NYC teen accepted to 18 prestigious universities

June 17, 2008

NEW YORK

New Yorker Lukasz (Loo-KASH) Zbylut (Zbeh-LOOT) started his American education in the seventh grade after emigrating from Poland. Now he's headed for Harvard after turning down 17 other prestigious schools, including six other Ivies.

Zbylut is graduating from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn with a 104.7 average.

While applying himself academically, the 18-year-old also found time to be co-captain of his school's U.N. team, captain and founder of the debate team, president of the mock-trial team and editor of the school newspaper. He also played soccer and volunteered in his neighborhood.

At Harvard, Zbylut plans to take up politics, philosophy and law.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9898582)

A ONE-MAN IVY LEAGUE

WHIZ KID WOOED BY ALL PICKS HARVARD

By YOAV GONEN, Education Reporter

ACCEPTABLE: Brooklyn's New Utrecht HS valedictorian, Lukasz Zbylut, yesterday shows acceptance letters from 18 top colleges — thanks to his 104.7 weighted grade average.

June 17, 2008 -- Not many teenagers get the chance to say "no" to Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Penn, Georgetown, Stanford or NYU.

But New Utrecht HS valedictorian Lukasz Zbylut denied offers from all of them this year - he's going to Harvard.

Despite entering one of the most competitive college-application seasons ever at top institutions, the 18-year-old Brooklyn brainiac got accepted into 18 selective schools - including all seven Ivy League colleges he applied to.

"Each time the fat [acceptance] envelope rolled in, I stared at it with an open mouth," said Lukasz, whose family emigrated from Poland five years ago.

"I applied to all these great colleges thinking, 'Why not?' I took a shot in the dark, and apparently, I hit the jackpot."

Although his record wasn't quite perfect - he was denied by Boston's MIT - Lukasz's supporters said his feat wasn't bad for a kid who started his New York education at the end of seventh grade.

In his four years at New Utrecht, he served as co-captain of the model UN team, captain and founder of the debate team, president of the mock-trial team, editor of the school newspaper and in a host of other positions.

He also found time to play soccer and volunteer in his Dyker Heights neighborhood.

Next week, Lukasz is graduating at the top of a class of 575 students - with a 104.7 average due to weighting of grades - before moving on to study politics, philosophy and law as a Harvard Faculty Scholarship recipient.

"I think what really sets Lukasz apart is that he's very, very motivated, very independent and determined to succeed," said Annette Magrino, a guidance counselor at New Utrecht.

While acceptance rates at colleges have stayed relatively stable over the years, the elite colleges have gotten more fickle of late, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

The percentage of students accepted at Harvard, Stanford, Brown and Columbia all hit record lows this year.

The association attributed the uptick in rejections to a jump in the number of high-school graduates who, like Lukasz, are also applying to more colleges.

"You have schools like Yale, Columbia and Harvard dropping down their acceptance rates to single digits," said Desiree Jones, director of college guidance at LEDA scholars, a college-access program that Lukasz attended.

"To get into all of these schools is exceptional," she said.

While Magrino noted the sacrifices the tenacious teen made in giving his summers over to academic pursuits, Lukasz said it was his parents who had made the real sacrifice.

His father, Miroslaw, traded in a cushy desk job as a factory director in Poland in order to support his wife and three kids as a construction worker in Brooklyn.

His mother, Barbara, has been taking care of the household after leaving a successful career at an insurance company back home.

"We're very proud of him," said his mom. "We believe one day he'll change the world."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06172008/news/regionalnews/a_one_man_ivy_league_115894.htm

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9898593)

i like how they make it sound like a scholarship, rather than what it is, H's new financial aid package. Gotta love the crimson's ungodly pretension and the newspaper's gullibility.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9899025)

i thought that was just the name for the new H for middle class folks 10% thing

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9899221)

Also, they kid applied to way too many schools and wasted someone's money.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9899079)

Er, no. You fired multiple rounds.

Applying to 19 schools is remarkably toolish. Congrats, Harvard. (smirk)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9899737)

Not surprised MIT saw through this striver

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9899816)

"Among the top schools he got into? NYU, Georgetown, Columbia, Penn, Princeton, Yale, Cornell, Stanford and Dartmouth. AND HE TURNED THEM ALL DOWN! Why? He got into Hahvahd, why else!"

When asked by Matt why he decided on the Crimson, he replied:

"It's Harvard after all, you can't turn that down, and I feel sorry for all of the other great institutions for not ending up there."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9902498)

that wigger isn't him

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9903854)

New Yorker Lukasz Zbylut started his American education in the seventh grade after emigrating from Poland. Now he's headed for Harvard after turning down 17 other prestigious schools, including six other Ivies.

