The oldest Obama daughter has recently decided on her future school. Malia Obama will be attending Harvard University after taking a gap year.

A year off between high school and college has become an increasingly popular option for US students. The White House confirms that the high school senior will enter Harvard University in 2017.

President Barack Obama said, “Both of my daughters are wonderful people. Malia’s more than ready to leave, but I’m not ready for her to leave. She’s one of my best friends. It’s going to be hard for me not to have her around all the time, but she’s ready to go. She’s just a really smart, capable person and she’s ready to make her own way.”

The elder of the Obama’s daughters is a senior at Sidwell Friends, an exclusive private school in the District of Columbia. Her sister, Sasha Obama, is a freshman that also attends Sidwell. This school also helped educate another first daughter in the 1990s, Chelsea Clinton.

Obama is set to graduate in June and turns 18 in July. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama both waited to announce their child’s academic future on Sunday.

Obama told Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on her talk show, “I’m going to be sitting there with dark glasses, sobbing,”

Harvard, the school where both parents received law degrees, encourages students to defer one year to travel, pursue a special project or activity, work, or spend time in other ways.

Executive director of the Portland, Oregon-based American Gap Association Ethan Knight said, “Students go to college more satisfied and engaged and universities often see these students become leaders on campus.”