Youth being backed by a motivating support system can often lead them to achievements that they initially didn’t perceive as being possible.

When weighing out his options of which schools to apply to, any of the nation’s eight prestigious schools weren’t initially on Birmingham native Kylan Benson’s list of choices. But, with the help of a nonprofit and his family, the Ramsay High School senior’s future is bright.

WVTM 13 reports that Benson was offered $3 million in scholarships and accepted into 18 out of the 19 schools he applied to, including four Ivy League schools.

Kylan Benson's College Applications Experience

“It was a long process,” the international baccalaureate and 4.4 GPA student shared on how he earned his scholarships, according to WVTM 13. “I’m a part of the College Choice Foundation, which is a local nonprofit that helps youth find colleges that meet full financial need. That’s been a big help for me and they’ve helped me navigate throughout the whole entire college process.”

He added: “Initially I didn’t plan on applying to any Ivy League schools. I just thought that it wasn’t my type of school, but after being able to visit schools like Columbia and visit Harvard I saw that I could definitely see myself at those schools and I would be a great fit.”

What's Next For The Promising Student

According to the outlet, the upcoming high school graduate and co-valedictorian loves helping others, which has led him to grow an interest in government so that his passion can soon reach even more of the world.

Benson has already built his leadership skills by being the head of multiple organizations during his time at Ramsay including the president of the youth and government club.

The future lawmaker is ready to make an impact not just in his community, but across the globe.

“I follow local politics very closely. I feel like I can take the lessons that I’ve learned in their careers and apply that to the state level, the national level, the global level,” he said, according to the news outlet.