Force Factor

Studious_Ambition_ asked:

Unfortunately my family had limited options when we came to the US. As a result, for my high school years we had to settle in the deep south which in my opinion is probably the worst place to live in the US.

Due to the economy and out of state tuition costs rising, I am a high school senior who will be forced to go college in state. Here is how my environment stopped me from being the best I could have been:

1. Most schools are either full of rednecks/hillbillies who hate minorities (especially Asians such as myself) or ghetto kids who basically start fights for no reason. Private schools are expensive and parents would not send me there.
2. I had the opportunity to go to a selective high school and I did but the school I went to was only known for sending kids to regular colleges and not Ivies. The school was not as bad as the other schools but still the opportunities were limited, it did not have a football program or anything and no debate team.
3. The county I live in is poor, the average income is 15k.
4. I had run into a lot of bad influence and a lot of bad people, some who are in jail right now because I had no other choice. Having stubborn Asian parents doesn’t help the cause either.

My dream was to go to Harvard but I didn’t even bother to apply because I was told I wouldn’t make it in. I will be going to college and I don’t even know where to turn to for help, I want to go to Harvard and Yale still but the opportunity just isn’t there for me.

I learned the hard way that environment can be the limiting factor for a person but is it a good excuse for me not being able to go to my favorite college?

I am currently a high school senior going on to college. I have been bullied in the past because of my race and it is my dream to go to Harvard but I don’t know how it can happen now.