Even though he didn't go to college right away, Jonathan was driven by two things: the promise he'd made to his grandmother to further his education and the desire to prove something to others. "I just wanted to succeed... My biggest fear was failing, so I've done everything in my power to not fail."

Jonathan's first passion was to be a pilot, but he quickly realized that career didn't fit in with his other goals. "I've talked to some of the pilots and they're not home much. And I feel like in the future I want to be a family man. So air traffic control was still in the airline category and that's something I would love to do."

Jonathan found a nearby technical college that offered a major in air traffic control. He made sure it was part of a program run by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) so that he'd qualify for a job when the time came. He also wanted to stay close to home for emotional support in case he needed it, so for him it was the perfect fit.

Jonathan wasn't embarrassed to ask about financial aid. "I went in with confidence. I needed help, but knew once I received help I was going to take college seriously. That's how I looked at it." He took the time to learn the process and evaluate all the forms of aid. He approached the financial aid office at his college for guidance. They gave him information on grants and he went online and applied.