BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD — Jacqueline Zapicchi’s dream has come true.
When the Examiner first reported on Zapicchi in December, the Allentown High School (AHS) senior had her heart set on attending one school — Monmouth University in West Long Branch.
She got her wish.
Zapicchi, of Upper Freehold, finished her senior year at AHS with a 4.1 grade-point average (GPA) and a 1030 on the SATs. She plans to major in marketing and finance.
Monmouth University accepted Zapicchi into its fall freshman class. She will receive a $12,000 merit scholarship to help offset the $28,000 annual tuition. How to pay for the rest of the $16,000 in tuition bills required each year is still somewhat up in the air.
Zapicchi said that her parents will help her and that she also plans to take out some loans.
She has an older brother, Mario, who attends Philadelphia University. Right now, Zapicchi is looking for a summer job, which may help her put away some money for school.
Zapicchi missed most of her junior year of high school due to surgery for severe scoliosis. At the time of the surgery, her lungs were functioning at only half their capacity, and her doctors were concerned about the effects her scoliosis could have on her vital organs. She was not able to attend a full day of school until the first day of senior year, but she still managed to maintain her high GPA while recuperating.
Although she still has some pain, Zapicchi considers herself to be doing just fine. Now that she is well on the way to recovery, she said, one of her goals is to eventually start a foundation for scoliotic children who cannot afford surgery. According to Zapicchi, that is one of the reasons she has decided to major in marketing and finance.
“I want to give back,” she said.
Zapicchi feels AHS has prepared her well for college.
“The teachers are amazing,” she said. “I feel really confident.
“Going into ninth grade and coming out in 12th, I feel I did a 360,” she said. “I feel really prepared academically.”