Who I Am
I’m Florida-raised, aged out of foster care, and made it to med school without a safety net. I didn’t always know I’d be here—truthfully, I didn’t even decide I wanted to be a physician until junior year of undergrad. This post isn’t about investing or budgeting—it’s a survival map. For foster youth, first-gen students, or anyone else navigating higher ed solo, here’s how to go from 18 to graduate school and make the system work for you.
1. Before 18: Lay the Tracks (Even If It’s Last Minute)
Bright Futures & GPA
Florida’s Bright Futures scholarship is one of the best things you can get your hands on—but you need the right GPA, test scores, and service or work hours.
- FAS: ~3.5 weighted GPA + SAT 1330 or ACT 29 + 100 service/work hours
- FMS: ~3.0 GPA + SAT 1210 or ACT 25 + 75 service/work hours
Real Talk
I didn’t meet with my guidance counselor regularly. I didn’t log my hours until senior year. I took the SAT right before a basketball game with barely any prep—and somehow still made the cutoff. It wasn’t ideal, but it was enough.
So yes, starting early can make your life easier. But if you’re reading this late in the game, you can still pull it off. Get clear on the requirements, knock out your hours fast, and apply with whatever test scores you’ve got. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of done.
Why Early Prep Still Matters
Let’s be honest—when you’re in foster care, school can feel like the last thing on the priority list. Depending on how hectic things are emotionally, survival might be the only thing on your mind. That was me. I wasn’t in a place to focus on the future back then.
But if you are—if you’re in a place now where you can look ahead—get into the best program you can. Search for mentorship programs in your area. Apply to magnet schools. If you know what you want to be, try to get into a school that builds toward it. Don’t be afraid to shoot for the Ivy Leagues or top public schools.
Because the truth is:
- Elite schools open doors.
- Rigorous environments teach you unspoken rules.
- And being the “outsider” early on—as hard as that is—prepares you for when it really matters.
I still feel different from my peers. There are moments where I miss the cues, or feel like there were lessons they learned before college that I had to figure out at 25. But being in rooms I didn’t “fit in” taught me how to hold space, stay grounded, and adapt without losing myself.
Get Help If You Can—But Be Ready to Move Alone
If you’ve got a foster parent or caseworker who’s got your back, lean on them. But if not? Move anyway. I loved the help my foster parent offered when she could—but when she couldn’t, I wasn’t afraid to walk a few miles across the river if that’s what it took to get something done.
2. SAT/ACT: Free Resources, Big Payoff
- Use Khan Academy’s SAT prep—it’s free and customized to your strengths.
- Set a baseline by taking a practice test. Then practice smart: spaced repetition, full-length tests, active recall.
- Target scores:
- Academic: 1330 SAT or 29 ACT
- Medallion: 1210 SAT or 25 ACT
These numbers aren’t impossible. And with free tools and focused prep, they’re within reach—whether you start early or late.
3. Know What You Want? There’s a Shortcut
If you already know what you want to do with your life—lean in.
BS/MD, Early College, and Pipelines
Some students apply out of high school to combined programs like BS/MD or BS/DDS tracks. These let you lock in med school or dental school early. If I had known about these as a teenager, I’d have been all over them.
Other states (and even some districts in Florida) offer early college or dual degree tracks where you graduate high school with an associate degree already done.
Leverage Your Differences
Being from foster care, being first-gen, being the one who made it out—that’s not baggage. It’s proof you’re built for hard things. If you can present your story while showing you can perform at the same level as anyone else, that’s the cheat code. That’s how you purple cow your way into rooms you weren’t expected to be in.
4. 18–22: Undergrad Stack Game
Florida Funding
If you’re in Florida and you’ve aged out of foster care or were adopted after 16, the state offers generous resources—but only if you know to ask.
