Quota scholarship scheme

Part 1
Chicago, 2016. Flinn Gerald is doing his best to make it in the city. Born in Selma, Alabama, he has spent his entire life trying to escape the ever tightening grasp of his small town. But alas, he made it out and is adapting to life in the big city. With a big fancy corporate job, an endless supply of friends, an apartment with a stunning view of the lake, and great distance from his family, what more could he need? Well, there is a lot more (or less) that he needs, but of course that is a story for later.
On a typical Tuesday night at a bar, the regulars crowd in. Flinn is late, as usual, as he stayed late at work (again), but on his arrival, the cheers and hugs from all the friends make everyone forget of the regular inconvenience. Conversation ensued, starting with all the boring finance jargon, but as the drinks flowed, so did the conversation, moving away from work and more into life. This is what everyone preferred.
“Another round, anyone?” asked Raheem, enthusiastically. After a murmur of concurrence, he stood up to make his way up to the bar. “Flinn, care to lend a hand?”
Raheem Bartlett was Flinn’s college roommate and the first person he met outside of his hometown. The pair hit it off instantly despite having wildly different backgrounds. Even in their freshman year, the engineer and the finance major would get into all sorts of trouble together, but eventually they leveled out. Six years later, they still have each other’s backs just like day one.
The pair made their way up to the bar and waited to get the bartender's attention. “What's up with you, bro?” asked Raheem. “You’ve been seeming a bit off.”
“Oh, ya know. Work, life, everything kinda happens so fast. Work has been busy as of late, and the hours long.”
Seeming displeased by this answer, Raheem stared back in concern.
“Really, I’m fine… just long hours.”
“Back in school you’d pull back to back all-nighters and then still make it to a morning class. I find it hard to believe that the mighty Flinn would be so setback by ‘long hours’.”
Flinn took a moment to ponder, staring down at the bar covered in various stamps and postcards beneath the epoxy surface. “I guess, ya know, it's not all it was cracked up to be. I guess I had expected more.” Flinn had mostly dropped his accent, but occasionally it would still slip out.
Despite coming from a long line of mill workers (mostly paper) and farm hands who never ventured further than the Dallas county line, Flinn yearned to leave his small town and conquer the world from a young age. Coming from the poorest county in Alabama, his family always squashed his dreams, labeling them as impossible. But Flinn knew better. Or, at least he knew he could do better. Graduating top of his class a year early and winning a full-ride scholarship to Northwestern University, he had proved everyone wrong and set his own path. The path he was told was impossible became his reality.
“More what?”
“Nothing, really. I mean, what more is there? This is what I always wanted, right? The stable job in the city, never having to worry about money. It’s great, and I couldn’t be more grateful, but… something is missing. Doing the same thing day after day staring at a screen, moving clients money around. I… just hoped it would be more fulfilling, especially after all it took to get here.”
Before he could finish his thought, the bartender came up to take their order: another round for the table, plus a round of shots, plus two more shots.
“What am I saying, really?” added Flinn. “I shouldn’t be complaining. Look at where I am now compared to six years ago. So much has changed. My home, friends, even my diet. I just feel a bit off. Like I need something more to do..
“I get it, bro. Adjusting to your new life can be rough. Enjoy it for a minute or two.” Raheem slides a shot in front of Flinn. “Here, take this.”
Tuesday had become fairly consistent to this point for this group of misfits: Raheem and his girlfriend Amy; Jack; Jasper, from Flinn’s firm, and his wife Max; and of course, Flinn. For nearly two years, these six have been meeting at O’Malley’s every Tuesday night for drinks and trivia. Some nights are more wild than others, but Tuesday has become the staple of the week among them.
Drinks flowed pretty regularly and heavy over the next few hours as the clock approached the end of day. Still going round for round on alternating tabs, the useless debates began to heat up.
“You can’t seriously think Wicker Park is the best neighborhood outside the Loop. Y’all need to get out more,” said Flinn.
“Bro it’s obviously Wicker Park,” argued Raheem.” Right on the blue line, getting to O’Hare is insanely easy, plus you can’t find better music in the city. Besides, Wicker Park has Davenport’s.”
“No one ever says Wicker Park,” adds Jack. “Have you ever heard someone say Wicker Park before?”
“Dude, but you can obviously get to O’Hare from anywhere in the city,” said Flinn
“Sure, but beats walking through that dumb Block 37 Center transfer like you and your red line. No transfer is the way to go, plus the blue line gets you right to the center of the loop.”
“So does every other L line as long as ya don’t mind walking a few blocks!”
“You’re both wrong,” adds Max. “Neither matters because Midway is better anyways.”
“Woah!” the whole table murmurs, sharing shocked looks as if she just confessed to a crime. Flinn rolled his eyes at this notion.
“Who flies out of Midway?” asks Raheem.
“What? Less people, cheaper flights, and more space. Why wouldn’t I fly out of Midway?” said Max.
“Wait, wait, that aside,” interrupts Raheem, “can we go back to the fact that Jasper thinks Sheffield is the best neighborhood? I feel like we moved past that too quickly.”
The debate rages on for many more minutes, until Flinn, seemingly out of nowhere, had enough.
“Can y’all just shut the fuck up! Why does it even matter?” Everyone’s glance quickly shot over to Flinn as a deafening silence overtook the table. Everyone pondered how to respond, and couldn’t seem to find an answer. This behavior from Flinn was unexpected, nay, unheard of. Flinn was the most level headed amongst them by far. Not even Raheem, his best friend of six years, had ever seen him get angry, let alone over an inconsequential friendly argument. “I…” Not even Flinn knew what to say next. “I’m going to go home. Long day tomorrow.” Already on his feet, he quickly walked away from the table and out the door.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The walk home was fairly brisk, but Flinn had grown fond of the cold. He tucked his hands into his coat pocket and hunched his shoulders forward, only looking down at the pavement ignoring the mostly asleep but still wide awake city surrounding him. His thoughts ran wild and near out of control. Of course, his intoxication did not help with clarity, but the inner dialogue was deafening. Not even he knew what was bothering him, but he was obviously bothered, deeply. He made a fool of himself in a way he never had before, and right now he felt he did not recognize himself. Surely some sleep will help, right?
He slowly made his way down the steps to the platform, carefully watching each step as to not fall, to wait for his train. He posted up against a pillar and stared off onto the dark, empty tracks. What has gotten into me? He did his best to calm his racing, wasted mind searching for some legibility amongst his thoughts.
Once he finally got home, he slumped down on the couch and scarfed down some week-old sushi he found in the fridge. He turned on some old documentary and was asleep before he knew it.
Suddenly, he was woken up by his phone ringing. It usually does not ring this time of night and was less than thrilled to be woken, so he let it keep ringing. It stopped after a couple of seconds, and he glanced down at the screen:
Mama
(2) missed calls
Dad
(1) missed call
Now concerned, he calls his mom back in a hurry. “Hello?”
“Flinn? Your grandfather, he’s dead.”
Part 2
The wet air engulfed Flinn’s face as he stepped out the airport doors into a warm February day. Six years had passed since he smelled the Alabama air. Even after all this time, it still smells just as he had remembered as if not even a day had passed. The drive to Selma was another ninety minutes, and despite having five days to mentally prepare himself for his arrival, it was not nearly enough time. He had not seen or spoken to anyone from his town, not even family, since he left early that August morning all those years ago. He left everything behind to start his new life. The life so many told him to not start, that he needed to stay. He left anyway and never looked back.
That was, until now. He had little choice in this regard. He knew he would have to make his return someday, but he knew not when nor for what. But today was that day. Flinn and his grandfather (Pops) had always been close. If anyone had been supportive of him, it’d have been Pops, but he was a man of little words. Even when he could talk, he hardly chose to. He was a great listener, and not just because he could not speak. He showed he was engaged and listening no matter what Flinn had to say. At times, he felt Pops was the only one who understood him as if he had been just like him before, but no one would ever talk about his past. All Flinn knew is Pops lost his tongue after a failed lynching.
The familiarity of the scenery zipping past was bittersweet. He had not realized how much he missed the rolling hills and thick forests beneath the unforgiving southern sky. He kept his head pressed against the cool glass of the car window even through the constant bumps in the road. He couldn’t look away. So many memories happened here, and the closer he got, the more plentiful the memories became, and the more potent they were, and the more painful they’d become.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the dust settled behind him, he stood on the driveway staring at his childhood home still unsure how to process his emotions. It was all so overwhelming. He was thinking everything at once. He took a deep breath, rolled back his shoulders, and swallowed. He reached for the door handle, hesitating slightly, and took a step in. One foot, and then the next.
“Martin!” Flinn smiled as his old friend and childhood dog rushed towards him without hesitation. He knelt down and embraced him as Martin excitedly rustled through his arms seemingly showing more energy than he had in years.
