Identical twin brothers from Tauranga have convinced a selection panel they are worthy of attending the same university that produced five American presidents, 19 American supreme court judges and several foreign heads of state. Year 13 Tauranga Boys' College leavers Peter and Matthew Brigwater have been accepted into Yale University inNew Haven, Connecticut. The news has been met with jubilation by the boys who, like others they have shared their news with, are "kinda amazed". The twins are two of three New Zealand teenagers accepted into the university for 2010. Worldwide, Yale received 5200 applications and only selected 730 applicants. The Bridgwater twins caught Yale's interest not only for their outstanding academic prowess but their talent in sport. The pair are rowers and along with Boys' College students Adam Ling and Toby Earp Cunliffe-Steel, last year won gold in the lightweight coxed four at the secondary school nationals. They also won the Great Race Secondary Schools River Race with Adam and Toby. When looking for a university the boys' focus was on sport. They went to an online recruitment site and inquired at Yale, Princeton and Harvard. They had the most positive response from Yale, a private research university and the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Before they applied, they sat SAT tests, which are scaled between 200 and 800. Matthew impressively scored 800 in chemistry and 800 in physics. Peter scored 800 in physics and 790 in chemistry. Both boys plan to study economics and finance, and as part of their acceptance into Yale have agreed to row for the university for the duration of their study. Their reason for searching for an overseas university to attend was their love for rowing, the twins said. "Lightweight rowing in New Zealand is just developing so it's hard to get the opportunities. In America, there is a whole lightweight league and a lot more opportunities, and opportunities to gauge where you're at," Peter said. After their four years studying in the States, the boys plan to come back to New Zealand and try out for a national team. In the meantime, they are working fulltime to help pay for their costs to study in the US. Their first semester will begin in September next year. It would normally cost the Bridgwater brothers more than US$50,000 ($70,000) to study at Yale but they have obtained financial aid which will help lower those costs. Having never been further abroad than Australia, the twins said it would be "a bit of an adventure".