US President Barack Obama’s daughter Malia will take a year off after graduating high school in June before enrolling at Harvard University in 2017, a year later than had been widely expected, the Pre
US President Barack Obama’s daughter Malia will take a year off after graduating high school in June before enrolling at Harvard University in 2017, a year later than had been widely expected, the President and his wife said in a long-awaited announcement on Sunday.
Harvard encourages admitted students to defer for one year to travel, pursue a special project or activity, work or spend time in another meaningful way. The student must not enroll in a programme at another college that would grant the student a degree.
Malia, who turns 18 in July, is the elder of the Obamas’ two daughters. She is a senior at the exclusive Sidwell Friends school in the District of Columbia, which claims another first daughter, Chelsea Clinton, among its alumni.
Malia is set to graduate high school in June. Her sister, Sasha, 14, is a freshman at Sidwell.
Her decision to take a gap year could keep her closer to home as her family prepares for the major transition coming in 2017: leaving the White House and returning to private life. Mr Obama plans to live in Washington for a few more years so Sasha can finish high school. The President and his wife, Michelle, still own a home in Chicago.
The First Lady had said Malia wants to be a filmmaker. She has interned on the set of HBO’s Girls and on a now-cancelled network TV sci-fi drama that starred Halle Berry.
The President turned down an invitation to speak at Malia’s Sidwell graduation, saying he would be too emotional.
