1. Create Account
  2. Login
StudyUSA
Match Me
  • Create Account
  • Login
  • School Search
  • Resources
    • All Resources
    • Articles
    • Student Voices
    • Videos
    • Magazines
    • Podcasts
  • Services
    • All Services
    • Accommodation
    • Support
    • Career
    • Financial
    • Testing
    • Other
  • Chat

“When One Door Closes, Another Opens.”

“When One Door Closes, Another Opens.”

Mar 28, 2022

Starting anew at Golden West College.

Like Alexander Graham Bell once said, “When one door closes, another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us." That’s what happened to me, and here is a story how I started everything again at Golden West College (GWC). 

How I started

I’m an international student from Vietnam, and I came to Seattle, Washington, at the age of 16 with a goal of becoming a dental hygienist. I spent almost 3 years completing all the prerequisites and even took a year off after I graduated with my AA Degree to work as a dental assistant during my OPT (Optional Practical Training). 

I love the job so much that I know for sure I want to work in the dental field and have my career in dental hygiene. I had a chance to experience all the new things like applying for a job here, having job interviews or filling out tax papers. Those were the things that I have never done before even when I was in my home country. 

Learning on the job

I got so overwhelmed at first since I got hired without any medical or dental background. They were willing to train me on the job, and I’m so grateful to work with the best team ever. Everything I was able to learn in that one year is so valuable to me from the knowledge to the fast-paced environment that I thought I would never be able to get used to. 

I walked into the office without knowing a single dental instrument, but I walked out knowing how to assist the doctor during procedures. Everyone was so happy for me since they witnessed how far I have gotten. They even looked forward to me coming back as a dental hygienist, and that was exactly how I wanted it to work out. However, as much as I planned my future path, everything shattered since I was not eligible to apply for the program that I wanted. I have never felt so disappointed and stressed out so much before. 

Trying something new

Fortunately, I have such supporting family and friends. They were the ones that encouraged me to move forward the whole time. My parents suggested that I should change to something new. They both went to college majoring in Business, and my mom was working as an accountant for more than 20 years, so she suggested that I should go for Accounting. 

I took their advice, moved to California, applied to Golden West College, and began a whole new chapter here. Thankfully, I was able to get a lot of help from the International Student Program team — they kept me updated on the things that I need to do and made sure that I’m caught up with events. Classes were still online, and I did not have that many chances to make friends, but I was able to connect with some other international students through school events.

How it all worked out

One year later, looking back I knew I had made the right choice. Not only do I enjoy studying at GWC, but I also landed a part time job here as a student assistant. I’m always trying to help new international students as much as I can, like the way that I received the help when I first started at GWC. I’m able to make a lot of friends now, and so many good opportunities have opened up for me. I learned that you just have to keep trying and moving forward in life, and good things will eventually come your way. Like people say, ‘when one door closes, another opens.’”

Follow us:
Written by

Khanh Tran

Get matched to the best program for you

Let us know what you're looking for so we can find the best school for you.

Get matched
Call to action background image. Decorative.

Useful Articles

Main image for the article titled Unlocking the Universe: From Forbes 30 Under 30 to New Frontiers in Science
Unlocking the Universe: From Forbes 30 Under 30 to New Frontiers in Science
Main image for the article titled How Attending Secondary School in the U.S. Prepares Your Child for College
How Attending Secondary School in the U.S. Prepares Your Child for College
Main image for the article titled University of Pennsylvania ELP Profile: Yasuhito N. of Japan
University of Pennsylvania ELP Profile: Yasuhito N. of Japan
Main image for the article titled “New Around Here”: A Cinematic Journey into Struggles and Successes by Jennifer Hawkins, an Inspiring Student at LACC
“New Around Here”: A Cinematic Journey into Struggles and Successes by Jennifer Hawkins, an Inspiring Student at LACC
Read more