He walked down the hall and around the corner into the living room. There, both drawn to the large television like moths to a flame, he saw his parents sitting beside one another on the couch watching some daytime program with their backs to him. They seemed to pay no notice to the commotion at the front door nor the loud creaking footsteps he took along the old wooden floors. They knew he was there; they just chose to ignore him. He walked into view to greet them. "Mama, dad." His father smiled slightly but caught himself and refrained.
Mama kept a straight face, but seemed to be fighting tears."Howard, help Flinn with his bags, dear."
“No, it's alright, I know where to take them,” said Flinn. “How are y’all?”
“Service is tomorrow at eleven down at the ole First Baptist Church. Make sure to wear something nice.”
“Alright, mama. I’ll... I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Whole family is coming tonight. Dinner is served at...”
“At seven, I got it, just as always.”
“It’s good to see you, kid.” said his dad. “Let me know if you need anything”
He did not expect things to go like that, not that he knew what to expect. He had hoped time would have been more forgiving. Perhaps leaving unannounced in the middle of the night was not the best plan, but at the time he felt as if he had no other choice. Everyone knew he was leaving. That was no secret and had not been for years before any plan had actually been set into motion. No one knew the date or time, except for Pops, of course, but he’d never tell. Of course he wanted everyone to know. He wanted everyone to be proud of him, but it was too big of a risk and commendations were too much to expect. Besides, Mama always had her schemes, and had she known, she would have found a way to stop him.
Not much had changed since he’d been here last. The old wood paneling still lined nearly all the walls, crack in some spots, replaced in others, but all coated by decades of cigarette soot. On the walls were a combination of family portraits from over the years and cheap artwork found at the flea market. Old green furniture, too many house plants to count, and a tacky themed kitchen, it was all still the same.
His childhood bedroom, however, was much different. Hardly even recognizable, what was once his bedroom was now a storage room filled with endless shelves and boxes. He set his things on the lonely cot in the corner, sat down, and took it all in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not realizing he had drifted off, Flinn awoke and looked at the clock. 6:55. Convenient. He sat up and brushed his hair down with his hand as he suspected it was sticking up in the usual way. He rubbed his eyes and made his way to the dining room. The whole family was there, probably about twenty people or so, all scattered about throughout the kitchen, dining room, and living room engaged in various conversations. His nana, aunt, and Mama were cooking away putting the final touches on the large meal.
“Well if it isn’t this fucker…” said a familiar voice to his left, laughing. Flinn looked over to see his cousin who’s just a year younger than him.
“DeAndre, how are you?”
“Never thought I’d see you again, even since you left. Thought maybe you ‘ood be dead.”
“Nah,” Flinn laughed. “Still very much alive.”
“I can see dat. Wearin’ your fancy suit and all.”
“Yeah I’ve been doing pretty well. Work has been… good. I have a great job at a finance firm in Chicago. Everything has been… Good. Yeah, good. How about you?”
“Now you ain’t goin’ city on us, are you?”
Flinn laughed. “I think I might already be.”
Just as dinner was finishing up, a line started to form and people found a seat wherever they could, be it at the table, on the couch, near the counter, or outside.
“Flinn!” his dad called out. “I saved ya a seat here at the table, kid.”
Flinn took his seat right next to his dad which positioned him right across from Mama. The table could sit eight, and the seats filled in pretty quickly so he was lucky to get one. Besides his sister, all of the oldest family members took the other four chairs.
The dinner itself was mostly uneventful, except for the food of course which was extraordinary. Flinn had not eaten Mama’s cooking, or anything like it in six years. The southern food in Chicago was alright, but nothing like what you can get down here, and no restaurant is going to have the same quality and taste as a home-cooked meal. By God, he had not realized how much he needed this. It was almost healing, like a part of his soul had been lost and he found it once again. The last week had been incredibly overwhelming, and last Saturday he never foresaw being here now, but he was glad he was, regardless of the looming tension. All the stress from work and life back home in Chicago was now all gone. All he had to worry about was… oh yeah, the family drama. The dreaded interactions, what he had suppressed for so long, that had kept him up at night for years. All those long nights doing homework or anything else beside sleeping. They had not been by choice but rather necessity. He would have slept more if he could, and some of those nights he really needed to, but instead was kept motivated by the pain. The pain of knowing no matter what he did, no matter how successful in life he became, he would never be good enough for his family, good enough for Mama, because he left them.
If there ever was a time to clear his conscience and get everything out of the way, it would be today, or at least over the next couple of days. When else would he have the chance? Not that any of this had been planned, and his therapist would probably advise against it. She did not even know he was here. What would she have to say? Avoiding conflict has always been his choice. He has always been quiet, never been at the center of drama, but some things need to be said. Just, maybe not by him. If he waited long enough, perhaps they would come up on their own. So he decided to wait, but he knew time was limited and he could not wait forever.
“Mama, could you pass the butter?”
Mama just stared back at him. “Get ya own damn buttah, since ya can do everything else on ya own.”
Flinn stands up and reaches for the butter. “I can do everything myself, and I have. I hope you’re proud, Mama.”
“Proud? What do I have to be proud of?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe my job, my degree, everything I have been able to do to build a good life for myself.”
“I don hear anything worthy of praise.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Mama.”
“Oh, so now you’re sorry? You could’ve fooled me. Is that how you felt when you left? Unbelievable.”
“I left because I had no other choice.”
“Oh don go lyin’ to me now. You did have a choice. You had a choice and you chose to leave us. You didn’t say goodbye, and you were just gone in the mornin’.”
“If I had not just left, you would’ve stopped me.”
“Cause you ain’t got no reason to go nowhere.”
“I had plenty of reasons to want to leave, and not because of you. I’ve always had dreams, Mama, ya know that. I’ve always been bigger than just this town.”
“Oh, so now you’re too good for us, city boy? Huh? I don wanna hear no more of it.”
“It wasn’t about that, Mama. Look at all I’ve been able to do.”
“I ain’t see nothin’. You never call and you never visit. How am I supposed to know what you been doin’?”
“I thought you didn’t want me coming around any more?”
“Well, you’ve got that right. Glad to see you still have some brains left.”
“Well excuse me. Maybe it's best if I leave again. Sorry I ain’t make you proud, Mama.” Flinn got up and left the table.
Part 3
Just as the early light began to peak through the blinds, Flinn was woken up by a firm knock at his door. “Flinn, may I come in? It's Uncle Terrence.”
Flinn sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Yep, come in.”
“How are you this morning, kid? Ya know, she’ll never admit it, but ya Mama missed ya.”
“I find it hard to believe.” Deep down Flinn knew it was true, but she was hard as a rock, and arrogant. She would always find a way to be right, even when she knew she was wrong, and she would never let you know she knew she was wrong.
“Well, we’re all proud of you, kid.” Flinn hated when Terrence and everyone called him kid. “Just wish yoo’d come around and see us every once in a while. I know ya busy with all the big city stuff and all.”
“I thought no one wanted anything to do with me any more?”
“At first, maybe, but I miss ya, kid. Ya know who missed ya most of all?”
“Pops?”
“Yes, of course. He always wanted to know about ya, every time I’d come round. He couldn’t call, but always wanted me to.”
“I should have called.”
“I think everyone wanted to call, but as time went on, it became harder and harder to push that button. It was already so hard at first, and only got harder.”
“I thought about everyone a lot, especially at first. Leaving was really hard, and I almost didn’t, but I always wanted more. I didn’t want to spend my whole life in this town, and if I had not left when I did I probably never would have. But it was still hard. I wanted to go home so many times, but I convinced myself no one wanted me here no more or that y’all would’ve said ‘I told ya so’ or sum bullshit. No one wanted me around any more and I had left, so I was stuck on the path I chose. And I’m happy, and I’ve done so much, but it’s never been easy.”
“Pops was a lot like you when he was your age. Set on leaving as quickly as he could. Things were different back then, not that they are any better now, but Hank... my brother… Pops, was just like you.”
“What changed?”
“Well, he never did. Just no one talks about it anymore. After what happened on that day, they blamed his behavior. Said he should’ve played it safe and he’d still have his tongue.”
“No one has ever told me the story.”
“And they won’t. It changed the whole family.”
“But you’ll tell me?”
“Only if you promise not to tell. I don need an earful from ya Mama.”
“I promise.”
“Hank couldn’t be confined to Selma, just like you. He joined the army right out of high school, and after he was done in Lebanon, he didn’t go straight home.”
“Where did he go?”
