Capetonians have yet another thing to be proud of: a Mossel Bay student has been accepted by the prestigious Harvard University after achieving stellar marks as Curro Mossel Bay’s top achiever for 2018.
After Lara Van Rooyen scored an impressive 92.86% average, earning her joint honours as Curro Holdings’ IEB top academic achiever of 2018, she was accepted for the next academic year by the Ivy League university, one of the world’s leading academic institutions.
Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States, this outstanding university is consistently ranked among the top three in the world.
Rooyen has the honour of being one of just 1 950 students who earned a place in Harvard’s undergraduate programme this year. As of August, she will be focusing on her major, Biology or Biochemistry, and has plans to either attend medical school or act as a research scientist once her studies are complete.
“Congratulations Lara van Rooyen on being our top achiever of 2018!
Lara is part of the top 5% achievers in South Africa and the top 1% achievers in four subjects: Afrikaans First Additional Language, English Home Language, Life Sciences and she achieved 95% in advanced maths!
We are so proud of you Lara and wish you well in all your future endeavours,” said Curro Mossel Bay in an announcement.
Rooyen also made the shortlist for seven other renowned universities based in America, and when she first applied to Harvard, she had little expectation that her dream would come to fruition.
When her application had been completed earlier this year, she took part in a three-hour interview in Cape Town for a place at the university. When she eventually heard about her acceptance this month she was stunned, excited and relieved.
This dedicated student’s achievements will serve to inspire and motivate all aspiring pupils after her and remind us that even one of the smallest towns in South Africa can produce big things.
Picture: Facebook/Curro Mossel Bay