Scholars receive funding for the full cost of attendance that isn’t already covered by financial aid and the expected family contribution, or other scholarship awards. That includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation and other personal costs.

“I was just ecstatic,” said Yaden, recalling when he found out he was named a Gates Scholar. “I was so surprised that I had gotten this far. When I first applied, I was like, let me just throw my name in the hat, it’s a 1% chance of getting it. Seeing that I had gotten that far, that I had gotten the scholarship was really surprising. I am really excited what this opportunity is going to bring.”

Yaden, who is home-schooled through the K12 online program, also received a full scholarship to New York University (NYU) in Manhattan — where he plans to attend in the fall and study political science. The Gates Scholarship will cover any additional expenses not covered by his NYU scholarship, like books and transportation.

Students are required to go through an intensive process to become a Gates Scholar — and it’s no easy feat.

More than 30,000 students across the U.S. apply for the scholarship.

Students must go through several stages, such as sharing information on grades, extracurriculars and scores before moving on to a second stage that asks for FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid) information and provides four essay prompts, according to Yaden.

Writing the four essays was the easy part for Yaden, who explained he could take his time, comb over every word and make sure his work was up to his standards. He said he was more nervous for the interview portion, but explained the interviewer was “very personable” and “very outgoing.”

Following interviews, just 300 students from across the country are chosen as Gate Scholars, according to CollegeAdvisor.com — that’s an acceptance rate of just 1%.

Yaden received the news earlier this month that he was chosen.

“There are people out there who believe in me, who are willing to invest in my education — are willing to invest in my future,” he said.

It also shows that his hard work paid off, along with the people around him who helped to get him to this point, he explained. He personally thanked his mother for working hard to allow Yaden to apply for opportunities like the Gates Scholarship.

“It really just shows that the hard work I’ve done has paid off over the years,” said Yaden. “I’ve put a lot of work into just my basic academics when it comes to my grades and different things like that. But I’ve also put a lot of work in when it comes to my extracurriculars … This is really just one of the many moments showing that hard work paid off, and I’m going to be able to use that hard work to turn into a more successful future.”

He also pointed to programs in which he has participated, including being a public forum debater and lead researcher, a lead cellist in the Up Beat NYC orchestra, an equestrian with Gallop NYC, a junior scholar with The Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Program, and a junior mentor with Prince to Kings.

Yaden has received several awards, including the Police Athletic League (PAL) Police Commissioner for a Day Essay Contest medalist, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity MLK Youth Scholar Award, and the 2022 NYCUDL City Champion. He also volunteers for a local food bank and with the NYC Urban Park Rangers.

Additionally, Yaden completed several NYU and Columbia University summer college programs.

Thinking about college, Yaden said he looks forward to living in a dorm, studying political science “more in-depth,” meeting new people, and making new friends. Upon graduating from New York University, Yaden said he hopes to attend law school and become an environmental attorney.