Support Kayleigh's Journey Back to WashU

Hello, my name is Kayleigh Hernandez, and I am a QuestBridge Scholar and sophomore studying computer science at Washington University in St. Louis. I'm a Latina, first-generation, low-income student, and I am currently facing medical difficulties and housing insecurity. I have faced more family, physical health, and mental health challenges than many people endure in a lifetime.

I'm currently housing insecure, and I need to pay $52,483.30 IN FULL before I can return to WashU to be a student to access the resources that will allow me to live a stable life and be successful. Any help is extremely appreciated. Thank you. ❤️

My story:

In the Fall of 2023, I faced severe health complications and family conflicts that prevented me from returning to school. During this extremely difficult period of my life, I attempted to apply for a Medical Leave of Absence but was unfamiliar with the process and, in the end, was unable to complete it in time. Though I secured a Medical Leave for the Spring of 2024, I still failed most of my classes in the fall.

I was recently granted reinstatement to continue my studies, and I felt hopeful about having an opportunity to move forward. However, my return was blocked by an outstanding balance of $52,483.30 that I was unaware of owing. Because of a lack of guidance and support from my family members, as well as health complications, I unfortunately missed the deadline for FAFSA and CSS forms for the 2023-2024 academic year. I had no idea these forms needed to be submitted annually, and as a QuestBridge student, I thought my financial aid was guaranteed for all four years. I submitted the FAFSA and CSS forms for 2024-2025 immediately and filed for a dependency override, but none of that impacted the previous year’s balance.

As I have no family support, I cannot find a co-signer who can help me get a loan. If I am unable to pay that amount before the end of December, the debt will be sent to federal Collections, which, along with the incredible medical debt I've accumulated, will severely impact my credit score and chances at building a stable future life.

I'm currently housing insecure, and I need to pay $52,483.30 IN FULL BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER before I can return to WashU to be a student to access the resources that will allow me to live a stable life and be successful. I'm trying to fundraise $55,000 to cover housing, food, medical, and living expenses. Any help is extremely appreciated. Thank you. ❤️