“Everywhere but here. He used the small amount of money he got from the army and went anywhere that would let him in. Across Europe, parts of Asia, Northern Africa, even parts of South America. Of course, a young black man traveling by himself at the time was challenging, but Hank could hold his own pretty well. He still ran into all sorts of trouble. He spent more nights in jail than he would have liked, but he would have done it all again if he could.”
“What happened when he got back?”
“He was much different, but for the better. He couldn’t wait to get back out there again. He had confidence like I had never seen before. That’s what got him in trouble not too long after.”
“How’d he lose his tongue? I’m guessing that is what changed everything.”
“When he got back, he got involved with a girl, I think her name was Susan. She was the mayor’s daughter. They snuck around for a while. Their relationship was not acceptable, especially to her father. If he found out, Hank would be in a lot of trouble, and of course eventually he did find out. He spent about a month in jail in just awful conditions even for the time. They didn’t have anything to hold him on so eventually they had to let him go. About a week after he got out, he was walking downtown and some guys grabbed him. He took him out to a field and tried to lynch him. Luckily, they failed and he survived, but they took his tongue as a warning. He was never the same after that. All of his confidence was gone, and of course he couldn’t speak no more.”
Flinn did not know how to respond. It all made sense now: why the family so desperately wanted him to stay, why they were so hurt by him leaving, and why they’d feared who he was becoming. They were all traumatized and wanted to protect him. They did not want him to suffer the same fate as Pops.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The funeral itself was fairly uneventful and went nearly as perfectly as expected. The church filled in with hardly any empty seats, tears were shed, and speeches were given. Pops touched the lives of almost everyone he met, and they came to show it. After the service was the reception, and yet again, the food was spectacular. Everyone got along just fine today and there was no more residual drama, at least for now. Today was Pops’ day.
After the reception, the family gathered back at Mama’s house for the reading of the will. Pops did not have many possessions, at least not of monetary value, but what he did have was meaningful in other ways. He was very clear on who he wanted to give off, and handpicked what would be most substantial to each person.
Everyone gathered around much as they did at dinner, and the lawyer began his reading:
I, Hank Gerald, a resident in the City of Selma, County of Dallas, State of Alabama, being of sound mind, not acting under duress or undue influence, and fully understanding the nature and extent of all my property and of this disposition thereof, hereby make, publish, and declare this document to be my Last Will and Testament, and hereby absolutely revoke any and all other wills and amendments previously made by me.
The reading went on for some time as there were many beneficiaries. Flinn began to daydream about what could be left for him. Flinn was not a very sentimental person, so trinkets and heirlooms paid him little interest. Perhaps his car, or maybe money. Something that will be useful to him.
To my dear brother, Terrence, I leave my 1964 Pontiac GTO and all tools and parts associated and necessary with/for the running and upkeep of the vehicle.
The further down the list he went, less was given, but this is to be expected. As the end of the list neared, Flinn began to wonder what would be left for him if anything at all. The will had been in order of age, to this point, so he should be up soon.
To my Granddaughter, Nia,...
Nia? She's younger than me… Flinn thought.
I leave her my grandmother’s locket containing a picture of my Grandfather before he left for the Great War. She looked at it everyday to keep the memory of him alive until he eventually returned to her alive.
How could he skip me? Perhaps I should have called, or never left. Flinn got lost in his own thoughts and barely paid attention to the rest of the will. He and Pops were so close, and he never imagined he would be taken out of the will. But that is my own fault, afterall. I left, and I never even care to call. He died, and I never even said goodbye.
Just as Flinn began to accept the consequences of his actions, they got to the last beneficiary listed in the will:
Finally, to my oldest Grandson, Flinn, who is more and more like me than I ever could have wished to have been, I leave my journal. I hope whenever you need the motivation, you read it to find the meaning you are looking for in life.
Part 4
Flinn sat at his desk unable to focus. It was fairly slow for a Friday, but he still had work to do. After a chaotic weekend back home in Alabama, he was ready to settle back into his monotonous routine. The experience had been healing in some regards, but still left a lot unanswered. What did he mean by finding the meaning in life? Flinn wondered as he flipped through the endless pages of Pops’ journal, all filled with endless recounts, drawings, symbols, and pictures from his travels, just as he had since Monday. The journal consumed his whole attention, and nothing else seemed important enough to focus on. He had even ditched his friends all week which he never does.
He is supposed to meet Raheem for drinks tonight, but now he is wondering if he even wants to go. There is just too much in his head right now. He just wants to be alone. 12:37. The clock is moving too slowly. Flinn clears his calendar for the rest of the day and decides to go home.
At home, he still finds himself flipping through the pages of the journal, not even reading them but just looking at them. Again and again, he flips through until he has enough. He drops the journal on his lap and stares off into the distance at the gorgeous view of Lake Michigan. The endless city and skyline take up most of the horizon until it just stops, cut off by the endless ocean-like lake. He stares at it for quite a while until something catches his eye. He has seen this before. Well, of course he has. He lives here and this is his view everyday. But he knows he has seen it somewhere else.
He picks the journal back up and flips through in a hurry. There it is. He holds the journal up to the window to show a matching two-page drawing of this exact view. Well, not exact. It is a slightly different angle, but it was close enough. Pops was here. He would have loved visiting. I should have invited him. This made Flinn sad, and he threw the journal down on the table in frustration.
Just then, that is when he noticed it. There was a page sticking out from the journal, but it was not like the rest. The page was white and pristine, aside from a few wrinkles, as if it was new, whereas the rest of the journal showed its age. He rushed over to grab it. He opened it to find a letter, addressed to him:
Grandson, When you left, I knew that you would accomplish everything you set out to do. I also knew, however, you would find yourself lost someday, returning home for answers. I was hoping I’d be able to give you those answers myself, but as time goes on that seems less likely. I too found myself lost, and I knew not why. I had gone and seen the world, and it changed me, but I was still not fulfilled. I came home still looking for the answers, and it took a while, but eventually I did find them.
Through this journal, I hope to share my findings so that you too, when you are lost, find the answers you seek. Whenever you are ready, follow my journey and the clues I have left for you. Go out and see the world, just as I did. You will find that what you want from life is less than what you expect.
I hope the experiences you have are less harsh than my own, but still be careful. The world has changed a lot, but still not enough. But don’t skip ahead for the meaning may be lost. Take only one step at a time, and when it comes time to take the next step, it will reveal itself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seven o’clock rolls around and Flinn walks into the bar to meet Raheem. He hasn’t seen Raheem, or anyone else from the group, since last Tuesday when he had his outburst. He begins by telling the story of the events of this last weekend, but leaves out the parts about Pops’ past.
"Pops left me a hidden letter.”
“What do you mean?” asked Raheem.
“Like in his journal, I found a hidden letter. It was addressed to me.”
“What did it say, bro?”
“He says he was a lot like me when he was my age. He wants me to go where he went and learn what he did.”
“In Alabama?”
“No, everywhere but there. He wants me to start in Western Europe and follow his clues around the world.”
“He traveled?”
“A lot, apparently. I never knew. He was in the army, and after he got out, he traveled… everywhere, basically.”
“Why did no one tell you?”
“They wanted to keep me safe, I guess.
"They wanted to keep the whole family safe after what happened to him.”
“What do you mean, bro. What happened?”
“I can’t talk about it, but it doesn’t matter now anyways. I’m living a different life now.” Flinn never shared much about his past or his family with anyone, not even Raheem. It has always been a mystery. This was the most he had ever shared with him.
“Well, are you going to go?”
“No, I can’t. I have work. It took too much to get here. I can’t just give it away.”
“It’ll still be here when you get back, bro.”
“If only it was that simple.”
“It can be. You have money saved up. Chicago isn’t going anywhere. We’re not going anywhere. Plus, you’ve always talked about traveling more. Why don’t you take some time to do it.”
“I suppose, but I like my life here.”
“If you don’t do it now, when will you? You’ve taken a leap before, why not take another one. You’re smart, you’ll land on your feet, bro. Besides, your grandfather thought it was important enough to not only give you his journal, but hide you a letter for you to find when you needed it most. Maybe now is when you needed it most. You’re way too stressed at work anyways, and I can tell you’ve been off for a while now. Perhaps some change could give you what you need.”
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On Monday morning, when Flinn gets to work, he walked straight to his boss's office. He turned in his letter of resignation.
Two weeks later, he took the red line to the blue line to O’Hare. Journal in hand, he boarded a flight to Dublin.

