Even when I had to pay, such as for college applications, I was able to talk to the offices of financial aid or my high school guidance counselors and get many fees waived after showing my financial need. If you don't ask, you'll never know if that aid is not there for you—and it most likely is. You never know what's going to happen so don't doubt yourself!
What’s your advice for high school students?
Get involved in things you love. There is so much pressure in high school to be involved in everything and take every class. But that's not what you need for success. If you love history, take advanced history. But that does not mean you need to take advanced math! And if you feel like you don't have the bandwidth to even do those things, perhaps you work or have to help out with family, communicate that to the universities you're applying for. You can write about that to make a case for yourself and demonstrate how the experiences you've had have influenced your story and helped you grow. Be hopeful. So many opportunities exist, but the hardest thing is often just knowing about them. Please know that there are people out there who want to help you, like Cecilia or your teachers. I know about these things because my mom cares a lot about education and my high school prioritized getting us into those programs, even if I did not always have financial access. I want other people to have this knowledge so that they can have the opportunities that I had.
