High school dropout graduates from UCLA at 52

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Teresa Pitts managed to overcome the odds, go back to school, and graduate from the University of California at 52 after a lifetime of tragedy. Pitts who graduated with honors now is planning to go to law school next. The Huffington Post reports:

Teresa Pitts of Los Angeles, Calif., 52, had a bumpy start with education — she didn’t graduate with her high school class and dropped out of college twice. But at 46, after the deaths of her beloved older brother and mom, Pitts went back to school and graduated from UCLA with honors in May. She’s now planning to go to law school and is gearing up for the LSAT. She spoke with Huff/Post50 associate editor Anthonia Akitunde. Here is her story in her own words:

When I was in high school my older brother Greg — who was in college at Dartmouth — had a bout of colon cancer, which I’m told is very rare in someone so young. On top of that I got wrapped up in some unimportant stuff, like issues with girlfriends. I struggled in high school toward the end because I wasn’t happy and I didn’t know what to do about it. What ended up happening was that I didn’t graduate with my class because I didn’t pass English — I had to go to summer school.

Both of my parents were in the Air Force –- they strongly believed in the power of education. I remember my mom driving past the graduation. She asked me if I wanted to go. I remember saying to her, “Why would I want to go and remind myself that I’m a failure?”

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