Check Out These Schools

Golden West College

Golden West College

$5,000—$10,000 Year

Undergraduate Bachelor Degree English Programs
Contact
College of DuPage

College of DuPage

$5,000—$10,000 Year

Summer Undergraduate English Programs
Contact

Featured Programs

Butte Community College

Typical cost per Year: $5,000—$10,000

Bachelor Degree Certificate/Short Term English Programs
Learn More

Santa Barbara City College

Typical cost per Year: $5,000—$10,000

Bachelor Degree Masters Certificate/Short Term
Learn More

Mohawk Valley Community College

Typical cost per Year: $5,000—$10,000

Certificate/Short Term English Programs 2yr/Community College - 2+2 Programs
Learn More

Related Stories

Experience Study Abroad

Main image for the article titled Experience Study Abroad
Study Abroad Move-In Essentials

Main image for the article titled Study Abroad Move-In Essentials
Ishan Shah from India: Studying Finance at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Main image for the article titled Ishan Shah from India: Studying Finance at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Can I Study Abroad While Abroad?

Main image for the article titled Can I Study Abroad While Abroad?

Start your U.S. adventure with Study in the USA

What's your dream? We can guide, advise, and connect you with your perfect U.S. school. We can also help you with the application process.
More about us
Partner Services

Learn About U.S. education financing, housing, and more

Partner service logo for Education Insurance Plans

Education Insurance Plans

Introducing the College/University Inbound Tuition Insurance Plan – safeguarding tuition, housing, and travel costs for international students studying in the U.S. Features include tuition protection, housing coverage, travel reimbursement, streamlin...

Read more
Partner service logo for There’s a business school for everyone. Meet yours at a free upcoming event!

There’s a business school for everyone. Meet yours at a free upcoming...

Ready to make your MBA dreams a reality? Register now for a virtual or in-person event with The MBA Tour! Don’t miss your chance to speak directly with leading business schools, such as Harvard University, Boston University, Columbia University, UC...

Read more
Partner service logo for Find the perfect student housing with Unilodgers

Find the perfect student housing with Unilodgers

Choose an entire apartment, a studio, a shared room, or a private room, with 24x7 assistance from Personal Student Advisors. Book Now!

Read more

Testimonials

Quotation mark.

I remember my excitement when I first found Study in the USA's website. I subscribed to their website using my email and it used to send me success stories and the best universities to apply to in the USA.

Muhammadrazhab Elmurodov Tajikistan

I found all the information about SUNY on studyusa, and other important things too (information about other universities) but I was accepted by SUNY Plattsburgh.

Eliskander Rabia Algeria

I was looking for some colleges to suit me, and I loved watching the international students' experiences on the Study in the USA website.

Momiji Ohyama Japan

Resources

Learn about American culture and education direct from our experts at Study in the USA. Read more

Achieving Your Goal
Admissions and Placement Testing
Beyond the Basics
Education System in the USA
Financing Your U.S. Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Life in the USA
Resources
Student Experiences
For students age 10-18
Study in Canada
Podcasts
Magazines
Videos
Student Voices
Ask StudyUSA.com

Subscribe to get the latest from Study in the USA

You can unsubscribe at any time.


StudyUSA
Explore

  • School Search
  • Resources
  •   Articles
  •   Student Voices
  •   Videos
  •   Magazines
  • Partner Services
  •   Accommodation
  •   Career
  •   Financial
  •   Other
  •   Support
  •   Testing
  • Apply
  • Chat
Information

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Course Index
  • Featured Programs
  • Article Index
  • Create account
  • Sign in
  • For Educators & Institutions
Match Me
  • English
    العربيـة English Español Français Bahasa Indonesia 日本語 한국어 Português Русский ภาษาไทย Türkçe Tiếng Việt 简体中文 繁體中文

  • Privacy & Policy
  • /
  • Terms

Study in the USA logo

© 2023 Study in the USA. All Rights Reserved.

Global Study logo
A member of the Global Study network

When you visit or interact with our sites, services or tools, we or our authorised service providers may use cookies for storing information to help provide you with a better, faster and safer experience and for marketing purposes.