Waiting at the Door

Seven years ago, I dreamt something; to receive my education from one of the top-notch institutions in the world. I did not have the academic and financial means to attain that goal, but sometimes pulling yourself to the level of daring can serve as a first step to climb to the level of earning. Thus, my journey began. Nearly every year, I applied and reapplied to different institutions at first as an under-qualified then a qualified applicant. These repetitive trials gave me full competency in English, my current seat in my undergraduate institution, and a full tution scholarship. However, I could not achieve my final goal. Over the course of past seven years, I received acceptances and even scholarships from amazing institutions in the U.S., the U.K., and Europe. However, I could not attend any of these institutions due to my financial situation. This year, I am applying for my master's and I have hope. I am applying to two external full ride scholarships offered by the Turkish government and a Turkish NGO, and I hope that I could make it to the final round. However, the cost of applying to universities is incredibly high, especially considering the current dollar-lira rate. I am applying to 18 institutions each of whom charge a $80-$100 application fee. I have a worsening eye condition which causes me to haste to gain the professional skills I need in order to succeed in my desired field without the help of my eyes, and I feel like I am running out of time. Each time I reach the doors to find them closed. I need your help to open them.