This story demonstrates how things are really working with the whole asylum situation: (and why you are being lied to - again painfully obvious)
(why is this posted here? because immigration is a centrist issue - one of the top issues being ignored / gaslighted upon, and it's this gaslighting which could make or break this erection)
-How the existing asylum law is being taken advantage of for economic migrants (duh)
-How many who aren't supposed to work are while they are supposed to wait for hearings, but still do (duh)
-How this drives down wages even further - these kinds of migrants will take lower quotas just to get work, screwing legitimate citizens who want to do this legitimately.
delivery jobs like this used to pay pretty well - enough that you could do this ft and make over 25 an hour doing it. (minus equipment costs, meaning profit) now - not so much. pay has gone to "if you are desperate" wages basically.
-This is basically how the small time home remodeling / construction industry was gutted of american workers the past 20 years. Now your foreman basically does the same thing this guy does - (foreman an american, employing illegals through various means, sometimes taking a cut, sometimes not.)
https://www.muckraker.com/articles/illegal-alien-black-market-scheme-exposed/
So many people on this sub (is this a neoliberal sub now?) deny the above, for reasons I don't know what. No one is against immigration - but large numbers of illegal immigration does impact american wages, which no one - not even the democrat party - seems to care about.
And no, the bill offered by the democrats merely legitimzed what's going on currently - a situation created by Biden, which he could change if he wanted to. (and no - i'm not a trump fan, but Trump will be getting a lot of votes because of shit and denial like the above)
(what has biden done differently / deliberately)
he instituted "catch and release" -ie, get caught, apply for "asylum" and released inside the USA - this IS new and a way of getting in.
a good article on this, which refutes many of the people misrepresenting the situation:
"The cause of the current crisis is President Joe Biden’s unprecedented refusal to enforce federal immigration law, which requires that all asylum-seekers be detained rather than released into the United States. The solution, therefore, is for Biden to start enforcing federal law as he is constitutionally required to do—or for Congress to deny the president something else he wants until he does."
"In truth, the reason why there are so many aliens to detain is because word has gotten out that if you come and request asylum, you’ll be released into the U.S.—and this has been the case since Biden took office. As Judge Wetherell put it in a 2023 immigration case, the Biden administration’s actions have been “akin to posting a flashing ‘Come In, We’re Open’ sign on the southern border.” As word has spread, the numbers at the border have massively increased, with the most recent month on record (December 2023) being the worst month to date."
"Even apart from aiding terrorists, drug-smugglers, and the like, the effects of Biden’s refusal to enforce federal law have been profound. According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in less than three years under Biden, the United States’s foreign-born population over the age of 16 rose by 5 million (from 43,086,000 in January 2021 (Table A-7) to 48,049,000 in December 2023). That’s enough to populate a new Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington, D.C. combined."
this article also goes into how the new "compromise" bill was terrible, and basically took the current situation and made it permanent:
https://www.city-journal.org/article/a-border-crisis-by-design

