Student Chinwe Idika transferred from Foothill College. She is a first-generation student and is currently majoring in Psychology.
She is currently in the process of writing a novel and wants to interview transfer students about their college experiences!!
Listen to her story:
"I fell in love with UCLA my senior year of high school, but the circumstances of my life at the time made applying here virtually impossible. As a first-generation college student and the daughter of immigrants, I had to navigate the criminally complicated higher education system with little to no guidance because there simply weren't many people close to me who could give me adequate advice. I was lucky enough to go to a CC that truly showed that they wanted me to succeed, and because of that I was afforded a second chance in life by being admitted into UCLA. I made a promise to myself to do better and be better--not just for myself, but to get my family out of poverty and make a long-lasting impact in communities I care about. During this past year, I have grown substantially as a person. I came in worried about whether I would be able to forge long-lasting friendships, create non-superficial professional networks, and obtain hands-on research experience. I'm really fortunate to say that, after having been here for a year, I'm well on my way to accomplishing all of these goals. Getting into UCLA, my dream school, was probably the biggest accomplishment of my life, and I often like to sit and imagine what my 17-year-old self would have thought if she saw where she'd be four years later. Given what I went through to get here, I think she'd be really proud."
Thank you Chinwe for sharing your story!!
