'Black-ish' star Yara Shahidi accepted into every college where she applied
— -- For 17-year-old "Black-ish" star Yara Shahidi, the college application process has been different from that for most girls her age.
First, she received a recommendation letter from first lady Michelle Obama, and now, she told Seventeen magazine, she was accepted into every college where she applied.
"I did get all of my college acceptances, and I'm keeping them close to the belt as of right now, but I got into every college I applied to," she told the magazine. "So that's really exciting. I found all of that out last week. My college plans are all up in the air, but I will choose within the next month."
Wherever she ends up, Shahidi won't be taking it easy. She plans to double-major.
"As much as I want free time, I love to challenge myself. And so it really goes back to the point that I want to study as much as possible, and a double major is the solution," she added. "I have not decided on a minor. I don't know if I am going to go more creative and do something in the arts or if I am going to do a social justice minor, so that is still up for debate."
Shahidi isn't taking lightly that she's on an acclaimed TV show that tackles tough issues, including race relations in the United States.
"Our lives are ingrained in the beauty that we see, and so to be one of the many faces representing our girls is really special to me, to have the opportunity," she said. "If I can be one of the faces that somebody is able to relate to, I'm happy to do that."
With her character heading to college, it might be a chance for "Black-ish" to cover a whole new set of issues, including coming of age.
"The fact that Zoey is college-aged [makes it] important to address that. Because on a college campus — given the sociopolitical landscape of our society at the moment — we're not only dealing with race policy that we got from 'Black-ish' [but also] the intersectionality of race, gender, sexuality and political views and ideals," she said about a potential spin-off.
Late last year, Shahidi, a Minnesota native, told ABC News that her mother has been the foundation in her life and of her success.
"Strong black women are viewed as the anomaly, or strong people of color are viewed as the anomaly," she said. "Because of [my mom's] presence in my life, that was never the anomaly. That was the expectation. That was the standard. That was a given."
