May God bless abundantly the person who is reading this essay. I recently received an acceptance offer from Western Governors University in Utah, despite living in Florida. You may wonder why I applied to study at WGU. Due to the new laws in my state, I am currently ineligible for in-state tuition, since I am not a resident of this state nor this helpful country. I say helpful since back in my country, I probably wouldn't be able to get a degree (AA) at 17 years old. I may sound like I am showing off, but I have to show what the Lord let me receive. Throughout my junior year in high school, I started to get nervous. The only thing that circled my mind was tuition, expenses, college, job, etc. I thought that there was nothing for me to do to receive at least an AA degree. But I learned from various people that I should never doubt what the Lord has planned for me. When it seems that doors have been shut, the Lord opens new ones. I have to admit, I doubted the Lord for some time because I have been serving the Lord at my church in the worship ministry area since I was 13-14 years old. So I would pray and tell him, "Am I going to stop here? How come others that don't serve you or fake serving get to study while I am here at 4:00 AM every day and still not getting a reply?". I have two older sisters who only graduated from High school and one younger sister in middle school. I am the only one born in another country, so you possibly would get my point. However, I should have never doubted what the Lord can do. Some time later, I started to lose motivation. I wasn't fond of the idea of making my dad get into debt for something that I wanted. I couldn't get a job because I don't have a status in this country. I felt like I was worthless and couldn't do anything. I was ready to just get old and get married, and live life halfway. Despite my parents trying to encourage me, it's as if I couldn't get up. Until I was called from my class to go to a counselor whose name I will never forget. Mrs. Walker showed me that there was a way for me to study in college while being a High School student. This program was called Early Admission. Mind you, I have never heard of this program in my life. But when I was told that I could start early during the summer and finish in May without having to pay anything, the only thing that went into my mind was Psalm 24:1 (Salmo 24:1). Currently, I am the first in my family to graduate with a High school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree. The only thing I could say is that if the lord says that there is a way, then there is a way. I found out that the university that I am going to allows me to finish as many classes as I can take within a 6-month period. I currently only need about 28 classes, and I am willing to finish them with the Lord's help. Once I finish this term, I will be the first in my family to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting by the grace of the Lord. This money will take some burden off my father's back and will also show that the Lord isn't done with me yet. With or without this scholarship, I can trust in the Lord, for he is my refuge and my strength. Thank you, and God bless you!

My American dream would be showing my sisters that I can get a degree despite my background. I come from a family with four daughters (no sons whatsoever). However, out of all four, only one was born in their parent's home country, which is me. I come from a small town in Guatemala where I cannot say what the view is like, how expensive it is (or IF it is/was expensive), or how the citizens act there. I came to America when I was two and was carried throughout the journey while my older sisters returned to America on a plane. One had a dangerous journey, while the others had a comfortable journey. Since I was young, my parents have always begged my sisters to help me get some documents, in which they did not help. Even though DACA was active, I was still too young for it. However, once I turned fifteen and my parents were financially stable, DACA stopped receiving new applications. It was devastating for me. However, I noticed that I would get awards my sisters would not gain each year throughout school. My father 'preferred' me according to them. Nevertheless, the only reason he did was because I was the only daughter born in another country, while the others were born in the country that opened its arms to us. My mom always told me that people came here for a change or to try to achieve their dreams from the U.S. to their country. For most people, the American dream is about getting papers, getting rich, etc. However, my American dream will be obtaining a higher degree than what I could not have gotten if I stayed in Guatemala. If God permits, then I will get papers somehow. But education? With inflation these days? It seems very expensive. So far, God has given me enough intelligence to get into the Early Admission program and hopefully receive an A.A. degree in the summer of 2025. That is my American dream. Gaining education degrees with hard work despite my status, receiving an education I would not have gotten in my country, and learning despite the language barrier. That is my American dream. I do not think I would be alive by how corrupt the government is in my country despite them saying that there is no corruption, unlike here in America, where they catch criminals despite how 'strong' they are. This country is where they try to treat every Hispanic, Latino, white, black, etc., equally. In conclusion, my American dream can be the same or different than others. Nevertheless, the American dream is why some immigrants like me come to this country for superior education.