Tuition for College

Hi, I'm Mariel!

I'm 17 years old, and I just moved to the US from Canada less than a year ago with my mom. A few weeks into my senior year in high school, we moved to California. Fortunately, I completed all my the requirements for graduation by the time I was in 11th grade, so I was able to graduate before moving. Since I didn't have to go to school for another year, I tried looking for a job everywhere. I was 16 when I graduated in October, so it was very hard for me to find a job. Even when I turned 17 in December, my age was a major disadvantage to me in terms of finding a job.  

I didn't qualify for any scholarships either because almost all of them were for California residents. California has a law that only those who have been in the state for a year will be recognized as California residents even if you're already considered a US immigrant. I moved here in November last year, so I would only become a California resident in November this year. This also means that I have to pay international fees for my first semester in college.

What am I raising funds for?

I'm raising funds for the whole time I'm in college. I will be in a community college for 2 years before transferring to a 4-year institution. I currently go to American River College and I plan to transfer to UC Berkeley for my degree in Business Administration. A semester costs around $3,000 at my community college. This includes tuition, books, and public transportation.

After 2 years, I plan to transfer to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business to obtain my undergraduate degree. A semester at Berkeley costs around $6,000 including tuition and other miscellaneous fees. However, I live in Sacramento, and Berkeley is too far for me to travel to and from everyday. I will be renting an apartment or living on-campus at a dorm, which could cost me more. I am also considering leasing/buying a car so that I would have a more accessible and easier means of transporation. 

Thank you so much.

Thank you for reading this. Whether you donate or not, it already makes me very happy that I was able to share my goals with someone else. I want to break free from the limits that have been set up for me because I know I can do more. And I know that both American River College and UC Berkeley will allow me to do that. If you do decide to help me on my journey, I promise that I won't let you down. God Bless you all.