A public high school student from Los Baños turned a long-shot college dream into a global academic breakthrough.
Carl Audric Guia, then a 17-year-old student from the University of the Philippines Rural High School in Los Baños, Laguna, earned admission offers in 2023 from Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, Stanford University, and the University of Notre Dame.
The offers placed him before some of the most selective universities in the United States. Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are Ivy League schools, while Stanford and Notre Dame are also among the most recognized names in American higher education.
Guia’s story drew national attention because he came from a Philippine public high school and pursued a field with limited local options. He said his interest in astronomy pushed him to look abroad, explaining that “being interested in Astronomy” made him think it would be better to study outside the country because “limited ang options dito sa Philippines.”
He received his Harvard, Princeton, and Yale acceptances during Ivy Day on March 31, 2023. Stanford followed the next day. Reports also linked him to Notre Dame’s Glynn Family Honors Program and Stamps Scholars Program earlier that March.
The application process was demanding. Guia said applying to US universities required activities, resumes, recommendation materials, and “tons and tons of essays.” Still, he pushed through. “So I just decided to shoot my shots po in these universities,” he said.
By April 30, 2023, Guia announced his decision. “We’re Harvard-bound!” he wrote, referring to his commitment to Harvard College with fellow public school student Aryenne Ysabelle.
The financial support made the achievement bigger. Guia said his family was excited because he would be able to study for free. “These are all full scholarships. It’s all overwhelming,” he said.
For Filipino students, Guia’s story carries a clear message. A student from a public high school in Laguna earned his way into Harvard with a full scholarship.
