JERSEY CITY, N.J. (WSVN) — A teenager who dealt with homelessness has overcome tremendous odds to be accepted into 17 colleges.
According to WPIX, 17-year-old Dylan Chidick was accepted into 17 colleges and universities.
Chidick, who is class president at his high school, struggled through a lot of hardships while growing up.
The teen lived in Brooklyn with his mother, Khadine Phillip, and his twin brothers until the rising cost of rent forced the family to relocate to New Jersey.
However, the struggles did not stop there. Both of his brothers needed heart surgery and his mother ended up losing her job.
“Everything went downhill from there,” she said.
The family eventually became homeless. However, Chidick still made strides in school. He was even inducted into the National Honor Society while his family lived at a homeless shelter.
“The situation that my family has been through, I don’t want it to define me,” Chidick said.
According to WCBS, Chidick’s mother reached out for help from Women Rising, a nonprofit organization. The organization was able to set the family up with permanent supportive housing, giving the teen the chance to focus on his academics.
Now, Chidick has a choice of 17 schools to attend, including Xavier University, New Jersey City University and Rowan University. He will also be the first person in his family to attend college.
Chidick said that he is still waiting on an acceptance letter from the College of New Jersey, his top school.
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