Congratulations to this young woman for such an amazing accomplishment.

People Magazine has the story.

High School Student Accepted to 11 Colleges – Including Three Ivy Leagues – Makes Her Pick

Growing up as a Haitian emigree in Immokalee, Florida – one of the poorest communities in Florida – Regine Francois was determined to make a life for herself through her education.

Her parents – who are now both housekeepers – had to leave elementary school early to work for their families and wanted their children to have more opportunities than they did.

“My parents really conveyed the importance to me when I was really, really young that an education is what is going to get you anywhere you want to go,” Francois, 18, tells PEOPLE.

“They were sacrificing a lot to move us from their home country to take us to America for us to get an education,” she says.

Francois, the eldest of six siblings, succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

She was accepted to 11 colleges including the prestigious Ivy Leagues Brown University, Columbia University and Cornell University.

When she found out she says she shouted for joy.

“I think the neighbors thought there was something wrong in our house,” she says. “I was like, ‘Mom! I’m going to college!’ ”

On Friday, May 1 she made her decision: Columbia.