Being one of the few members of my family to attend higher education, there was more than a few things I didn’t know about College. After graduating Community College (Santa Fe in Gainesville) with a 3.8 grade point average, I submitted applications to both the University of Florida and the University of South Florida. Santa Fe was basically a gateway into UF; and I grew up in Gainesville so I felt destined to become a Gator. However, when the letter from UF arrived, I was shocked to see I had been denied. Why?
Because I did not meet the second language requirements. I had never been told that I needed a specific amount of credit hours in a second language; and I kept in close contact with my advisors in Community College. Most students learn about college prerequisites in high school; however, I dropped out of high school years earlier and had been working full time before I obtained my GED and attended Santa Fe. The combination of not having recent high school experience and a lack of family knowledge kept me out of UF.
Perhaps it was meant to be, because I was granted Provisional acceptance to the University of South Florida and was finally able to move out on my own; away from familiar territory. A few short years later, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Although I am very happy with my time at USF, I still think about how different my life would be had I stayed in Gainesville.
My message to you is this: Be sure that you meet all of the requirements for the school you plan on attending. Larger schools receive such a huge number of applicants that they are nearly forced to only admit the people meeting every prerequisite. If you don’t get admitted to the school of your dreams, stay positive and keep searching. You may just end up in a better place at a different school. Life is full of surprises; embrace the journey and live it to the fullest.