High School Failure to UC Berkeley Graduate
Note: I originally wrote this article after my graduation in 2019. I stand by everything I wrote but adding a bit of transparency, I failed high school graduated from adult school went to community college for free, and then graduated from UC Berkeley as a first-generation low-income student. My case is subjective, it does not represent the entire population but California's public education system offered me something many people in the U.S. don't get. I’m resurfacing this article to remind people of the power of our public education system as a catalyst for social mobility and 2nd chances.
My name is Alex Ferguson, I flunked out of high school and then graduated as a George A. Miller scholar at the University of California Berkeley. Here’s my story and five things I learned along the way.
When I first finished high school I built my dreams on the shoulder of a giant. I thought I wanted to be a pilot like my grandfather. So I moved from Portland, Oregon to Southern California and started flight school.
When you embark on a big goal or journey do your research
In terms of flight school, I had no idea what I was in for. It was two year process that cost a ton of money. I was looking at 50,000 dollars of debt, which I couldn’t even get approved for because my family was low-income. It’s extremely important to think about the feasibility of your dreams. Make sure it’s even possible before committing to such a big adjustment. I was able to fly for a-little over a year until I ran out of money and ended up working two jobs to fly only a few hours a week.
2. Find true passions through exploration
After figuring out that I couldn’t manage flight school I didn’t have many options so I started to try new things. I went to community college and started up a bunch of clubs. I created a non-profit that did consulting for social impact in their communities, worked at the Ritz Carlton, created a palm tree trimming company, studied finance relentlessly with some new friends in an economics club, and started surfing at dawn almost every morning.
3. Mentors are a key
One aspect that profoundly transformed my life and significantly enhanced my critical thinking skills was the influence of mentors. I began to ask people about their careers and life journeys shortly after meeting them, showing deep personal interest and curiosity about their paths to success. This approach led me to find three mentors who played a pivotal role in shaping me into the man I am today. They encouraged me to stay committed to my goals and to challenge myself. I believe nobody is truly self-made; help is always given somewhere along the way.
4. Trust the process
There will always be doubt. Throughout my journey there was always fear that I would not make it. From working at Big 5 to sleeping in my car at times, I really questioned if this whole college thing was the right path. I could’ve easily spent my time elsewhere, yet I constantly trusted the process, I stayed the path and now I’m graduating from one of the best universities in the world.
5. Have fun and meet as many friends along the way
Easier said than done but through the journey it’s easy to get lost in the chaos. Many nights I would stay in the library till 3 in the morning and wake up 8 AM, yet I had a blast doing it! I had so many amazing friends along the way. I was constantly surrounded by greatness. Things really changed when I stared hanging out with people who shared similar visions of success. At times it’s a bit corny to talk about success and dreams, but in reality, we were young and we just wanted to make something of our lives.
All in all, it wasn’t an easy journey. I’m older than my peers by two years. At times I slept in my car due to lack of funds, had sleepless study nights, and worked several jobs at once I was constantly challenged by a system that doesn’t help people succeed from low-income backgrounds. I truly endured many trials and tribulations.
I thank everyone who helped me along the way and super thankful for where I am today. Currently, I’m interning as a business management consultant at Consumer Financial in Emeryville, California. I plan on finishing my internship and applying to full-time business roles soon.
