Not Everything Goes as Planned by Kayla

Not Everything Goes as Planned by Kayla - July 2023 Scholarship Essay

Graduation is a big milestone for everyone as they look back on their educational journey and reminisce. On April 28 of this year, I graduated from community college. While it may seem simple, getting to that point has been anything but smooth/easy. This is because I was originally scheduled to attend a 4-year university in the fall of 2018. However, things didn’t go exactly as planned.
In 2018, I was getting pumped to graduate from high school and attend my dream 4-year university. Everything was looking up for me despite my low-income status. I received financial aid from the federal government in the form of Pell Grants, aid from the state through their Tuition Incentive Program (TIP), and aid from the city through the Saginaw Community Foundation Scholarship. On top of that, I was going to receive aid from the university because of my academics and my financial need. On June 7, 2018, I graduated from high school ranked 3rd in my class with a 3.8 GPA. The next stop for me was Saginaw Valley State University.
However, when I arrived at SVSU to register for fall classes, I received unimaginable news. The financial aid office gave me my award letter in person and it only listed a one-time $500 scholarship as my financial aid package. I asked them what happened to my TIP aid, SCF Scholarship, and Pell Grants, but they couldn’t give me an answer. I was emotionally distraught because I had everything planned out. I knew I couldn’t take out loans because I didn’t have a job and the only income I receive comes from Social Security. It would be impossible for me to pay off my student loan debt. Thus, instead of registering for classes, I left feeling hopeless and confused about how I wasn’t able to attend college with my friends.
However, it wasn’t entirely SVSU’s fault. Before my graduation, I was struggling to choose whether to attend community college or SVSU which is a 4-year university. I received advice from multiple people ranging including my parents, my high school counselor, and the admissions faculty at both post-secondary schools. When it was time for me to make my decision, I committed to SVSU.
3 years after my high school graduation, I boldly decided to go back to school. I went to apply to the community college that I had my heart set on back in 2018. I was instantly accepted and when they sent me my financial aid package a few weeks afterward, I breathed a sigh of relief and happiness. TIP and Pell Grants covered all the costs at community college, and while I was happy enough that they paid for my first 2 semesters, they paid all my costs for my final 2 semesters as well. All 4 semesters at community college were completely paid for by state and federal financial aid programs.
Looking back at my educational journey, while it didn’t go the way I pictured it, it did make me a better person. It has taught me to be prepared for anything and to have backup plans just in case. It also taught me that it’s okay if something doesn’t go as planned because there will be better opportunities/second chances. This will be extremely valuable as my educational journey continues at the University of Michigan this fall. I know there will be times when I fail either academically, professionally, financially, or socially but it’s okay. Failures are always a part of a successful life and how I deal with those failures is crucial for success.