so my AIR is 624 and obc nc CR is 109. Im hopeful for getting the top 4 campuses due to my category and since im going to be away from my city, my parents find the cost of living too expensive and wanted to know about scholarships offered. i researched about the sarthak scheme but is only applicable for parents with annual income <4 lakhs which is not the case for mine. Please let me know if i can apply for scholarships elsewhere for financial aid. i really dont wanna miss an opportunity for a better campus, but my parents want me to stay in this city SO YEAH PLEASE HELP ME

Hi guys, I was wondering if MOE also provides tuition grant if someone were to enroll into a Master's program, and they already used an existing tuition grant for their undergraduate. And if so, how much is the tuition grant for Masters, e.g. 70% covered. For context, I'm a SG citizen.
I looked at the MOE website about tuition grant but it was still a bit confusing for me.
In particular, I am considering two NTU Masters coursework program: MSC Info Systems or Masters in Biz Analytics. There is usually scholarship or grant for Research-based Masters, but not Coursework-based Masters right? 🤔
Keeping my options open now so not confirmed applying for anything until I am very sure about my choices.
Thanks!

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i'm an incoming first year and uottawa has sent me a couple weird emails. they told me i had a scholarship or smth that i didnt actually have (and clawed back that information with another email) and the "regional mentors" sent two emails that are almost identical (with different formatting and a different name at the bottom). these issues are small in the grand scheme of things but i feel like a university should have higher standards. i've not had any issues with any other university i've applied to.

Hey!! So i come from a not so well aware academic background My mother left her college after 1st year as she got married My father on the other hand started a small business and enjoyed his 20s and 30s with his friends at clubs/ bars Now the business has deteriorated And since both of them doesn't posses any relevant or good degree my family income has deteriorated badly Also to add the business partners are not so kind My father is mainly dependent on my grandfather who did a govt job Now you may ask why am i saying all these? Well i stood out from my family crowd Opted for science , started preparing for jee couldn't crack it 3 times ( 1 attempt in the same year and 2 in drop year) I came to know about bitsat and it gave me a hope I dont want to do 5 lpa job I aim for bigger amount Ok then they came to know i am preparing for bits Without doing any background check they declared it as a non trustable institution and compared it with some local private college My mother especially is forcing me to study in that local college( typical mentality) And after hearing the fees they bursted out Even after knowing the scholarship schemes they are pretending as if its all fake They called someone idk whom and he said bits give only 40 percent scholarship to the needy rest is all fake In order to make them trust a little I told about the assistance program with stipend that bits give But they said on my face that teachers will only choose students who will be in physical relationship with them! I talked to one of the students there and he completely disagreed on this and said the scenario is lot different They said narcotics is common there and i will get into human trafficking if i go there The thing that is irritating me the most is that they are not doing any solid background check and still criticising me on the basis of it. I cant fight anymore I am already exhausted by jee How to deal with this? Any suggestions for making my parents believe in bits?

