What Our Students Say

Second Family Away From Home

I had a rough transition into college. The workload, the friends, the weather was all a very difficult adjustment.  I hope to be able to show students starting the college transition that you can still be hardworking while maintaining a healthy mentality.

One of the most important things I realized during the college preparation process was that a) it takes a lot of time and it's confusing, and b) felt grateful that I had a support system because it is hard to do this on your own.

Before I joined DTS, I knew I wanted to go to college but I had no idea how I was going to pay for it, how to apply, what should be expected at a college level education, almost nothing. The reason for this is because I am the first in my family to go to college, so I have nobody to tell me what to expect and how to achieve a college acceptance. Luckily, I got noticed by DTS and joined the DTS family which opened up many doors for me.

DTS = supportive, compassionate, generous, and most importantly family.

DTS has contributed profoundly to my success in college by giving me the necessary tools and advice to succeed. By getting us prepared for college beforehand rather than throwing us into the water without any help really propelled me to succeed in college. By giving us advice like not doing homework in our dorm rooms and going to office hours on the first week of school was very beneficial towards my college experience.

DTS always made me get out of my comfort zone so coming to college was easier to not feel comfortable at first, and they always encouraged and helped me get out of my LA bubble.

Before joining DTS my technological skills were mediocre and I knew very little on how to surf the web.  Now I know how to develop a website.  I can now program a calculator in two programming languages.  Society today is becoming more and more tech-based and these skills might help in a job.

I recall the end of my junior year struggling heavily in my academic and personal life, and [my Advisor] being willing to host me in her home, even feeding me dinner, so that I could have a calm place to study and finish the year off strong.