If I had $1,000 right now, I would buy a $120 book that I need for my summer class, fill up my gas tank, and put the rest into my savings account so that I have a rainy day fund in case I am ever short on my rent or need any type of emergency money. I currently work as an apprentice at a local college, and my paycheck for the month is right around $1,000. My rent is $800 a month, and I, luckily, have been able to make it work with the help of food stamps and extreme budgeting. I used to make more money at my last job, but my current job as an IT help desk apprentice is exactly what I have been looking for to get my foot in the door for my dream career. I hope to get a promotion soon so that I can find some financial relief, but with attending school full-time, I am not sure if my employer would be likely to give me a full-time promotion. I would definitely work full-time and study full-time if I were given the chance, even if it were difficult, because I know that it would be worth it in the long run. Thank you.

I do feel that my California K-12 experience adequately prepared me for college in many ways, but it fell short in math, especially in high school. I took Algebra, Algebra II, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus in high school, and received mostly A’s, so I went into college thinking I would do good in math. After high school, I got accepted into UC Riverside and I decided to pursue a B.S. in Bioengineering. I had to take a math placement test, and I was informed that I had placed into the lowest math course possible. This course was a remedial college algebra course that offered no college credits due to it technically being a workshop. I felt that there had been some mistake because I had studied and tried my best. I decided to take the placement test again, and while I scored better this second time, I still placed into this college algebra workshop. I was devastated. Not only did I feel as if I had been let down by my previous math teachers, I also knew the implications this would bring about. Placing into the lowest level math course at UC Riverside meant that I would start my Bioengineering journey significantly behind where I was expected to start. I could not register for Physics, Biology, or Chemistry, all classes that I should have started that first college term to be on track to graduate in four years. I slowly worked my way through the college algebra workshop, then to pre-calculus, and after that I took calculus during the summer. In these classes, I found myself sitting near some of my former high school peers who also decided to attend UC Riverside. The fact that I was not the only student from my high school who was behind in math made me feel some sort of relief, yet also disappointment. I was disappointed in the quality of my math classes in high school. I eventually came to understand that it would take too long for me to graduate and I would extenuate my federal and state grants before receiving my bachelor’s degree. This led me to take courses at my local community college, Riverside City College (RCC), in order to save money. In the time that I have been enrolled at RCC, I have discovered a passion for Information Technology. After learning that UC Riverside only offers a B.S. in Information Systems and not in Information Technology, I have decided that I will work toward transferring from RCC to CSU San Bernardino and pursue a B.S. in Information Systems and Technology there. At this rate, I hope to transfer next year. Being a low-income, first-generation college student, I rely heavily on grants, scholarships, and financial aid in order to attend college. With the help of scholarships like this, I can continue to do so and pursue my degree. Thank you.