Louisiana Teen Receives 139 College Acceptance Letters & $8.7M in Scholarships

Despite being homeschooled and battling a chronic illness, Normandie Cormier has gone viral after getting accepted into 139 colleges and receiving almost $9 million in scholarships. Her story is one of inspiration and determination.

18-year-old Cormier from Lafayette in Louisiana was homeschooled, alongside her sibling and other children, by their single mother, Chantelle Gary, reported USA Today.

According to the outlet, Cormier decided to try out high school at the Early College Academy, located on the South Louisiana Community College campus and offering an accelerated program where students get to take two years of high school and two years of college courses.

The young woman has been in and out of the hospital almost all her life, but instead of getting dejected...

When the outstanding teenager graduated last month, it was with both a high school diploma and an associate college degree.

Cormier applied to many colleges at once using a dedicated App and has so far received acceptances from 139 schools across the country.

The young scholar filed the acceptance letters in two big binders, along with $8.7 million worth of awards and scholarships from various sources, including the White House and Burger King.

But that is not the end of Cormier’s inspiring tale. Apart from being a distinguished scholar, she also has an entrepreneurial spirit, working part-time as a tutor while volunteering at a local nursing home and mentoring girls about STEM education.

Cormier excels at all these endeavors while battling a severe health condition where her immune system is not strong enough to protect her from diseases. As a result, she has had to deal with asthma and chronic skin issues.

Despite the challenges that came with being a young mom and having to study at the same time

The young woman has been in and out of the hospital almost all her life, but instead of getting dejected, chose to use her challenges as inspiration for a career choice. Cormier wants to become a medical doctor.

"Since I was a child, I was always in and out of the hospital," she said. "When I was young, it affected my self-esteem. But now I can use it to inspire others.”

Of the 139 colleges, Cormier has decided to attend Xavier University of Louisiana, a private historically black university that offered her a full ride.

"It was an easy decision," she reportedly said of the school’s reputation for producing many African-American graduates headed to medical school. "Xavier's goals align with mine.”

Cormier’s winning determination echoes that of Lamyrical Harris, a teenage mom in Tennessee who found out she was pregnant in her junior year.

Despite the challenges that came with being a young mom and having to study at the same time, Harris emerged valedictorian of her class while clinching over 24 college acceptances and up to $1 million in scholarships.