College-The American Dream
Posted: Saturday, July 23, 2011
by Jessie I Snyder
TRUE INSPIRATIONS
I was diagnosed with HIV in 1987 when I was 14 years old. I was in the fifth grade and because of my diagnosis I wasn’t allowed to attend a regular school setting. Instead I was forced to be homeschooled through the Metro Schools homebound program. My homebound teacher didn’t teach me the normal subjects that a regular student would be taught. Like I wasn’t taught algebra, but English was drilled into my head like a nail. This was because my homebound teacher was an English Professor before she started teaching on the homebound program. However, I finally graduated high school on June 3, 1993. I was even allowed to walk down the aisle with the Pearl-Cohn Comprehensive High graduating class of 1993. I always knew I wanted to attend college. Then in 1997 I received my first chance to attend college. Despite me not having any knowledge of algebra, I excelled in my English and writing classes and completed my first semester with a 3.2 GPA.
Life took me through a lot of hard knocks after that. I became addicted to crack cocaine, my mother and daughter died I went through two bad marriages and my health declined to the point I almost died myself. But I was determined to return to college. Then in 2007 ten years after I attempted to go to college the first time, I went back to school at National College. I completed my first semester with a 3.1 GPA. Then in my second semester I became real sick and had to drop out again. The devil was setting up roadblocks every step of my way. But I was determined that I was going to finish school and receive my degree.
That’s when I decided to appeal the financial aid committee at the first college that I had attended back in 1997. Then in the summer of 2009 my appeal was granted, however, it was too late to attend the summer semester. So in the fall of 2009 I was able to start attending college at Nashville State Community College. While I was still faced with the challenge of passing algebra, I excelled in all my other classes and maintained a 2.7 to 3.6 GPA. I completed five semesters straight going year-round.
Then in spring of 2011 I decided to go to school full-time and take four classes. But again due to my health I had to drop one of my classes. This resulted in me losing my financial aid once again. However, I was determined to finish my college education and live the American Dream. So on June 3, 2011 my doctor wrote a letter to the financial aid committee and we appealed their decision to drop my financial aid. Then on June 28, 2011 my appeal was granted. Although I wasn’t able to attend college in the summer semester, in the fall I will be able to return to college and receive my degree.
Now I’m looking forward to going back to school in August of 2011. And by the grace of God and a lot of hard work I will graduate in December of 2015. Although it has been a struggle for me to attend college, I hope and pray that I will be able to live the American Dream and complete college. I know my road ahead is not going to be easy, but with determination and perseverance I know that I will complete college and receive my degree and be able to live the American Dream.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)What doesn't kill us... makes us stronger! I wish you all the best.
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