- Being a first generation
college student, definitely
changes your perspective,
of what you are here for.
You are here for an
opportunity, and a privilege
that not everyone can get, and not
everyone can take advantage of.
(bouncy electronic music)
- My name is Cecili Reid.
I graduated from Georgia Tech with
my computer science degree in 2014,
and I'm currently working
as a software developer.
My mom and I were from
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
and I have a step-dad from Jamaica.
We lived in in the Jonesboro, Morrow, area
up until I graduated from college.
My parents, they run an
auto repair shop currently.
My mom is a dealer for used cars,
she also runs the emissions shop.
I lived with my Grandmother,
and happy family of four.
- Well, she's an only child.
I spent most of my life
preparing her for college,
and to be able to compete,
and do things on her own,
so I just made sure that
she had the resources
to do the things that she was going to
have to do in order to get into college.
- I remember doing a field trip
to Georgia Tech at their
nanotechnology lab,
and at that point, my
sophomore year in high school,
I decided I wanted to
apply to Georgia Tech.
The biggest challenge for
me, as a first generation
college student, was not
knowing what I didn't know.
It's definitely hard to ask the
right questions, and
find the right resources,
if you don't know you didn't know.
- What you needed.
- Yeah, what you needed.
Preparing for college, I had
a better idea of what to do
with FSA ID, and registering for classes.
I registered for classes
before they even told me,
so I was ready to prepare
for the first day.
And, then after the first day started,
it was like, "Oh, Crap" I
don't know what's really next.
So, it's those little things that I think
a lot of college students,
kind of, already know,
or already expected, but I
didn't know to expect that.
I didn't know to ask, and
I didn't know how to ask.
- The most rewarding aspect of her
trials, and tribulations
that she has gone through
has placed me in a position to go back.
Next year, I'll be graduating
with my bachelors degree.
So, she inspired me.
- The biggest lesson
learned, is that it's okay
to throw caution into the wind.
I am a type "A" personality,
and, for almost ten years,
I knew I wanted to go to medical school.
That's like, all I prepared for,
and then, there's this
one semester of this field
that I never knew of, and I'm like,
"okay, I either throw away
ten years of planning,
"and then pivot to something
that I currently enjoy,
"or I just stay put, and have a
"pretty good chance of
not enjoy that career."
A plan is just a plan.
That doesn't mean that it
has to happen that way.
It can change.
- If parents have not gone to college,
and they're worried about their
children going to college,
the best advise I can give
them is encouragement.
Be a participant in
your child's education.
Go to the schools, talk to the counselors,
see what resources they have available,
and, of course, do your own research,
because there area always
opportunities, and ways for you
to advance, not just your
children, but yourself as well.
- Any high school student,
that is second guessing
going to college, or
even applying to college,
you are in control of your future.
This is, now, a very pivotal time in
your personal development,
and your career development,
to decide which way you want to go.
It's okay not to go to college,
but take a good hard look on what
you'd be missing out on if you don't.
Even if you don't have those resources,
there are people that will help you.
A lot of colleges, if you
are just franking honest
about, you know, I want
to apply to this school,
but I don't really think I can
afford the application fee,
they will make it happen,
they will work with you.
There's a lot of schools that wave
an application fee for your circumstances.
There's a lot of test programs
that will do the same thing.
So, actually having that conversation,
and being frank about your
circumstances is okay to do.
Because, a lot of the times,
you think you might be pitied,
or you just don't want people
to know that information,
but sharing that little bit of yourself,
you might connect with
someone on a different level,
that will help you get those resources.
- We have always been extremely close,
and we're closer now, mainly because,
I helped her, and guided her through
her college experiences,
and now she's helping me.
(laughter)
When I want to give up, or quit,
she is my biggest cheerleader.
(upbeat music)
