Written by: Corina Chen and the CareerVillage.org Team

“I’m different. My head is in the game. I’m going to start my freshman year of college and want to prepare for medical school now. I want to go to the best medical school possible.”

-Tyler

“Ever since I was little, my life has been about two things — medicine and movies. They are my passions. They are all that I know.”

Tyler says, reflecting on his childhood. As a kid, he dreamed of becoming a doctor — or a movie director. He loved anything that allowed him to think critically and creatively, a passion that allowed him to enjoy learning. As he got older, however, Tyler’s dreams to study medicine and movies grew complicated when he realized he couldn’t realistically pursue both.

Owning that reality, however, was difficult. He reflects on his childhood further, saying, “I would always talk about Stanley Kubrick, or Spielberg… My dream [was] to direct and write movies [but I also] found another dream in being a forensic pathologist.” Tyler describes his fear and knowledge in an early question on CareerVillage.org:

Not only did Tyler feel torn between pursuing film and medicine, his home life was also far from smooth. Growing up, he had 7 siblings, which resulted in a constantly busy family life. His mom was a nurse, his dad a janitor, and his mom’s boyfriend traveled a lot for work. Because of this, “I stepped up a lot to care for my siblings,” Tyler reflects. “I had a [lot of] responsibility, [yet] I wouldn’t trade the things I learned or the memories for anything. I didn’t have a social life because I was helping care for my brothers and sisters.” When his mom got sick and his responsibilities grew even more, he wondered, “Would ‘Special Circumstances’ increase my chances of getting into a good college?”

In response, CareerVillage’s executive director replied, encouraging him to own his persistence through adversity and see his challenges as opportunities to take over his narrative:

Tyler’s motivation to achieve big career goals progressed despite his home life worsening.When Tyler reached his junior year of high school, he had to move in with his dad because there wasn’t enough room at his mom’s house. He confided in CareerVillage, writing:

“The school where my dad lives is terrible. It’s in the bottom 20 schools based on academics in my state. I’m not a rich person who was sent to a prep school. I told my dad that my dream school is Dartmouth and my dream is to become a neurosurgeon. After telling my dad this he laughed in my face. It hurt. He recommended the local community college.”

As Professionals read and reacted to Tyler’s questions, Tyler received an overwhelming tide of specific, compassionate, yet honest advice. A former college admissions worker encouraged Tyler to dream big — but also realize that while “some kids [use] traditional clubs and groups [to] get a holistic view of the world,” he’s getting his holistic view “in a much different, but no less valid way.”

A surgeon sympathized with Tyler saying:

He went on to encourage Tyler that it didn’t matter what school he goes to initially, because “if being a doctor is your dream, then the real goal is medical school and it doesn’t matter whether you went to an ivy league or other fancy college.” He also continued to push Tyler to strive for strong grades and diligence in school.

Other professionals on CareerVillage encouraged him to develop helpful habits such as volunteering, taking standardized test prep courses, and researching colleges thoroughly.

With the support of CareerVillage professionals, Tyler resolved what to do next. “This just gives me more motivation to prove everyone wrong. ” He planned to go to a future physicians school in Princeton for a few weeks, but grappled with what else he could do, adding, “I have been studying for the ACTs. But it’s not enough. I just need a little guidance.”

Tyler continued to ask questions on CareerVillage concerning majors, schools, and careers. The more concerns and questions Tyler expressed, the more CareerVillage professionals wrapped around him, sharing both personal and professional insights in their advice to him. The common thread: encouragement and confidence in his abilities to achieve his career dreams.

With dozens of answers holding encouraging support from CareerVillage professionals, Tyler grew more fully into his initial childhood passions for science and expressed confidence in himself and belief in his successful future:

“I’m different. My head is in the game. I’m going to start my freshman year of college and want to prepare for medical school now. I want to go to the best medical school possible.”

Tyler’s journey is one of millions of other students who are seeking career guidance on CareerVillage.org. If you’d like to join this movement or learn how your company can contribute to the massive impact CareerVillage is making, please email hello@careervillage.org.