Keep Joel in College -- URGENT

Hi there! My name is Joel DeGroot-- I'm sure some of you recognize me from the last time I had to do this. A lot has changed since then!

Last time you saw me, I was a low-income, first-generation high school senior raising money to afford the cost of attending college; now, I'm a few weeks away from being done with my first semester at UMass, thanks almost solely to everyone who generously contributed to the first fundraiser. Without your support, I would not be where I am today. I've been looking forward to enrolling in my spring classes and continuing to pursue my education here in Amherst.

Unfortunately for me, this semester may be my last. UMass is preventing me from enrolling again unless I come up with the remainder of my tuition beforehand. It's money that my family just doesn't have at the moment. We've been continuously applying for scholarships, grants, and student loans, in an effort to pay the remaining sum, but with no luck. With an EFC (Expected Family Contribution) of $0, I've maxed out the help that the university says it can give me. Believe me, I went and asked them in person.

I have confidence that my family's financial situation will improve-- we've been working towards that goal for years-- but I need help now. It's incredibly embarrassing to be forced to reach out to you all again, but I have no other options at the moment. If I can raise even a small amount of money, it will buy us time to continue our search for long-term options.

The GoFundMe goal, $7100, is the total remaining cost of my fall tuition. More realistically, my goal is to raise about $2500, which I've been told by individuals working for the Financial Aid Department would be enough to show our commitment to paying the rest.

Please help me remain in college while my family recovers! Each and every dollar is appreciated and will go solely to the payment of my tuition. If you have other financial resources you think I could use (specific scholarships, grants, etc), feel free to reach out to me and share.

Thank you all so much in advance for your donations and support. Please help me spread this fundraiser online using social media!