TROUP COUNTY, Ga. — A pair of twin high school seniors are making their family proud after the two have been accepted to 40 colleges between them, earning over $900,000 in scholarship offers.
Akhya C. and Akhea S. Mitchell both attend Troup County Comprehensive High School in LaGrange, Georgia, earning a 4.5 GPA and a 3.9 GPA respectively.
Due to their stellar grades and involvement in various student organizations, the two were able to afford to apply to 42 colleges in total for about $200, their mother, Kalitha Reynolds, told ABC News.
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Along with using the Common Application -- which allows students to apply to up to 700 colleges and universities for a flat rate that ranges from $25 to $90 -- the Mitchell twins also took advantage of college fairs, they told ABC News.
"We started out by attending college fairs and taking advantage of free applications on site," Akhya, who is one minute older than her sister, said. "And some colleges offer days where the application was free so we took advantage."
The two credit a school organization called She's D.O.P.E. for helping them navigate the college application process.
The twins say that attending college is important to them.
"As long as we could remember, our parents have instilled in us the importance of education," Akhea said. "We were brought up in an environment that constantly reminded us we could do and be whatever we want to be. Education is the foundation that can’t be destroyed by race or gender."
Although the seniors have been accepted into 40 schools between them, they've narrowed it down to two schools -- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Howard University in Washington, D.C.
"They do have to make a decision very soon," their mother said, noting that the deadlines are in May and June.
Either way, they both plan to attend college together and major in business.
"We’re really, really close," Akhya noted. "And because we'll most likely be out of state, it’s comforting to us -- and to our family -- that we’d be able to adjust away from home together.
"We count it as a blessing to be able to share in the next journey of our lives together," she added.