Zbylut is graduating from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn with a 104.7 average.

While applying himself academically, the 18-year-old also found time to be co-captain of his school's U.N. team, captain and founder of the debate team, president of the mock-trial team and editor of the school newspaper.

He also played soccer and volunteered in his neighborhood.

At Harvard, Zbylut plans to take up politics, philosophy and law."

(Copyright 2008 by NBC. All Rights Reserved.)

http://www.kare11.com/news/national/national_article.aspx?storyid=515517&catid=18

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9902525)

(Since he was born in Poland, he'll have to get elected there, since he's ineligible for the US presidency.)

http://www.kare11.com/video/player.aspx?aid=74402

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9902548)

Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Dartmouth, Pennsylvania, Cornell, Columbia, Georgetown, NYU, Middlebury, Amherst, Occidental, Richmond, Ohio Wesleyan, DePauw, Carnegie Mellon and CUNY HunterH

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9902749)

Lucas 2008(2).jpgJune 18, 2008, Greencastle, Ind.

- "New Yorker Lukasz Zbylut started his American education in the seventh grade after emigrating from Poland. Now he's headed for Harvard after turning down 17 other prestigious schools, including six other Ivies" and DePauw University, reports New York's WNBC. The teenager is featured today in stories by the television station and New York Post.

The newspaper's print edition shows a DePauw pennant in a picture with Zbylut and notes, "Despite entering one of the most competitive college-application seasons ever at top institutions, the 18-year-old Brooklyn brainiac got accepted into 18 selective schools -- including all seven Ivy League colleges he applied to." (photo: New York Post)

"I applied to all these great colleges thinking, 'Why not?,'" he says. "I had to turn down a lot of great schools, schools I'd be happy to go to."

The Post reports that Lukasz "served as co-captain of the model UN team, captain and founder of the debate team, president of the mock-trial team, editor of the school newspaper and in a host of other positions. He also found time to play soccer and volunteer in his Dyker Heights neighborhood. Next week, Lukasz is graduating at the top of a class of 575 students -- with a 104.7 average due to weighting of grades -- before moving on to study politics, philosophy and law as a Harvard Faculty Scholarship recipient."

Read more the story -- "A One-Man Ivy League Whiz Kid Wooed By All Picks Harvard" -- the Post, a story at WNBC.com, and a sidebar which mentions Lukasz's DePauw application. The television station also provides a video interview and edited story featuring the high school senior.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9903295)

5 years since entering U.S., he gets into 7 Ivy Leagues

Polish émigré couldn’t speak English; now he’s admitted to 17 top schools

Video

Whiz kid gets into 7 Ivy Leagues

June 18: TODAY’s Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer talk to Lukasz Zbylut, a high school valedictorian who got into all seven Ivy League colleges he applied to.

TODAYShow.com

updated 9:05 a.m. ET, Wed., June. 18, 2008

Lukasz Zbylut has taken “the old college try” to a whole new level.

The New York teenager, who emigrated from Poland only five years ago, applied to seven Ivy League schools — and was accepted by every one of them.

Now he’s thrilled to further his education at his “dream school” of choice — Harvard. What, Yale wasn’t good enough for him? How about Princeton?

“I do feel sorry, and I feel awful for turning down such great institutions,” Zbylut told TODAY co-hosts Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira. “But it’s Harvard.”

Among the other schools he declined were Columbia, Dartmouth, Penn, Cornell, Georgetown, Stanford and New York University.

There were 10 other prominent schools that also accepted the ever-smiling 18-year-old. But he knew he could only pick one.

“It’s a great feeling to have,” Zbylut added. “And it’s very exciting — and confusing, to an extent.”

A class act

Lukasz Zbylut (pronounced Loo-KASH Zbeh-LOOT) was in seventh grade when he came to the United States. At that point, he admits, he had only a limited grasp of the English language.

“It’s quite amazing that the first words you learn in any language are the curses,” Zbylut said with a laugh. “It’s ‘thank you’ and the curses. Someone should study that at some point. But I’ve come a long way since then.”

Zbylut said the transition to attending school in the U.S. was “easier than expected.”

“Schools in Poland are very rigorous, as you can imagine,” he said. “When taking my first exam, I was constantly turning to the girl next to me because in Poland, [testing] is very collaborative. Here, it’s the opposite.”

In addition to holding such high grades, Zbylut is co-captain of his school’s United Nations team; founder of its debate team; president of its mock-trial team and editor of the school newspaper. And, just for kicks, he plays soccer.

