Chad Rainbolt

Major: Applied Physics
Year at Norco: Third Year, transferring fall 2012

My story: Before I came to Norco College I attended high school, which I did not take too seriously. I did not have a good childhood and came out of high school with low self-confidence.  Nevertheless, I cruised through my high school years with a 3.2 GPA. I arrived at Norco just because it was the next thing to do, but EOPS helped me realize that college was more than something to do – it was the first step in my education. I joined EOPS because I heard of the benefits it provided students and wanted to utilize every resource that I could. At Norco College I have found my way and have come to realize my potential. As Dr. Uesugi says, “EOPS can help students access the door to success, but getting over the threshold and going through that door is up to each student.”

My dream(s): While at Norco College, I aspire to finish every possible transferable course I can as the community college offers me the opportunity to receive the same units and the same classes I would take at the university at a fraction of the cost. Two years from now, I will have my bachelor’s degree in applied physics and be close to having my master’s degree in a specific discipline.

My Struggles: I have had many roadblocks and setbacks. First of all, my family is not wealthy; they help with what they can but I mostly support myself. Supporting myself has required me to juggle from one to two jobs at a time, working 20-50 hours a week as a full-time student, taking both winter and summer classes. With all of that, I make it a point to work out weekly and stay involved in campus clubs and extracurricular activities that are important to my personal development so my time has been limited. Furthermore, in spring 2011, within a month, both a close friend of mine and my brother came down with cancer making it a very rough semester; therefore, time itself has been a roadblock. I need “30 hour” days. 

Nevertheless, EOPS has helped me manage my time by providing me with resources that prevent me from wasting classes or units on courses that do not meet my academic goals. The up and close counseling EOPS offers has really helped me overcome my challenges. I have taken all the right classes and will transfer with all the major requirements and all the general education courses I can take. As physics major, there are a lot of options for courses but a specific order in which classes need be taken. Working closely with a counselor to have these classes mapped out has enabled me to complete all of them. In addition to the many services EOPS affords students, counseling is one of the best things EOPS has offered me.

My advice to EOPS students: Just keep going. Money will come and go but your education will never leave you. Make sure you take advantage of EOPS and all of the services that they offer. Do not take it for granted because there are thousands of other students who would love to benefit from the program. EOPS is a non-profit organization; for once something is not too good to be true. Keep using these services and advance in your education. Many community college students waste their time and money, sometimes because they cannot get into the classes they want, sometimes because they do not know exactly what they want to do. Use EOPS and don't waste your time, get the classes that you plan out and excel in them.

Quote for Success: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Henry Ford