Formerly homeless teen's hard work pays off as he's accepted to 17 colleges

Dylan Chidick refused to let anything get between him and his dream of going to college.

The 17-year-old high school senior from Jersey City, New Jersey, has been accepted to 17 colleges, a difficult feat even under the easiest of circumstances. Chidick came to the United States from Trinidad when he was 7 years old, and after his mother lost her job, the family — including his younger twin brothers, who have serious heart conditions — had to live in a homeless shelter. A local nonprofit, Women Rising, recently helped the family get on their feet, and they now have housing.

Through it all, Chidick excelled at Henry Snyder High School, serving as senior class president and a member of the Honor Society. "My family went through a lot and there has been a lot of people saying, 'You can't do that,' or 'You're not going to achieve this,' and getting these acceptances kind of verifies what I have been saying — I can do it and I will do it," he told CBS New York. Chidick, who will be the first person in his family to go to college, wants to study political science, and is waiting for the acceptance letter from his top choice: The College of New Jersey. Catherine Garcia

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up