Orange Coast College honors student Abner Molina has been accepted into the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Abner is among nearly two dozen transfer students admitted to MIT this year, where the transfer acceptance rate is exceptionally low, generally hovering around 1-3%.
A lifelong dream of attending MIT led Abner to enroll at OCC after his initial application to the institution during high school was unsuccessful. He chose OCC specifically for its recognized engineering program and has thrived within its academic community. During his first semester in Fall 2022, Abner enrolled in the Honors Program, which he credits with significantly contributing to his academic success.
“Participating in the Honors Program was incredibly beneficial for me,” says Abner. “I initially thought it would simply mean more homework, but in reality, the classes explored the course material in much greater depth. For instance, in my calculus math classes, we not only learned about limits but also how to prove what a limit is.”
Abner’s journey has not been without challenges. In his second year at OCC, he experienced severe chest pain and was hospitalized where tests revealed a tumor the size of his heart. After a biopsy confirmed the tumor was cancerous, Abner faced the daunting prospect of chemotherapy treatment with a 50% chance of survival. Despite his health struggles, MIT remained a constant source of inspiration for him, and he dedicated his time during recovery to prepare for the SAT.
Fortune smiled upon Abner as he responded positively to chemotherapy and was able to have the tumor successfully removed. He returned to OCC in 2024 to continue his education, where he was actively involved in research opportunities thanks to his supportive professors.
“The professors here are very open to networking and providing opportunities,” explains Abner. “Both Dr. Esposito and Dr. Guerra were excellent mentors who encouraged me to pursue research.”
Throughout his time at OCC, Abner took advantage of every opportunity afforded to him by participating in the Giles T. Brown Student Project and Research Symposium and Pirate’s Plank, where he pitched a business solution called Talyko to assist his mother’s business with invoicing.
As he prepares to graduate this semester, Abner has secured permanent memberships in the newly established computer science honor society, Iota Xi, as well as Phi Theta Kappa. At MIT, Abner will be focusing on Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and continue to pursue his entrepreneurship ambitions.
“I still want to continue down the path of creating tools for businesses,” says Abner. “I became passionate about it during my time building Talyko. I really like the entrepreneurship route.”