While most seniors at Diamond Bar High School wait until spring to hear from universities, some Brahmas have already received acceptance letters to the school of their choice through the early admission process.

Among those seniors who have been accepted early into their schools of choice are Cynthia Guo, headed to Emory University; Nicole Zhu, who will be attending Rhode Island School of Design; and Erin Zhou, who will also travel east to the University of Pennsylvania.

Guo, who was also accepted into the University of Minnesota, made the decision to attend Emory in the fall because of its resources–Emory is known for having many affiliated hospitals–and its collaborative environment. She intends to major in biology and is considering attending medical school after university.

“I look forward to the new environment at Emory and a change in the academic atmosphere,” Guo said via Instagram. “I also really want to explore the city of Atlanta.”

Zhu chose to apply to Rhode Island because it is one of the top schools in the U.S. for illustration and is regarded as one of the best art and design schools in the world. She plans to major in illustration. She said she also hopes to participate in a study abroad program or to take classes at nearby Brown University sometime during her RISD experience.

“I look forward to meeting all my classmates, especially my roommate. I’m also excited to explore Providence and the East Coast, in general,” Zhu said via Instagram. “Being able to display my work in an art exhibition will also be a big moment in my college experience.”

Zhou will be attending UPenn because she said she is drawn to its pre-professional culture. The interdisciplinary nature also appealed to her, as she is still unsure of what career she would like to pursue after graduating. She is currently leaning towards studying economics.

“I know how I want to impact society and Penn will help me nurture that goal,” Zhou said via Instagram. “Being able to take courses at the renowned Wharton business school, the engineering school, and the nursing school offers me lots of different opportunities to explore what I’m most passionate about.”

Zhou looks forward to the diversity that UPenn and West Philadelphia provide, and is excited to be surrounded by students who share interests with her and that are equally academically driven.

Before the excitement of being accepted as early admits, there were many obstacles these seniors faced as they worked on their applications. One of the primary challenges for them was the difficulty of balancing school and extracurriculars with the essay-writing and editing process.

“I think my best piece of advice is to start early—I started in the beginning of senior year summer but I wish I’d started earlier,” Zhou said. “Starting earlier gives you ample time to sculpt a narrative that you want your entire application to follow and removes the stress of the early deadline.”