If you caught a glimpse of the news this past weekend, then you probably came across the story of Michael Brown. This 17-year-old learned that he was accepted into all 20 of the universities he applied to – which included Stanford, Princeton, and Yale universities.

“It’s something I’m proud of because I see my hard work paying off, determination paying off, sacrifices paying off,” Michael tells CNN. Michael, who is a Houston native, also had the pleasure of being offered upwards of $260,000 in scholarships.

“My family had high expectations and maybe didn’t realize how competitive the process is,” Michael shares. The youngster’s mom also said, “After sixth grade, Mike was in control of his education. He was focused, he knew what he wanted and he made his own decisions.”

Michael’s decision to study political science with a possibility of choosing economics as a minor is largely inspired by former president Barack Obama. The teen tells media that the moment that he learned of the then-senator’s success in the 2008 election was the instance he knew he could expect great things in life.

“For me, it’s important to highlight that I’m not the only student of color who is achieving,” Brown tells media. “I want people to be informed and get access to these same programs,” he says of initiatives that match students from low-income families with opportunities to break out of the mold of poverty with possibilities for higher education.

Check out Michael Brown’s interview with a local media station below!