Senior Spotlight: Taylor Burrows — from Highland High to Johns Hopkins

For the first time in her life, Taylor Burrows is leaving California — and she’s going big. The recent Highland High School graduate is headed across the country this fall to begin her college journey at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. There, she’ll pursue a pre-med track, continuing a path she’s been building since freshman year, guided by a love of science, a passion for helping others, and the relentless work ethic that has defined her high school experience.

At Highland, Taylor was more than a standout student — she was a leader, a teammate, and a role model. She spent four years in the school’s biomed program, where an early interest in medicine quickly evolved into a long-term goal.

“I loved it. It was really fun, and it really kept me on the track of wanting to go into the medical field,” Taylor shared. 

Taylor excelled in her high school academics, taking 13 AP courses, including Chemistry, Biology, and Calculus while balancing her challenging schedule with a long list of extracurricular activities. She was on Highland’s cheer team for all four years, serving as captain her senior year, and also played softball. She was also an active member of the National Honors Society, the Red Cross Club, and ASB, where she served as treasurer. As a Houchin Blood Bank Ambassador, Taylor not only helped organize blood drives on campus but donated blood herself three times.

“I gave presentations to classes to try to get people to sign up,” Taylor explained. “They walked us through the process of drawing blood. That was really fun.” 

Taylor’s academic ambition and commitment to service led her to the QuestBridge Match Scholarship, a full-ride program that connects high-achieving, low-income students with top-tier universities. 

The application process was intense, involving filling out the QuestBridge application, answering essay questions, and then completing each of the individual applications and all related materials for all the top 11 schools Taylor listed. Her parents, Stacey and Matthew Brown, can attest to the sleepless nights and endless work Taylor put in to make her dreams come true.

“She worked really hard. With little motivation from our end, she stuck to it, did what she was supposed to, and put in the work herself. We’re very proud,” Matthew said.

Her mother agrees, saying Taylor is a force to be reckoned with. 

“She did all the legwork for that; everything’s credited to her,” Stacey said. “This kid has put forth so much effort.”

When she received the email confirming her match with Johns Hopkins, it was a moment of realization: her dream of attending a top university on the East Coast was finally coming true. She had also applied to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), her first choice, and got accepted into UC Davis and UC Irvine. After matching with Hopkins, Taylor felt it was meant to be.

“I think I was redirected into a place that I belong more, and I’m really excited,” she said. “Once you match to a school, it’s binding. I withdrew all other applications.”

For Taylor, the scholarship means more than just gaining admission to a top school — it means the freedom to pursue her education without worrying about how to pay for her classes as well as her living expenses.

“The only thing I have to worry about is moving across the country. That’s really the big thing. Once I get there, I know that I’m secure, and I have resources that are there to help me out,” Taylor said.

Matthew says the QuestBridge program’s emphasis on education gave him peace of mind, allowing him to send his daughter across the nation to the East Coast, knowing she would be okay.

“Questbridge expressed in all their correspondence that they want your focus to be your education. Not ‘Where am I going to get my next meal?’ or ‘How am I going to pay for room and board?’  It’s a cool program,” he explained. “It’s what she wanted. She’s always wanted to go.”

Her mother agrees, saying Taylor gets a top-quality education at zero cost, and she gets to do what she wants, how she wants. Fighting back tears, she says she couldn’t be prouder.

“We have known she has wanted to do this since she was little. This has been her dream,” Stacey said. “That’s all you should ask for as a parent is to see your kids reach their dreams.” 

Despite her accomplishments, Taylor remains humble and grounded. As the oldest of three siblings, she’s careful not to let her path define theirs. 

“I don’t ever want my accomplishments to be a bar for them to feel like they need to reach,” Taylor emphasized. “I want them to do what they want to do, not try to match me.”

Though she’s undecided between nursing and medical school, Taylor is looking forward to trying new things and seeing what’s out there for her. It will be a family adventure to move Taylor to the East Coast this August.

“I’m looking forward to traveling; it’s really far away, so I’m excited to experience a completely different environment than what I’m used to,” Taylor said. “The classes are small, but they’re difficult, and I’m excited for the challenge.”