Thank you to everyone who applied! I will be reaching out to potential players today.
Hello everyone! I'm currently looking to gather a group of 4-6 players for a new campaign set in my homebrew world. It's a dark fantasy setting inspired heavily by FromSoftware's various titles (mostly Dark Souls), ASOIAF, Pillars of Eternity, and of course LoTR. I do hope I was able to provide a decent idea of what the game and setting is like below. I also apologize if its a lot of reading.
General Details

1. Be at least 18 years or older. Other than that every one is encouraged to apply. One of the best groups I ever DMed for had an age range of 22-45.
2. All experience levels are welcomed! Never played before? Well, worry not. I always make it a note to include new players into every group I ever formed. Which is why it's important for the veteran players to be considerate and helpful. Which leads me to my next point.
3. Be a decent human being. It is vital to me that everyone in my [virtual] table is comfortable. Which is why I may come off as excessive with the application form, but it is important that I choose peoples who will be considerate and respectful towards one another. Any display of racism, homophobia, transphobia, or sexism will earn you being kick from the group without warning. I like everyone to feel welcomed here and if that's something you will challenge then this is not the campaign for you.
4. Session 0 and One Shot. There will be a one shot first in order to test the waters. If all goes well then we'll move onto to a session 0 where any and all questions will be answered.

About The Game

• While it is a dark fantasy setting showcasing the horrors of a grim world. All forms of sexual violence are not included in the setting nor permitted. Any other topics you would like me to avoid can be written in the RPG Consent Checklist I have players take before we begin the first session.
• Time: Saturdays 7am-11am PST every week (I'm an early worm).
• We will be using Discord for voice. Roll20 for the VTT. Talespire for combat encounters (no need to purchase. I simply screenshare it on discord.)
• No Homebrew. Though I'm not opposed to taking a look at magic items.
• Character Grace Period: The grace period is something I like to throw in my games. Which is basically for the first 3 sessions (5 if new players are included). I will allow players to change ANYTHING about their character. Class, race, whatever. I do this because I believe players may gain a better understanding of the setting in this time and might want to switch to something more fitting.
• No Joke Characters. I'm completely fine with goofing around, but Billy The Toenail Rogue is not a good fit for the world.
• Starting at Level 1. Levels 1 to 3 will progress quickly. Maybe even reaching level 3 by the end of Session 2 or 3. Normally I'll start at level 3, but with new players I prefer to just start at 1 and level up quick. After that, leveling will progress far more slowly.
• Milestone Leveling.
• NO PVP!

Is This Campaign Right For You?

• RP/Narrative Heavy/Political Intrigue. You will find that I do skew a bit more towards the story side of dnd, but that is not to say combat is neglected. I just tend to do combat encounters when it makes sense narratively other than to fit a quota. That's also to say I'm not going to just let 7 sessions go by without a fight.
• Player Agency! It is vital that the players feel like their choices are actually affecting the world around them. I do so by placing a lot of importance on player characters and their backstories. Whether you write a paragraph or a novel. Be sure that I will be using it all to wove it into the grand schemes of the story. The world reacts to you as much as you react to it. I shape the campaign to your characters!
• Living and Breathing World! Worldbuilding is something I'm very passionate about and this world is something I have been fleshing out and changing for years. I very much enjoy making it feel like a real and living world to the players. I also encourage players to add to it as well. If there's something I love as much as worldbuilding. It's collaborate worldbuilding. Events in the world are not paused. Waiting for you to arrive.

"A wall of darkness had taken the horizon. An abysmal maw stretching into nothingness. Before it, blanketed by unyielding clouds of black, laid a land unrecognizable. The sun’s arrows only pierced as far as perhaps a mile, but it was enough to glimpse the scale of death that had taken hold of Aryleit’s Valley. The color of the endless rows of orchids and daisies, the gentle river that followed the road, the small humble cottages that dotted the landscape. It was all gone. There was no river, no color, no life. Only a broken land of ashes. Like a great fire had raged through. Killing everything."
It appears that the continent of Fabel has begun to fall to an age of darkness. Everywhere you look there is conflict. Anywhere you listen there is news of suffering. A civil war in the unstable region of Lidym. A dead king in Ardentent and with it the ceremony for a new one. The three elven kingdoms of Sar, Felleor, and Domena dealing with the vengeance-led attacks from the Silent Tongues. Just a few of the worries that plague Fabel and the hearts of its people. But in the midst of all this fear came a fear that paled its competitors. Nearly two months ago a great tremor shook the kingdom of Quandra and left ruin in its wake. Many have suffered as those closer to the epicenter have lost their homes or even their lives, but the worse had yet to be discovered. A large mass of land of hundreds of miles in the southeastern corner of Quandra was rendered unrecognizable.
A constant blanket of dark clouds covered the sky above this land that not a single ray of light could pierce. Underneath it was a scene from a hellish nightmare. What little light shone through from the edge of the border showed earth that was cracked and scorched without a single hint of color or life. The rest was covered in darkness. News of this horror spread throughout the kingdom, and fear only sunk its fangs deeper. The uncertainty of what it was or what caused it led to countless rumors. And without signs of any survivors, there was no one to detail what happened. It came to be known as the "Eternal Night".
Apply Here! (Be sure to mention at the bottom of the form who you're applying with if any.)
https://forms.gle/DD5rPJ9nktK9fJy27

