A young Hungarian boy, Ferenc Soma Kovács, has been accepted to Harvard University, one of the world’s prestigious institutions of higher education. The senior student of the Illyés Gyula High School and Vocational High School in Budaörs is also a great athlete with Olympic ambitions.
The high school Ferenc attends is near Budapest, from where he will soon be traveling to the United States to build his future. As it turns out, the young student’s talent for athletics was evident at an early age, having already gained national recognition as a middle and long distance runner.
In addition, Fecó, as he is so nicknamed, is also a top student, having won a national high school academic competition in geography, excelling throughout high school, speaking English and German well, in addition to learning Spanish. His teachers also speak highly of him.
But his career in the US started earlier, when he won an ASSIST scholarship in 2021. This is offered by a US non-profit organization at a private secondary school in the US to foreign students who excel in their studies and speak English well. The scholarship placed the Hungarian student at Woodberry Forest School, a boarding boys’ high school in Virginia.
As it turned out, Kovács had his eye on three American universities: Northern Arizona University, which emphasizes running, Duke University, and Harvard. All three universities were so interested in him that they covered all his expenses when he was invited to visit.
The Memorial Hall in Harvard Yard is an iconic building of the world-famous university
In the end, Ferenc chose Harvard, where he was admitted in October, during the early recruitment phase – that is when he received his so-called ‘likely letter,’ the equivalent of a letter of acceptance. He will also receive a full scholarship.
Moreover, Kovács not only wants to concentrate on his studies, but running will continue to play an important role in his life. His plans include an Olympic final and a time of 3:30 in the 1500 meter distance and 13 minutes in the 5000 meter.
Featured photo via Facebook and Wikimedia Commons