Alex Montes (University of Rochester '15) talks about what he's thankful for this year for his I'm First! Scholarship Blog.
Thank you, Adversity.
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Alexis Montes
A Mid-COLLEGE Crisis
“WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER!” they yelped with great enthusiasm. But this time, they weren't saying it to me. The new freshmen walked into their residence halls, overwhelmed with the orientation staff’s lively welcome chants. I stood alongside the...
Won't you let it be?
“Now I don’t want you listening to this darn liberal Gerald, you can tell he’s nuts.” she whispered to her son sitting two seats from me. I struggled to hide my chuckling as the lady beside me continued to criticize Alec Baldwin’s speech. I can't really blame her;...
In Retrospect
“…Oh great! So you’re in college? What school do you go to?” “University of Rochester.” “What year are you?” “Freshman, er, I mean sophomore! Yes, I’m a rising sophomore.” I couldn’t believe the words I uttered to my mom’s friend. Had an entire academic year come and...
The end is almost near?!
WHOA?! Really?! Is there only ONE MONTH of school left? Time FLEW by. Just comes to show that you really have to make every second worth something! This past semester has been very tough on me, going from taking 4 classes to 7 classes (which is almost unheard of for...
Sometimes you pick the school, and sometimes the school picks you.
Surely, most current high school seniors are lacking finger-nails right about now. In less than a month, admissions decisions from hundreds of colleges around the country and around the world will be delivered into mailboxes. I remember this time last year too...
Defying Gravity
Despite all the suspense, hopelessness and stress that plagued the earlier half of 2011; the year ended well, granting me admission into one of the nation’s top leading research universities. 2011 gifted me a new life, a new beginning, and a wonderful continuation of...
On the 3rd day of Christmas, CSO gave to me…the gift to make my dreams a reality…
Alex Montes is a 2011 recipient of the CSO Opportunity Scholarship. CSO made it possible for him to attend the University of Rochester and achieve his dream of becoming the first in his family to attend college. Check out my video below. Please donate to Center for...
Can that not be called happiness?
I'm just a poor boy. I come from dirt roads and flea markets. I used to eat ramen noodles for lunch. My most expensive toy set was a box of Legos. How did I do it? I came from nothing. There was no house, no perfect family; no inheritance to be drawn from. I wasn’t...
College is near? Have no fear! ;]
The best metaphor I can provide to you for the college application process is that of building a car…So where do you start? Before anything you need to establish your WHEELS: Grades & Standardized Tests. Your grades are a MAJOR factor on whether or not you are...