Cayetana is introduced as a poverty stricken scholarship student who fakes a personality to fit in and avoid bullying from people like Lu and Guzman. Fans: OMG how dare she!!! She is a menace to society for having the audacity to LIE.
Lu and Carla either bully people, commit revenge porn, make racist/classist slurs, cover murder, manipulate/gaslight people. Fans: But.. but.. those two are girlbosses. Cayetana is a wannabe loser who lied and schemed to get ahead.
Carla covers a murder and tries to keep it a secret. Lu misled everyone to think she was still rich even after being cut off. Fans: Lu and Carla were both in really difficult situations and even though they lied, tHeY oWn wHo tHeY aRe but Cayetana is a poser so she's like 1000x worse!
Lu's the one who actually murders Polo and takes off with his money to fund her fancy ivy league education while Cayetana turned him money down, attended a public university, and worked to support herself. Fans: Har har har, it's so satisfying that Cayetana got what was coming to her as a janitor serving her peers.
Cayetana starts to be a better person in Season 4-5. She stops scheming and lying, she stops being an opportunist by turning down a designer's advances, tells off the creepy prince and his mom. Fans: OMG she's SO boring. While people don't want to acknowledge her legitimate character development where she's actually self-reflecting over her problematic actions and trying to use them to be better. More than what can be said about fan favs who had cHaRaCtEr dEvEloPmEnT.
Cayetana encourages a rapist to go to therapy to better himself so he doesn't do to others what he did to her and Elodie. Fans: OMG NOW SHE'S SUPPORTING A RAPIST AND SHE STILL HAS FEELINGS FOR HIM!!! Some of you do realize that it's actually also a very sad reality for victims like Cayetana to still pine for their abusers, right? It's called stokholm syndrome.
Caytana puts in all the work to better herself as a person and ditches a toxic environment at Las Encinas to pursue something for a guy she would've looked down on a few seasons back. Fans: Ew, why does Cayetana get the happy ending?? That's not fair!

Hello everyone!
Before I begin, my_qualifications: X: 8.6 CGPA, 12^th: 53%, BBA: 55% (est.) State PG exam rank: >1400 for the state ————————————————————————— So, ‘going abroad’, it’s been a very hot topic in my home lately, and it’s not convincing when there’s a heck load of your family and close ones going to medical/engg and seedha showing up in a Innova crysta after a couple of years.
Satire aside, I took up IELTS coaching for a month and I have stalled at taking the mock tests, I performed well in classes, but never really took the jump, to do it. MBA used to have 4 main streams, now there’s a heck load of them and it’s confusing a lot, and there’s no real insight as to which course lands you in a good job. English isn’t something that’s ever too difficult to me, but spending a Creta’s worth of money on an unknown country, barely knowable course is stopping me.
I visited a few consultancies, (2)
1: promises me a seat in a govt college in Italy, under some scholarship scheme only have to pay some misc documentation/VISA fee and that’s pretty much it.
This option is very desirable considering i come from a middle-class family. We don’t have anything aside from the house we live in. Unlike others who have agri income.
2: very neat, but says UK is your go to country, (or the only country you can have) 2 ways, in/outside London, with it costing between 12-18/22-24L.
Both of them never named colleges, however. This is all I have finalised, or details into my not-so-grand scheme of going abroad.
Now I’m stuck, while most(if not all) of my school mates are finishing up with their MBA, and will probably earn handsomely in a few months. For some skeletons, I have a language (local) backlog in my degree, which I’ve written and been 4 months for which I’m still awaiting my result. Now leaving that one thing, coming to my true question, is it worth it going out? Is it worth, burdening my parents with a 1-2million ₹ loan with probably what’s our one house as collateral, to chase some dreams which I’m 60% sure of not achieving it? I mean, let’s say I spend it, pass somehow, what about the job. I’m still going to end up with a ₹25-35K job I feel, looking at the current trends (I love geopolitics and sadly it’s one of the reason I have no hopes). My biggest fear is not able to pass or digest the subjects , foreign or domestic, be it whatever, what to do if you have a backlog? Or a few more than imagined? How will I come back or spend the latest iphone’s worth of money everytime to clear them?
I am utterly so confused while the world moves on, I find myself just sitting here becoming a paperweight on god’s green earth.
What do I do? (Due to Reddit bugs there might be some typos I apologise)

The Government of India offers scholarships to those students who cannot afford to pay for their education. The government has established a National Scholarship Portal for this reason. We will teach you everything you need to know about the National Scholarship Portal in this National Scholarship Portal 2024 article.

The Gujarat government has launched the MYSY Scholarship Scheme 2024 Scheme to help students continue their education in diploma courses such as Engineering, Pharmacy, and Medicine. In this article, we will provide you with all of the important information about the MYSY Scholarship 2024, including objective eligibility criteria, important documents, benefits, and features.

मुख्यमंत्री चंपई सोरेन ने झारखंड के छात्रों को बड़ी सौगात दी है. मुख्यमंत्री चंपई सोरेन ने 11 मार्च 2024 को रांची में मानकी मुंडा छात्रवृत्ति योजना 2024 का शुभारंभ किया। यह योजना तकनीकी शिक्षा प्राप्त करने वाली झारखंड की छात्राओं को प्रोत्साहन राशि प्रदान करेगी।

PM Yashasvi Scholarship Scheme: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has launched the application process for the scholarship entrance test under the PM Yashasvi Yojana 2024. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, runs this scholarship scheme, also known as the PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award, smoothly.
Source: https://modischeme.in/pm-yashasvi-scholarship-scheme/

