Author: Mansi Gosalia, Editor-in-Chief
My first day at Montgomery College stung, not from the morning chill of the air, but because the wound of rejection was still fresh on my skin. The soul crushing, gut-wrenching feeling of “unfortunately” and “we are unable to” at the forefront of my mind, I took my first steps on the campus that would soon become my home.
The pain of rejection, especially from a dream university is discouraging. It leaves you emotionally raw and questioning your capabilities as a student. But even with this feeling, I knew that if I built my backbone with grit, then I would succeed, it was all a matter of dedication and focus.
My transfer journey started with writing down a list of goals that I had for my first year. Among them was graduating early, being a one year transfer, getting an on-campus job, finding an internship I was passionate about, and working to surround myself with driven individuals. While this all seemed daunting at the time, I optimized the law of attraction and actively sought out experiences where I knew I could network. While terrifying, Montgomery College enabled me to refine my communication skills and gave me the confidence to put myself out there and talk people in my field.
I made strides to connect with my professors and learned that asking for help is the greatest step I could take in advocating for my education. These actions, not matter how small, pushed me towards what I ultimately sought, an acceptance to my dream school.
A year later, I write this with smile on my face, because the dream happened. This year of dedication, focus, and choosing to never settle has fundamentally altered my character as a student. I am now more confident, strong-willed, and an advocate for myself.
For anyone starting their transfer journey, know that there will be bumps in the road. Some days you’ll be so tired and frustrated that all you can do is cry, but there will always be days spent on Panera study sessions and late night sushi runs with good friends that will make up for it. The highs and lows of transferring are a part of the process, and if you actively work to rise, you will achieve. The wounds will heal, and you will thrive.
I had gotten offers from UCLA, and UCSD; however, for convenience (being an Irvine boy) along with pressure from my parents, I decided to go to the University of California, Irvine. My ultimate goal was still to get into UC Berkeley, so I sent another transfer application to try for my d time while I was attending UCI. To continue building a convincing application, I took Summer and Fall courses in 2015, and ensured that my GPA stayed at the highest possible since Fall grades are considered for transfer applicants. In the beginning of my UCI journey, I was a bit lost in terms of what courses to take, and thus I approached my counselor to help me navigate. This was another experience where I was told that I needed to spend 3 years to complete my Electrical Engineering degree at UCI. Most people who transfer anticipate finishing the degree within 2 years; however, I was told that there were too many classes to take which would end up taking 3 years to complete. I have learned to never take ‘NO’ for an answer, and so I made a plan to complete my degree within 2 years. The catch was I needed to take an average of 20+ quarter units. Being a very competitive individual, I loved to take on the challenge. After completing 12 quarter units in Summer 2015 and 21 quarter units in Fall 2015, I had a pivot in my life.
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