UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Exceptional twins in Union County earned more than $2.5 million in scholarship offers.
Twins Nipun and Niyathi Gorantla are weeks away from walking the Marvin Ridge High School halls for the last time. They’re expected to graduate summa cum laude.
“I think that college is the moment where you really get to understand who you are through doing a lot of different activities,” Niyathi said.
The two applied to 20 schools each. Nipun plans to attend Stanford University to study human biology. Niyathi is excited to study economics at Duke University.
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Neither got a full ride to their top school, though they were each in the running for a dozen outside scholarships. They said they didn’t pick schools where they had full ride scholarships because those weren’t the right schools for them.
“It is very enticing to go to school for free, but I think at the end of the day, it really comes down to what’s best for you,” Nipun said.
Instead, they’ll apply thousands of dollars in outside scholarships to their college costs.
“At the end of the day it is your choice,” Niyanthi said. “And you know yourself better than everybody else, and you know what you want.”
“I was very humbled by the recognition that I got, but I don’t think that I would’ve been able to do anything or got any of the scholarships without the incredible support network I had,” her brother said.
Nipun and Niyathi credit their teachers at Marvin Ridge for their success. They also credit their parents for pushing them to follow their passions.
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The twins said their mentors prepared them for their challenging majors, but there’s one aspect of college that may be harder than expected.
“Are you prepared to live 3,000 miles away from your twin?” Channel 9′s Erika Jackson asked the siblings.
“I don’t think that realization has actually hit me yet,” Niyanthi said. “But I do think it’s going to be difficult.”
“We always understand when somebody’s feeling down or when somebody is feeling stressed out, we can help each other,” Nipun said.
They had advice to help students afford and achieve the best college education.
“Be perseverant, be courageous, put yourself out there, try new things and take risks,” Nipun said.
Exams are underway for Marvin Ridge High School students. Seniors will graduate on June 13.
In addition to Marvin Ridge High School’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the twins are also enrolled in online classes through the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.
(WATCH BELOW: Scholarship program in Union County helps first-generation students get into college)
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