‘I’m thankful beyond words’: High school seniors in Keller earn a full ride to college

A college scholarship can open doors for young people to change the world. And that is what two of the smartest students in the Keller school district have their sights set on.

But for some students, such as Jeff Choi of Central High and Bahram Mohmand of Keller High, a scholarship is not only an honor — it’s a must if they are to have a chance to reach such dreams.

Both recently received full four-year scholarships through the QuestBridge National College Match program. QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education.

Choi and Mohmand were selected out of almost 21,000 applicants. Choi will attend Rice University in Houston, and Mohmand is going to study at Stanford in California.

Their selection brings to eight the number of students from low-income backgrounds in the Keller school district who have received scholarships to elite colleges through QuestBridge since 2020.

“I’m thankful beyond words,” Mohmand said. “It’s such an amazing opportunity for me to go out and attend one of the most prestigious schools in the world, and I’m extremely honored to be selected out of the thousands of amazing students nationwide who competed for this.”

Choi is the valedictorian of his senior class of 612 students at Central. Mohmand is ranked fourth out of 768 at Keller.

“Receiving this scholarship feels like the culmination of all the effort I’ve put in,” Choi said. “But more so, the support shown by everyone throughout my high school career — from the teachers, friends and most importantly, family and God. I’m glad to have shown that all the support was worthwhile, and I look forward to the next stage of my life.”

Competing for this scholarship was more than just performing well in school or on tests. Students shared life experiences. Of course, they also received excellent recommendations from teachers.

“While it would be easy to say that I did everything to obtain this scholarship myself, that simply wouldn’t be true,” Choi said. “I’ve had to study day and night to be academically competitive for this scholarship, and much credit goes to my brother, Todd Choi. He’s taught me a lot about studying and started me on my journey to be where I am currently academically.

“Outside of academics, I’ve had to collaborate a lot with my teachers to raise my chances of acceptance. I’ve discussed various areas of my application countless times to improve it. Mr. Steve Patty, in particular, was truly a great help during this entire process.”

‘I want to make the most out of my education’

Choi plans to major in bioengineering for when he eventually moves on to medical school. He wants to be a cardiothoracic surgeon.

“I plan to use this (bioengineering) background to change the medical industry, and, with that background and my undergraduate experience, move on to revolutionizing cardiac treatment for many patients,” he said. “I want to do more than the typical doctor or engineer.”

Mohmand said he will major in computer science.

“With so much innovation in technology happening now, technology has expanded beyond place and culture. Studying computer science allows me to make an impact,” he said.

Mohmand said his career goals revolve around creating a better society through new technology, primarily through artificial intelligence.

“Whether researching at Stanford or creating my own startup, I want to make the most out of my education and impact as many lives as possible,” he said.

Mohmand said he chose Stanford because it is one of the top computer science schools in the world.

“That, along with the excitingly new and diverse culture led me to fall in love with Stanford,” he said.

Choi selected Rice for several reasons as well.

“Not only was it the school that I felt could bring out my best potential through its countless resources, but its proximity to home and the close-knit Rice community were also very attractive,” he said. “In addition, being next to one of the world’s largest medical centers was very exciting to envision.”

‘Life isn’t always smooth sailing’

Choi and Mohmand credit their hard-working families for inspiration.

Choi’s father was a chef for over two decades and had to change careers into the trucking industry following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I couldn’t imagine making such a big, life-changing decision after 20 years. With this, he showed me that life isn’t always smooth sailing and that when bad situations arise, it’s your responsibility to fulfill the duties that you have, no matter what,” Choi said. “Due to this, my father comes home about every three to four weeks, and during that time, my mother, a stay-at-home mom, cares for my sister and me.

“Growing up, my mother always encouraged me to do what I loved and showed me endless support in any endeavor that I chose. If I had to choose one person who deserves everything - all the credit for bringing me to this point - it would be, without a doubt, my mother.”

Mohmand’s parents are both from Afghanistan. His father owns a used car dealership while his mother manages the home. He often works alongside his dad at the dealership.

“They both made sure that my siblings and I understood the importance of a good education, that even if we had no future plans we should at least get a college degree,” he said.

Kelli Adams, who is a college, career and military readiness coach at Central High, praised the district for adding that position at each of the four traditional high schools (KHS, Central, Fossil Ridge, Timber Creek) in 2021.

“While individual high school counselors may have invited their top qualified students to apply in the past, having someone with the time to look at the qualifications of the senior class as a whole and intentionally invite top students was an integral step,” she said. “As CCMR coaches, we have more availability to coach students through the application process during the time of year when traditional high school counselors are still adjusting student schedules and juggling other responsibilities.”

Randall Colvin, a Keller High college and career counselor, noted that the counselors in the district make a concerted effort to identify potential QuestBridge students and guide them through the application process.

“We know the power that a truly great college education can have in the lives of students,” Colvin said. “This opportunity has the potential to be truly life-altering for these students, and each of us is passionate about identifying and guiding students through the process of applying.