Help Nijat afford medical school

The Purpose and Scope of the campaign:

This year, I was accepted to the medical school of my dreams — the University of Utah School of Medicine! It is well known that medical schools are extremely expensive, and that almost every medical student has to rely on the American government for financial aid. Because I am not a U.S. citizen, I do not qualify for assistance from the American government, which is why I would like to ask for assistance from the American people.

The money requested for this campaign will cover one year’s worth of tuition and living expenses at the University of Utah School of Medicine as indicated by their international student services. Anyone who supports this campaign will be given access to a private spreadsheet where I will report all spending on a weekly basis. Additionally, you will have access to my academic performance and my out-of-class activities, such as service and research activities. I value the trust and investments of those around me and I will make it a point to be as transparent as possible.

I chose to raise funds for one year because I want every single one of you to be confident that your investments will prove to be fruitful. This year, I am offering my life’s story and my academic and professional record for the past five years as evidence that I will succeed in my first year of medical school. Next year, I will report all activities from my first year of medical school as evidence that I will succeed in my second year of medical school, and so on.

Lastly, I would like you to know that I am not asking for free money. Every single penny donated in support of my education will be paid forward when I become a physician. I grew up in a small two-roomed apartment and do not need much to be content. My happiness and satisfaction stems from personal growth and my contributions to communities and people. I’ve come to this realization in the United States while volunteering at the local homeless shelter, volunteering as a peer mentor for student with disabilities, caring for hospice patients, researching for intensive care unit patients and researching for cancer patients. Perhaps the most important lesson I learned in the United States is finding joy in supporting and uplifting others. Nothing else has ever driven me as much as serving others and nothing ever will. My goal is to turn your investment in me into an investment in your community!

This is the most open and vulnerable I’ve ever been in my 21 years of life. Below, you will find my story and my academic record. I plan to share more with you over time.

My Story:
I was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, about three years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, at the time when our people were still transitioning away from communism. My father abandoned us when I was little, and my mom was left to care for me, my sister, and my grandmother. Though we did not have much growing up, my mom worked extremely hard to make ends meet and ensured that both my sister and I received good education.

In 2007, when I was about 12 years old, one of the first international schools opened in our city. I got really excited about the prospect of becoming one of the first Azerbaijani kids to receive a British education. I studied my tail off to ace their entrance exams, wrote my very first personal statement, and even practiced my interview skills with my mom. About a week after my interview, I received an acceptance letter from the school along with a bill of over $20,000/year in tuition and fees. Needless to say, we could not afford such a sum. Frankly, we wouldn’t be able to afford even $1,000/year, and we still can’t. Though I qualified to attend on my merit, my mom and I agreed that we’ll have to turn the offer down because the cost was almost five times greater than what she earned in a year.

What can a 12-year-old do in the face of such difficulty? I decided to pray. I prayed everyday for months, hoping that someone or something out there was listening and was willing to help. Looking back, I think someone was. With only weeks left before the tuition deadline, we were able to find a sponsor — a gentleman from Scotland who agreed to sponsor me through high school and eventually through college. Upon my graduation from the British School in Baku in 2012, my sponsor and I found Dixie State College of Utah, and a couple months after my seventeenth birthday, I boarded my first plane to the United States.

From day one in the United States, I vowed to become the best possible investment for my sponsor. Though he never asked me to show him receipts, send him transcripts, or minimize nonessential costs, I did all of those things because I felt that was the right thing to do. I took personal responsibility for every dollar that he invested in me, always making sure that his investments continue to be fruitful. Because he has given me so much over the years, I feel that I too must give to others. That’s why I want to become a physician. Sharing his gift with the world is what I consider my mission in life, and it is what I will always strive to do.

Unfortunately, my life’s mission is currently in jeopardy. Due to his health and age, my sponsor is going to retire soon and will no longer be able to sponsor my education. The history seems to have repeated itself. I worked hard to pass the medical college admission test (MCAT) and graduate with a competitive GPA. I spent years away from family and home, working and studying almost 70 hours every week to finally receive an acceptance letter from my dream medical school. Just like last time, however, the acceptance letter came in with a bill that my family and I will never be able to afford.

It truly hurts me to have to ask for so much of others. A day doesn’t go by without me thinking about how much others have already invested in me, and I feel truly embarrassed to have to ask for more. The only reason I could justify this campaign to myself is because I am confident that I will succeed as a medical student and that I will share my sponsor’s kindness and your kindness with the world.

Please, if you can, help me attend the medical school of my dreams and fulfill my life’s mission. Please, help me continue the 10-year-old streak of being the best possible investment for my sponsor. Please, give me a chance to become the best possible investment for you.

My Academic Record:
1) MCAT

2) GPA


Get in touch with me:
1) Facebook
2) Twitter

Thank you so much for your time and consideration!