Hi! I’m sure everyone who is reading this knows me personally (or at the very least knows of me through relatives, family friends, etc.), but let me introduce myself just in case!

I’m Ava, and I graduated from high school as a high honor roll student in 2024. My plan was to graduate high school and attend the University of Pittsburgh, and during my senior year of high school, I submitted my application and was accepted! I was so excited to be on track to attending my dream school; Pitt’s mixture of rigorous academics and fun student life was a dream for me.

However, with no college fund or student aid and failed scholarship attempts, I quickly realized that I wasn’t going to be able to afford to attend after graduating, so I deferred my admission to fall 2025 and got to work. I have already been working since I was 15, but after graduating, I put in even more hours, often staying at work until 2 a.m. (sometimes even later) and picking up shifts whenever I could.

However, the money I earned while working doesn’t account for all costs, nor will it be able to sustain me long term. I applied for a loan and was quoted a 17% interest rate, which would be impossible for me to pay off. I’m in the process of applying to more, but I still have years of school left. I pay my rent for my off-campus housing out of pocket, with my own money, and I will be entirely responsible for paying all of my tuition.

Pitt’s deadline for tuition payment for the fall term is September 10th, 2025, and my cost of attendance (not including rent) is $11,268 for this semester alone… not including the years to come :(

I will never stop working, I will never stop doing random side hustles to earn extra money, and most importantly, I will never stop working hard and studying to earn my degree.

With this degree, I will become one of the first in my family to earn a bachelor’s from a university! Education truly means everything to me, and I have always loved learning more than anything. In school, I engaged in countless clubs, community service, etc., and outside of school, my hunger to learn never stopped. In my free time, I study foreign languages, read, write short stories, etc. My love for learning has always transcended the realm of school and has gone so much deeper, and attending university will help me expand upon the skills I have and let me develop even more.

With your help, I can finish my degree. Every single donation counts. If anyone has anything to spare, small or large, it would mean the world to me. Donations, shares, etc. are greatly appreciated—thank you all!