• The SVHS Senior plans to pursue a Medical Doctorate

Anna Altobell, a senior at Star Valley High School, has accepted a full ride scholarship to Yale University. One of 72 finalists from 20,000 applicants awarded the Questbridge National College Match Scholarship to Yale, Anna received notice of the award in December. The cost to complete a four-year degree at Yale without financial assistance is close to $400,000.

The daughter of Daisha and John Altobell, Anna was born in Jackson and raised in Star Valley. Not only has she achieved exceptional academic excellence, she is a ballerina en pointe with Dezi’s Dance Studio, plays second violin in the SVHS Chamber Orchestra, is a member of the SVHS Speech and Debate Team, participates as a member of the National Honors Society, volunteers as a tutor, and is a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship.

Anna committed to attending Yale in August of 2023 when she began the application process with Questbridge, which specifically offers Ivy League scholarship opportunities to students that otherwise would not have the financial resources to attend a school of that caliber.

“I accepted a full ride scholarship that includes room and board and travel expenses, so it covers anything that could come with the college process,” Anna explained in an interview with SVI Media last week. “I am going to be entering a Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Major on a Pre-Med track. I would like to pursue my Medical Doctorate. I’m not sure what I want to specialize in, but I know that’s definitely my goal right now.”

Through the application process, Anna learned that being from a small town and a small high school can be a great advantage when applying for national scholarships. “Living where we live is such a leg up, because all these big colleges want to fill their diversity brackets and they have enough money to throw around. Questbridge looks out for the little guys like us. They contacted me after seeing my ACT scores. I just thought it was another minor scholarship program, but then I started to look into it more. I think there’s a lot of students who could qualify the same way that I did, and I think it’s an amazing opportunity.”

Though Anna recognizes that living in New York will be a significant change to her lifestyle, she hopes to continue recreational dance classes, and possibly be involved in speech and debate opportunities. She’s looking forward to the level of excellence and competition that attending Yale will provide, and is inspired by plans to immerse herself in the university life and culture, working on internships and competing for the unique and exclusive opportunities that an education at Yale will create.

Italian food and cultural experiences are also a big draw for her. “I am Italian, and they have an amazing Little Italy in that area, and I’m going to be pretty much in the hub of Italian America, being in between New York and Boston, and it’s just one Amtrak away for me to get to Boston. I could take a day trip there. I think it’s just going to be really fun.”

Anna recognizes that her parents have played a primary role in her success. “They really know how hard I’ve worked, and they have supported me every step of the way. They always supported what I wanted to do, what I wanted to shoot for, and they have loved me more than anybody.”

“This sounds like such an outlandish opportunity but it’s really more accessible than you think,” Anna concluded, hoping that other students will seek out and take the steps to earn these kinds of rare opportunities. “If you are in a position, whether you’re going to be applying to colleges or if you are trying to further your career, just try to take that chance because I think that ambition and belief in oneself can take you a long way. There’s no harm in trying.”