Last fall, Seventeen Magazine asked readers to submit essays about how they were overcoming obstacles to secure a spot at their dream schools. The two lucky winners, Gemma Busoni and Zaniya Lewis, were invited to the White House to meet with Michelle Obama. They also scored a spot on the cover of the May issue of Seventeen alongside the First Lady.

Throughout her time as First Lady, Michelle Obama has always been outspoken about the importance of educating girls, in particular. She also offers some important advice for young women seeking a college education.

“The one thing I’ve been telling my daughters is that I don’t want them to choose a name,” she says. “I don’t want them to think, ‘Oh I should go to these top schools.’ We live in a country where there are thousands of amazing universities. So, the question is: What’s going to work for you?”

The issue hits newsstands on April 19.