- Bright Futures – Covers tuition at public colleges and universities
- PESS (Postsecondary Education Support Services) – Waives tuition at public institutions and gives a ~$1,700/month stipend for living expenses
- Chafee ETV – Up to $5,000/year for books, housing, and personal needs
- RTI (Road to Independence) – Often used interchangeably with PESS; key support that helps students live independently while completing school
From the Hospital to the Help Desk
During my OB/GYN rotation, I met a young patient going through a lot—emotionally, physically, and financially. She was aging out of the system, scared about the future, and didn’t know what she qualified for. I had the chance to redirect her to resources like RTI and PESS, and the look on her face when she realized she didn’t have to do everything alone—that her tuition and rent could be covered—was unforgettable.
That moment stuck with me. Because the truth is, not every foster youth is well-oriented to what’s available to them. Even if you’re eligible, these benefits don’t always find you—you have to find them. So be persistent. Ask social workers, deans, advisors, or even strangers in scrubs. A lot of people want to help—you just have to start the conversation.
What To Do If You Fail
Let’s be real—not everything goes perfectly. You might get academically dismissed. You might lose your scholarship. You might just fall apart for a semester.
But that doesn’t mean it’s over.
1. Know the Appeal Process
- Every college has a process to appeal for reinstatement of scholarships, financial aid, or even enrollment.
- You’ll usually need to write a personal statement. Be honest—own what happened, but also explain how you’re learning from it and what changes you’re making.
- If your situation involved foster care, housing insecurity, trauma, mental health, or instability—say that. They can’t support what they don’t understand.
2. You’re Not Lazy—You’re Carrying Too Much
Maybe you’re:
- Dealing with domestic violence in your current housing
- Struggling under bad credit that follows you everywhere
- Trying to survive untreated anxiety, depression, or burnout
- Or like me—working three jobs just to stay afloat
That’s not a failure of character. That’s a failure of the system to support students like us. When you’re trying to do it all—study, work, survive, and heal—something’s going to slip. Don’t mistake that for weakness.
3. Use the Semester as a Mirror
- Ask yourself: Was it the course load? The outside noise? No structure? No one checking in?
- Take stock. Then rebuild. Even if that means part-time enrollment, dropping a class, switching campuses, or going remote.
4. Stay in Motion
- Don’t let shame make decisions for you. Failing doesn’t mean you don’t belong—it means something went wrong, and now you adjust.
- Check if you’re still eligible for ETV, RTI, or school-based aid. Ask your dean about academic probation or second-chance contracts.
- The people who get back up? They’re the ones who make it. Even if it takes longer.
5. Grad School: Plan for the Long Game
- ETV Age Cutoff: Usually ends at 26—so be mindful of timing
- States like North Carolina and Minnesota offer strong support for foster youth through grad school
- Fellowships and Assistantships: These can cover full tuition and even pay you a stipend
- Grad PLUS loans are available—but don’t borrow unless you have a clear ROI path
If you’re applying to a competitive program, use your story as a strength, not a sympathy card. Show that you’ve been through things and still perform. That’s how you gain respect and funding.
6. What Other States Offer
| State | What They Offer |
|---|---|
| Iowa | Tuition + housing + books for undergrads |
| North Carolina | NC Reach covers tuition + living costs + coaching through age 26 |
| Minnesota | State-funded grad programs for foster youth |
| Oregon | Tuition waiver (must complete 30 service hours annually) |
Each state has its own rules—look them up before you relocate or apply out-of-state. Some require you to have aged out of care, others count adoption. Some programs end at 23, others at 26.
7. Quick Hit Tips
- Don’t underestimate what you can still pull off in your senior year
- Apply even if you think you’re not qualified—let them tell you no
- Walk in if you miss a deadline and ask in person
- Look up every benefit your state offers for foster youth
- Ask someone just one step ahead of you what they wish they’d done
Final Thoughts
I didn’t have a master plan at 18. I figured it out the hard way. But it worked. This system wasn’t built for people like us—but you can still use it to your advantage. Whether you start early or pick up momentum late, whether you’ve got support or you’re figuring it out solo—it’s possible.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be strategic, consistent, and ready to move—even if it means walking across a river to turn in your paperwork. Because no one’s coming to save you—but that doesn’t mean you can’t win.
Call to Action
If this helped you, share it with someone else who might need it. If you’re figuring out school but still struggling to stay afloat financially, check out my other post on budgeting and making sure the bills are paid. It might be the second half of the map you didn’t know you needed.