When applying to colleges in the fall, Haylee Hines, a senior at THS and the Piedmont Governor’s School, applied to over 30 schools through Questbridge and The Common Application (Common App) with no specific school(s) in mind. “I was like oh that one sounds cool, I’m gonna apply,” Hines said. 

Hines was accepted to UConn, NC State, William and Mary, the University of Virginia, James Madison University, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Virginia Commonwealth University, and more from her long list. “My mom wanted me to choose William and Mary or the University of Virginia because of their locations and the education they have to offer,” Hines said.

Once she had received the bulk of her decisions, she made her choice. Haylee will be attending the University of Virginia, with an intended major of neuroscience. 

Not only was Haylee accepted into the school, but she was one of the two recipients of the Jack Blackburn scholarship. Jack Blackburn is a former dean at the university and after his passing in 2009, friends and colleagues donated millions of dollars to a scholarship fund in his honor. Only two students from the enrolled freshman class are awarded this scholarship and it covers a full ride and new laptop for each recipient. “I am very excited, but it was very unexpected. I didn’t even apply, I was just chosen.” said Hines.

Her intended major is neuroscience and she is unsure of an exact career  path for the future. “I don’t know if I want to be a doctor yet or a psychiatrist, but I’d like to do something where I get to help people without actually getting my hands dirty,” said Hines.

Her freshman year she took almost all regular classes, with the exception of honors English. “I only took it because my 8th grade teacher told me to, and I usually do what others tell me to do,” said Hines. 

She took a few advanced classes her sophomore year, and later made the decision to take the test for the Piedmont Governor’s School. “I applied to Gov school because I thought that it was just an extra class that would get me an associate’s degree. I didn’t know the classes were advanced,” said Hines.

“My mom and the rest of my family encouraged me from a young age by telling me I was “so smart” and that one day when I went to college I would get a full ride, but I never expected it to actually happen,” said Hines. 

Haylee Hines is one of the multiple full ride recipients from the THS Class of 2023, and she is “very excited” for her future.