Cesar set a goal: Graduate high school and go to college. He enrolled in an alternative high school that better suited his learning style. He liked that his new school gave students more individual responsibility and personal freedom. “You could take a class for two hours or the whole day if you wanted to. That helped me get back on track.”

Cesar graduated, but still faced two major obstacles. He had never taken a college admission test, and he wasn’t sure how to pay for college without getting into debt. To solve the problem, he decided to attend a local community college where tuition was lower and an admission test was not required.

He applied for financial aid and scholarships, but had to pay for the first two semesters on his own. Eventually, he won an academic scholarship and “I’ve had a scholarship ever since,” he says. “It covers all of my tuition.” There’s even money for books.