Katy senior accepted to every college she applied to

KATY, TX (KTRK) -- It is an impressive feat when a student is accepted to every college he or she applies to, especially when those schools include Harvard, Duke, Northwestern and Rice.

That's exactly what happened to a senior from Katy.

Amanda Guerra Arci has a perfect 4.0 GPA and scored 2240 on the SAT. The Cypress Lakes High School senior applied to eight prestigious colleges and received admittance letters to each. She chose to attend the nation's most difficult school to get into. Guerra will attend Stanford University in the fall with a full academic scholarship.

"I stayed at home a lot of nights studying for that one test to get that one more question so I could get 100," she said. "An A has never been enough. I like to get the best that I can get."

But this story of her sacrifice and success isn't just hers alone. It is a realization of a journey that brings so many to America. Guerra's family traveled to Texas from Cuba with just $200. Their move to the United States was the topic of her college admission essays.

"We came to this country with maybe nothing material but to build a dream and to be a part of this society and give to this country, our legacy to our children, and I'm so proud of her," mother Mirelys Arci said.

Guerra was shy and could not speak English when she arrived in Houston as a 10-year-old. She was always motivated to do her best, but her parents say even smart children need hands-on parents.

"Every time she had an idea or something in the school, they need to know that you are involved in what they are doing. Once it happens, they put more dedication," father Jorge Guerra said.

Guerra's sister Lauren suffers from scoliosis, so Amanda has seen first-hand the challenges of our nation's healthcare system, which is why she wants to study biomedical engineering.

"Right now I know I want to research diseases for all of those people that like can't get treatment right now, and I know I want to lower the price," she said.