With such credentials, Lauer asked, why did Zbylut apply to so many schools when he knew he’d be accepted to so many of them?

“That isn’t really true, especially the last decade,” Zbylut explained. “[It’s] very competitive. We’re into the single digits when it comes to acceptance rates.

“I thought of myself as a great candidate, but I was never certain of getting into a single one college.”

Zbylut plans to study politics, law and philosophy at Harvard. But there was one school that actually did turn him down — the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Zbylut said he didn’t mind the snub.

“I really don’t regret it, because I would never be as passionate as a student they potentially could have given the spot to,” he said. “I’m hoping that the spot they gave would have been to someone who is very passionate about politics and everything.”

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9903346)

By Jessica Wakeman and Laura Moran (06/19/08)

AGAINST by Laura Moran

To most people, applying to 18 colleges probably sounds like overkill. But, not to Lukasz Zbylut, of Brooklyn, N.Y., who was accepted to all seven Ivy League schools, as well as top-notch institutions like Stanford and New York University to rack up a total of 17 college choices. (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sent his single rejection letter.) And, while he chose Harvard as his destination for the fall, he said no to 16 schools that most high school seniors only dream of applying to, let alone attending.

While Zbylut, who is the valedictorian of his class at New Utrecht High School, and a Polish immigrant who came to this country five years ago and taught himself English, accomplished a dream and bragging rights, he may have inadvertently crushed the hopes of others like him around the country.

According to Bev Taylor, an independent college consultant with The Ivy Coach, since Zbylut was offered a place at each of the schools, he took that offer away from other students with dreams to attend one of the many schools on his list. She says, “That’s why it is so unfair for kids to do something like that without doing their homework first.”

It is no secret that college admissions are becoming more competitive every year, prompting students to apply to a wide number of schools in hopes of gaining acceptance to at least one. But, a little research and help from counselors would have narrowed Zyblut’s search and opened up space for other students.

Taylor says that Zyblut is a college admissions officer’s dream. “He’s a first generation college attendee whose parents are blue collar workers. Admissions counselors were probably itching in their seat when they read his application.” Therefore, he and his counselors should’ve known he would get into these schools and narrowed his applications to schools that he had a real intention of attending.

Otherwise, he is simply collecting trophies, which according to Taylor is inappropriate. “In some cases a student feels entitled to getting the acceptance letters because they have worked so hard up until that point. But, it is a horrible thing to want to collect trophies.”

Most counselors suggest that students apply to between six and eight schools; with some being safe bets, some as reaches and some as possibilities. Visiting the schools and doing research online can often help students narrow their choices down to the few that they actually want to apply to.

Zbylut should have been more considerate to his fellow high school seniors who weren’t as lucky to receive 16 acceptance letters.

For: Apply away: All you have to lose is time and money

By Jessica Wakeman

“It’s called trophy-hunting,” says Rachel Toor, a private college counselor and author of Admissions Confidential: An Insider’s Account of the Elite College Selection Process. Applying to 18 schools is a bit high for a student, she says, “but not that high.” The problem she sees is kids just don’t know their odds of getting in, so they cover themselves by applying to more schools.

Toor says she usually counsels students to apply to nine schools: three safety schools, three that are stretches, and three that are reaches.

Even nine colleges seems like a lot to me, unless your parents’ income qualifies you for a fee waiver, it costs money to send in an application. (My father balked at a school with a $75 application fee and told me, “You’re not going to get in there, anyway!”) Let’s say, hypothetically applying to these 18 schools cost Lukasz Zbylut , or more likely his parents, $500. That’s a lot of dough!

But, college admissions are getting so competitive, Harvard, Yale and Columbia made records by only accepting 7.1%, 8.3% and 8.7% of applicants, respectively. With the odds against you while applying to an individual school, you’re just giving yourself more options when you apply to more “reach” and “stretch” schools.

That $500 is an investment in his future. You would not refrain from buying stocks because someone else might also want to buy them and the stocks might make you a millionaire. It should be looked at like any other investment and the application blitz paid off for Zbylut with a choice between 17 colleges.

Overall, well-played, Lukasz, even if getting into 17 selective colleges is totally trophy-hunting.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9905900)

(I know another pole that did the same thing and is at Harvard Yard)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9906026)

In any case, he already had plenty of safeties on his list.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9912216)

lol at you all for being so jealous of him

lol at NYCFan for being 70 and posting on xoxo

lol at striver factory Harvard for not being Yale

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=826015&forum_id=1#9912990)