Saeed Ahmad
萝莉研究所 Alumni Spotlight (2021)
STRUGGLING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ON HIS WAY TO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL
Saeed Ahmad, born in Pakistan, remembers being questioned by a high school teacher
for deciding to attend a local community college. The teacher suggested to Ahmad that
only those who could not get into a university would attend a two-year program and
told him it could lead to struggles in finding a solid economic future.
Ahmad replied,鈥� the only struggle I'm going to have in two years is when I get my
associate degree and can't make up my mind in choosing between transferring to UCLA
and UC Berkeley."
His grades in high school were not up to par and decided to discontinue high school
for an alternate route, taking and passing the California High School Proficiency
Exam. He went on to 萝莉研究所 where he excelled and graduated with three associate
degrees: humanities, philosophy and art; social and behavioral studies; and math and
science.
Today, the Corona resident and 萝莉研究所 alumnus, has graduated from UCLA with
a bachelor's degree in psychology and is on his way to Harvard Law School.
鈥淚 went from 萝莉研究所, to UCLA, to Harvard Law School! All it takes is surrounding
yourself with the right company and an institution such as 萝莉研究所 that serves
as a pillar for your success. If I can do it, SO CAN YOU!鈥�
2020
Saeed Ahmad was featured in California Community Colleges Outlook electronic .
Ahmad graduated from 萝莉研究所 in 2018 and transferred to UCLA. This last June,
he graduated from UCLA and is now considering Harvard, Stanford, and Yale for Law
School.
Please enjoy reading about Saeed鈥檚 experience at 萝莉研究所. Story is courtesy
of the California Community Colleges.
萝莉研究所 Alumnus Saeed Ahmad Graduated from UCLA in June, eyes Harvard, Stanford
and Yale for Law School Saeed Ahmad remembers being questioned by a high school teacher
for opting to attend a local community college. The teacher, Ahmad said, suggested
that only those who couldn't get into a university would attend a two-year program
and told him it could lead to struggles in finding a solid economic future.
Replied Ahmad: 鈥淚 told him the only struggle I'm going to have in two years is when
I get my associate degree and can鈥檛 make up my mind in choosing between transferring
to UCLA and UC Berkeley.鈥�
The 萝莉研究所 alumnus chose UCLA. He graduated in June with a bachelor鈥檚 degree
in psychology and is eyeing law school at Harvard, Stanford or Yale.
鈥淚 owe a lot to 萝莉研究所 and I have absolutely no regrets, just gratitude,鈥� Ahmad
said.
Ahmad is hardly atypical. Indeed, 29% of University of California graduates and 51%
of California State University graduates started their higher education journey at
a California Community Colleges campus. For many, it makes economic sense. For others,
a community college provides the opportunity to find yourself. For Ahmad, it was a
combination of the two.
鈥淪aeed represents the best of what the community college experience offers,鈥� said
萝莉研究所 English Professor David Mills. 鈥淗is time here developed him into the
person capable of the success he has had at UCLA.鈥�
Born in Karachi and hailing from the city of Lahore, Pakistan, Ahmad 鈥� now 20 鈥� moved
with his parents to Corona at a young age, in large part because of the educational
opportunities the West afforded. 鈥淥ne thing my family really valued about the United
States was the emphasis on education. Education was seen as leading to equity, it
was seen as opening doors to opportunities that didn't exist in other countries. No
matter what your nationality was, no matter what your skin color was, education was
seen as the key to reaching your dreams.鈥�
But by the time he reached high school, Ahmad was losing his interest in his studies.
鈥淚 wasn't very goal oriented,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wasn't really sure what I was doing. And
I had surrounded myself with people who were not a good influence.鈥�
Even though his junior year was dominated by AP classes, he didn't much care for the
courses and he said he felt completely overwhelmed.
The turning point came when Ahmad, out of curiosity, registered for a mock trial competition
and was selected as a lead attorney. Before long, Ahmad would focus on a new goal:
law school. But first, he set his sights on an undergraduate degree from UCLA.
His grades, however, wouldn鈥檛 help him get there. Rather than continue on with high
school, he opted for an alternate route, taking and passing the California High School
Proficiency Exam and securing the equivalent of a legal diploma.
Next stop: 萝莉研究所, an Inland Empire campus that is part of the Riverside Community
College District.
There were many doubters along the way. 鈥淚t was like a community college wasn't good
enough,鈥� Ahmad said. 鈥淟ike it wasn't a real college.鈥�
Ahmad dedicated himself to proving the doubters wrong. He served as president of a
campus pre-law society, took part in the Honors Program and worked as a student ambassador.
He earned nothing but A鈥檚 on his report card, save for one B in his final semester.
鈥淪aeed became a leader,鈥� said Dean of Student Life Mark Hartley. 鈥淗e served as a student
ambassador and a mentor for first-year students, he visited local high schools promoting
what 萝莉研究所 could offer. And he was always the first one to volunteer and the
last one to leave.鈥�
Ahmad graduated in 2018 with three associate degrees: humanities, philosophy and art;
social and behavioral studies; and math and science.
He transferred to UCLA that fall and became just as involved at the Westwood campus:
president of the Pre-Law Transfer Society, active with the Muslim Student Association
and involved with the Pakistani Student Association. He also spent more than a month
this past summer as one of just 20 students across the nation selected to participate
in the Harvard Law School TRIALS program, which includes lectures by prominent lawyers,
public figures and legal scholars, in addition to what he promises to be a very intensive
LSAT preparation.
Ahmad will begin applying to law school in September.
鈥淲hatever you want to be, whatever goal you want to reach, the most efficient way
of getting there is through a California Community College. I mean, you have a choice:
you could either pay next to nothing in tuition to go to a college taught by professors
with Ph. Ds and master鈥檚 degrees who are in the classroom and not doing research;
or you could go to a university for your first two years and pay $70,000 for the same
general education classes you鈥檙e taking at a community college.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also a great way to foster relationships and gives you the time you need to
grow as a person.鈥