I dropped out of high school, picked up a DUI, possession of marijuana, and possession of a firearm in commission of an offense.
Oh my god, it’s affected my life. Housing? Automatic disqualification. Jobs? I’m qualified—but unless I can find employment that doesn’t ask about my record, I’m not even getting interviews.
I’ve been sober for years, and yet you can’t imagine the hoops I had to jump through just to get into school. I met with administration and campus police (and promised to live off-campus). The process was lengthy and intense and terrifying.
Without family support, there’s no way I’d be here today.
I spent a bajillion dollars hiring an admissions consultant. She helped me navigate the whole process.
My grades and test scores were really strong. I got into one school and was waitlisted at the others: Let’s see if any non-felons with the same stats apply.
Judge me for who I am—not who I was. And who I am now—judge me for my entirety. I’m smart, I’m tenacious, I’m honest, I’ve made mistakes and I’m a lot better for them.