I chose Gateway to College because I was very interested in taking college courses to obtain a High School Diploma. Gateway to College provides a mature, easygoing environment with lots of resources available, and everybody wants to see you succeed. If someone had asked me a year ago what my future plans were, I would have told them I would be happy with a job at McDonald's. [Now] my future plans are to complete my High School Diploma, get a two-year Associates Degree, and transfer to the University of Portland to get a Bachelor's Degree in Teaching.

The high school environment I was in [before] really didn't fit my needs...if you got behind there weren't really too many resources available to get me back on track to where I wanted to be. I realized after talking to my mom that no one in my family has yet gotten a diploma of any sort from a college. I wanted to be the first to do that, and bring myself to that next level and actually achieve something that is worthwhile.

My Resource Specialist helps me succeed by making sure my classes are scheduled and ready to go, he gives me the guidance I need whenever I'm struggling in a class, and he gives me that extra support in order to pass any obstacle I come to while in college. That in itself is priceless.

One of the best things about being in Gateway to College is knowing that I'm having a jump into my education beyond high school. I know that when I do get my High School Diploma, I will have already accomplished some of the things that someone my age has yet to accomplish.

My Resource Specialist gives that support we need to be young adults, yet he emphasizes the fact that we are adults and gives us that motivation and independance.

I left high school because it just wasn't the right environment for me, there was too much drama, and it just didn't seem like I fit in very well.

I finished my GED and there was no real option, or way, or means of being able to pay for college.

Gateway to College is different because there are a lot of different people who pay attention to your individual needs. Everyone is into your success, into you, and ensuring that you accomplish what you really want to do in life.

I couldn't stand high school. My GPA was under 1.0. It just didn't work for me. Now I'm getting ready to transfer to the University of Oregon to study philosophy.

In regular high school, I got in with the wrong people. Gateway to College saved my life.