More than a dozen acceptance letters later, Dylan Chidick learned Tuesday that he got in to The College of New Jersey, his top choice school.
For the 17-year-old, the road to college was not an easy one. Dylan, his twin younger brothers and his mother were homeless for several months in 2017. His brothers had heart conditions that left the family with large medical bills, and his mother also lost her job.
But they’ve been getting lots of good news as of late, including a surprise visit at his Jersey City high school from TCNJ.
Grecia Montero, TCNJ’s director of admissions and enrollment management, said the day was an emotional one for everyone.
“It really was amazing to watch how people do come together to support such an amazing student,” she said in a phone call Tuesday afternoon. “It was nice to be able to a part of that support network.”
Montero said Dylan is interested in political science as of now, and has mentioned wanting to become a lawyer.
The family of four ended up moving into a shelter with the help WomenRising, a nonprofit based in Jersey City.
They came to the U.S. from Trinidad when Dylan was 7, according to a CBS report. Dylan attends Henry Snyder High School, where he serves as class president and student council president.
Last week, a donor offered to pay for his tuition and board.
Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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