My name is Eston Croft, and I'm a college affordability advisor for the Bay Area.

I think of my work as a uAspire advisor as paying it forward. I love being a part of an organization that can help change the trajectory of a student's life because that's what happened to me.

I was raised by a single mom, and I'm the youngest of six kids, so when it came to applying for and attending college, like many other things in my life growing up, I had to figure it out on my own.

Thankfully, I had a fantastic counselor who connected me to a program that assists individuals with disabilities like myself. Because students with disabilities have a more challenging time getting funding for college and staying in school, the program offered students support. I could have my full tuition and books covered if I maintained a certain GPA. 

Growing up, I constantly doubted myself, but having support through college changed my mindset. It was the first time I believed I was going to do something and do it well. I still write thank you notes to the program because I wouldn't be living in California and working at uAspire if it wasn't for them and my fabulous school counselor, Tanya.

When I graduated college, I started looking for a service-driven job that would give me skills that I could build off of. uAspire checked every box for me. 

When I first started as an advisor, there was a group of students who were so welcoming to me at their school. After working with that group throughout the year, three of the students were able to find full funding, and one received the Chime scholarship. I remember one of the students came into my office teary-eyed and said, “Oh my God, I can't believe it. I'm set now, and I can do this!” Her family immigrated from  Vietnam, and she knew if she wanted to go to college, she would have to pay for it on her own. Seeing her reactions and celebrating with her was such a cool experience. 

College affordability has become a passion of mine, and every day, I feel so fulfilled in my role as an advisor. I see students face many challenges, and the financial aid systems are not easy to navigate. A big part of the job is helping students realize their full potential and what resources they have at their fingertips. I think of the students as a plane on a dirt road, not knowing what's going on. Once we help them find the pavement, they just take off.