Arkansas Senior Gets Accepted to 45 Colleges, Receives Over $1.5M in Scholarship Offers, And Earns Highest GPA in His School’s History

This kid knew the assignment!

An Arkansas senior got accepted to 45 colleges, received more than $1.5 million in scholarship offers, and earned the highest GPA in his school’s history, ArkLaTex reports.

Nicholas Watson is a graduating senior at Arkansas High School. When he was younger, he was diagnosed with autism and ADHD, being told that he may never read or comprehend math. Nonetheless, he persevered, doing exceptionally well academically. As a result, he was accepted to 45 different colleges and universities across the nation and has received more than $1.5 million in scholarship offers. Watson is also graduating as the class of 2021 valedictorian, with a 4.8-grade point average – the highest GPA in the school’s history.

“Overall, I’m just grateful to have an opportunity to be where I am right now because I wasn’t ever meant to be here. Besides autism and ADHD, they said I wasn’t ever going to comprehend, read, math, all of that. No matter what circumstance or whoever defines you. You’re the one who defines yourself,” Watson said.

His mother, Marian Watson, said her son has always overcome obstacles.

“…I don’t even know if I would say [there were] obstacles because whatever you ask of him, he just did it,” she said.

In addition to his academic success, Watson also excelled in 4 different sports in high school: track, cross country, soccer, and basketball. As a result, he has chosen to attend Harding University on a basketball scholarship. He will be entering school in the fall, majoring in Electrical Engineering with 64 college credits already under his belt. Harding has also picked Watson up to serve as a mentor coaching youth basketball at the school.

“I’m a hands-on type of guy. I want to make electronic devices and go to big places like Google and Tesla,” Watson said.

He hopes his story serves as inspiration that anyone can achieve whatever they put their mind too.

“No matter what limitations or restrictions that you have been given, conditions or anything that tries to hinder you, just try to overachieve that and go to a goal that you want to achieve,” he said.

Congratulations Nicholas! Because of you, we can!

Photo Courtesy of ArkLaTex