid off in the best possible way and I can’t wait to move forward and start my college education.”
