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Maritsa Negrete, a 17 year-old senior at Firebaugh High School, is already confirming her plans for college. In fact, she’s been accepted into her back-up school, Princeton University.

On Dec. 1, Negrete received a phone call from the QuestBridge Program, a national nonprofit organization that helps match low-income, high-achieving students to the nation’s top colleges and universities, sometimes with full-ride scholarships.

On that fateful December day, Negrete learned she had been accepted into Princeton University with a full scholarship.

“It’s definitely a dream come true,” Negrete said. “When I got the news, I was running around and immediately called my parents.”

Negrete is one of three seniors from Firebaugh High who has been accepted into Ivy League universities through the QuestBridge program. And while Negrete said she is honored by her acceptance into Princeton, her dream school is MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Negrete said goal is to become an aerospace engineer, and for her, the best choice would be MIT, she said. She believes there’s a chance she’ll still be accepted into MIT, although probably not on a full scholarship.

Negrete is in Firebaugh’s international baccalaureate program and is taking advance classes and tests that could earn her credits toward her college degree. In addition, she is president of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement Program (M.E.S.A.) and president of the academic decathlon team.

According to Negrete, six students from Firebaugh High were finalists for the full scholarships to Ivy League schools, and three were chosen. Nationally, 321 students are chosen for admittance and scholarships. The other two seniors are Elizabeth Murillo and Rick Rodriguez.

Next year, wherever she lands, she’ll be following in the footsteps of her older sister, Nancy, who is attending, Wellesley College, a top-tier school. 

Since they were young, the Negrete sisters have always been good students, said Maria Negrete, their mother.

“I expected their success because I’ve always taught them to be responsible and go to school,” she said. “I never had a problem with them, and I’ve always been at their side supporting them, showing them both to win and lose.”

Although their mother said it’s difficult to have her daughters live so far away, she is glad that they are succeeding.

“I told them to go ahead and move forward," she said. “I feel prouder that they’re in a good place [than be close to home].”

The other two Firebaugh High School scholarship winners will be featured later on Lynwood Patch Latino. Stay tuned!