Employed ako sa isang company ngayon na napakaganda ng benefits, including bereavement leaves, burial assistance, and cash incentives kapag may namatay na immediate family member. Kaya di na talaga ako makapaghintay na mamatay na yung walang kwenta kong PUTANG AMA, tutal wala naman talagang naging magadang dulot samin yung inutil na yon.
Ipangbabakasyon ko talaga yung leaves at incentives na yon, probably Siargao, Japan, or Korea. Siguro dadalaw na rin ako sa lamay niya kahit one day lang, tapos magsusuot ako ng napaka tingkad na pula.
Sige, brief background and history, baka kasi isipin niyo napakasama ko namang anak haha LOL. The hell I care, anyway.
Serial cheater yung lalaking yun, kahit pa noong maliliit na bata pa lang kaming tatlong magkakapatid. My mom almost unalived herself, because of all the shame and stress of his cheating, and she wouldn't be here kung hindi naagaw ng kapatid niya (Tito ko) yung baril na nakatutok na sa ulo niya. Nilayasan kami ng puta kong ama noong 7 years old pa lang ako, at pinagpasa pasahan kaming magkakapatid sa mga lolo't lola namin on both sides, habang yung mommy ko ay lumipad na pa-manila at nag try magprocess ng papers niya para makapag abroad at mabigyan kami ng mas magandang buhay.
Naapprove at palipad na sana si mommy papunta sa Europe, pero nalaman ng lolo at lola ko ito sa father side, at sinabihan nila yung puta kong ama na hanapin yung nanay ko sa manila at pigilan siya para hindi raw mabuwag ang pamilya namin.
Nahanap niya nga si mommy at nagkausap, bilang martyr at malambot puso ng mommy ko (charot lang mommy, I love you, happy mother's day, I know you just want the best for us) pinatawad niya tatay ko at "nABuO" ulit kaming pamilya.
Kinuha kaming magkakapatid mula sa Lolo at Lola namin sa mother side, at dinala dito sa Manila parang magsimula ulit. Dito namin naranasan ang LEGIT na paghihirap. Walang stable na trabaho yung putang ama ko. Kung ano anong networking at pangsscam na pyramiding schemes lang ang ginagawa for more than 8 years, and for most of the time hindi namin siya kasama sa bahay kasi nasa probinsya kuno at nagnenetworking don. Mommy ko ang talagang tumaguyod at dumiskarte para makakain at makapag aral kami.
Noong mga bandang 3rd year and 4th year highschool na ako, nakakasama na namin siya sa bahay at doon nahuhuli ulit siya ni mommy na nangangaliwa ulit. Hotel booking receipts, phone conversations, etc. Tarantado talaga. Hanggang sa noong summer break ko after high school, nilayasan na ulit kami ng puta kong ama, dala dala yung kotse namin na nagawang ipundar ng nanay ko, at kasama niya yung kabet niya at yung dalawang bubwit na anak non na hindi niya naman tamod. Pumunta sila doon sa probinsya ng lolo ko sa father side at naging one big happy family. Yung lolo ko naman na religious kuno, naging kunsintidor din.
Naigapang ko yung pag aaral ko sa university through scholarships, at nakatapos ako sa isang very prestigious school. Kaya sobrang dali kong nakahanap ng magandang work, at ngayon nabibigyan din ng magandang buhay yung mom ko na puro paghihirap ang naranasan while we were growing up.
Ngayon, nababalitaan ko na lang na ganon pa rin kalagayan niya, kung ano anong networking na pang iiscam ang ginagawa, at pati mga online lending app ay nacocontact din ako kasi sandamakmak utang niya. Magkasama pa rin ata sila nung kabet na inuwi niya don, syempre paninindigan at aalagaan niya na yon, sakit naman sa pride niya kung iiwan siya nung kabet niyang pinagpalit niya samin.
Nangangayayat na rin daw ata siya, gawa ng diabetes. Last time, may close family friend kami na kinontact si mommy para ichika sa kanya na nagrereach out daw kay family friend yung puta kong ama para mamalimos ng tulong pampagamot sa naagnas niyang binti. LOL DASURV
Right now, we are in a very stable position, my mom even has a new partner who's the same age as her, has lots of savings and investments, spoils her, and loves her very much (we urged mom to try a dating app a few years back when I was fresh out of uni para hindi siya ma bored, and doon sila nagkakilala ni tito)
Kaya naman cherry on top na lang talaga ang pagkawala sa mundong ibabaw ng bobo kong ama, para makuha ko din yung additional company leaves and benefits, at para di na rin problemahin ni mommy yung napaka hassle na annulment process.
Ayun lang, and happy mother's day ulit sa lahat ng magigiting na inang tinaguyod tayo sa hirap ng buhay, gawa ng mga basurang lalaki.

Shreyas Iyer doesnt know how to use Mitchell Starc AND no not giving his quota of overs doesnt solve the issue - Reference( LSG 2/4, MI 1/3). Nor does the shaky batsman's idea of Mitchell Starc's strength and weakness correlates to the empirical information we have about the greatest white ball bowler the game has ever seen. In the words of Steven Smith, when Starc is on his A game, he is the best thing the game of 22 gentlemen has to offer this A turns into A+ when the conditions bless their flowers on the lanky New South Wales fast bowler, but to show him the least amount of confidence when the ball was swinging and holding up last night is a bizzare sight almost worthy of ridicule if not for the game's result. Starc's stunning spell against MI and the resurging arc he showed against LSG meant nothing for the recently T20 squad snubbed, turtle cap holder, Shreyas Iyer and even more speechless moment was his choice of not giving Starc the penultimate overs when Rana and Russell were being tonked for 15 plus per over.
Starc's momentum is back to scratch and He is a liability for the KKR scheme of ideas, only because of Iyer's incompetence. The playoffs need momentum and the momentum is truly reversed for Mitchell Starc, perhaps permanently.
Editorial Pebbledthoughts

usc or midwestern IL
USC Pros:
In a city I’ve always wanted to live in. All my friends are in that city and I also have family there. Patient pool seems deep and diverse, I feel like I would be exposed to a lot of different cultures, backgrounds, and dental issues. There’s dentists in the area that have offered mentorship and I’m hoping it leads to opportunities to buy a practice early on in my career (not guaranteed obviously). I’m also interested in specializing, and the attached residency programs may offer some networking opportunities. I’m also holding out hope for a recruitment scholarship which is 20k a year (also not guaranteed).
USC Cons:
Not sure how their hybrid PBL will work. I hear it works well for some and it’s terrible to others. Regardless, they have a 90%+ on time graduation rate/board pass rate so I’ll do my best to enjoy it. In house residencies may also take certain cases away from me, which kinda sucks.
MWU-IL Pros:
Best program I saw. HIGH averages for super complex procedures compared to other schools. Lectures will be a familiar style of learning and I’ll know what to expect on exams. Seems more tech-driven. No residencies so I get to do super complex procedures. Overall good vibes.
MWU-IL Cons:
Other side of the country away from everyone I know. No friends or family at all in the Chicago area. I know i’m not going to continue my career there after school because I despise the cold and prefer to settle near family and friends.
In summary, my heart is at USC for personal reasons, but my gut says go with MWU….. BUT how much of an impact will one school have over another in my career? Does it matter if I do 60 crowns instead of 25 in dental school since I’m going to do thousands over the course of my career? Also, mwu is just a tiny bit cheaper…. grand scheme of things, there isn’t a massive difference in cost; however, the scholarship (if I get it) will make USC cheaper. Struggling with this since there is so much dirt thrown on USC (not sure how much of that actually comes from USC students tho).

Hi! May I ask if ur program can affect ur chances to get a scholarship like if its not a quota course or not much ppl kinukuha ung program mas high ung chance?