Jada-Symone Batichon, a recent graduate of Wheeler High School in Georgia, was accepted into 53 of the 58 colleges she applied to, earning nearly $1.8 million in scholarships. With a 4.0 GPA and college coursework already completed at Kennesaw State and Chattahoochee Technical College, she plans to attend the University of Alabama this fall to study business management. Her goal: earn both undergraduate and master’s degrees in four years.
The 18-year-old from Powder Springs credits her success to hard work and the guidance of her mother, Dr. Claudia Batichon, a teacher and founder of THINK Protégé, a college and career prep program. Jada-Symone’s high school journey included cheerleading, student government, and founding a girls’ empowerment club called EmpowHer.
Aiming to avoid student debt, she applied to dozens of schools in search of scholarships. “My mom always told me—interest rates are high,” she says. Now, as she prepares for college life, she’s considering summer internships and jobs before move-in day. “It’ll be quiet without my family,” she says. “But I know how to manage my stuff.”
