Nikita’s Student Story

Meet Nikita

Nikita is a student who arrived in the United States from Kazakhstan during the second half of his junior year of high school. Settling into his new life on Chicago’s West Side, he attended his neighborhood high school and had to quickly adjust. Nikita lives with his two sisters and parents, both of whom are college graduates from Kazakhstan. He is the first in his family to pursue higher education in the United States, with a plan to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology. He aims to major in Computer Science with a focus on Big Data, Cyber Security, and Artificial Intelligence.

Nikita’s Path to College

Nikita’s transition from Kazakhstan to the U.S. was a transformative experience. Reflecting on his time in Kazakhstan, Nikita describes his school experience as “pretty regular — classes, friends, sports, and stuff like that.” However, moving to the United States marked a significant turning point. “Everything was absolutely new in comparison to my previous school experience,” he says. The shift in educational approach was particularly striking. “The American school is totally involved in your education. The school staff is proactive while educating you. Every day you feel you’re in process. Moreover, you feel you’re not alone, you feel your teachers are with you.”

“Moreover, you feel you’re not alone, you feel your teachers are with you.”

During his journey, Nikita has appreciated the support of his family, “The most help I had came from my family. My parents did their best to motivate me and to explain what they knew about America’s different aspects,” he shares.

One of the biggest challenges Nikita faced when moving was overcoming the language barrier. Looking back, Nikita is proud of how much he has learned since his arrival. “I couldn’t say almost a word in English one year ago and now I’m giving an interview,” he recalls. Despite these obstacles, he immersed himself in the new culture, even joining the school orchestra after only three months, despite never having played the guitar before.

Nikita’s transition to the U.S. education system was not only marked by language challenges but also by the urgency to adapt quickly. Arriving in the middle of his junior year, he faced the pressure of adjusting to a new academic environment while simultaneously preparing for college applications. “Plus there was another thing to struggle with. I didn’t have too much time for warming up. I had to finish junior grade and the next year I needed to get into college,” Nikita recalls. This compressed timeline left little room for adjustment, pushing him to quickly acclimate to the American education system and meet the demands of his final year in high school, all while ensuring he could plan for college.

“Plus there was another thing to struggle with. I didn’t have too much time for warming up. I had to finish junior grade and the next year I needed to get into college.”

Nikita’s journey toward higher education began during his sophomore year in high school while he was still in Kazakhstan. This gave him the fuel to navigate the fast timeline of applying to colleges in the U.S. Reflecting on that time, he shared, “I started to think about college when I was in 10th grade in Kazakhstan. According to me, it’s an ideal time. Not too early, not too late. You have enough time to discuss your plan with your parents, share your ideas with friends, and hear back on what they think about it. And you still have much time if you want to make some changes in your plan.”

Nikita found a strong support system in his teachers at his neighborhood school. They played a crucial role in his successful transition. He appreciated the open and trusting relationships he was able to build with them. “My favorite aspects here, just the teachers really. You have trust with them. So you can communicate with the teacher at any time. It’s not like that in Kazakhstan,” Nikita explains. The ability to reach out to his teachers whenever needed provided him with the guidance and encouragement that was essential during this challenging period.

Furthermore, Nikita found a welcoming and supportive environment at his new high school. He shared, “my high school maintained a very good atmosphere for everyone. Students and teachers were very friendly, open and patient to me. And I really appreciated patience.”

“My high school maintained a very good atmosphere for everyone. Students and teachers were very friendly, open and patient to me. And I really appreciated patience.”

Nikita said he wanted to take advantage of the opportunities presented to him at his neighborhood high school, particularly in the areas of advanced programming and computer science. “So they [the school] offered basics in advanced programming, computer science, and coding, and it was exactly what I needed in addition to my personal education because in parallel I was doing my courses on programming, studying programming languages such as Python, C, C++, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript,” Nikita shared. Additionally, his school advised him to join a college preparation program at one of the City Colleges of Chicago, further equipping him with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a degree in Information Technology.

As he planned for college, Nikita initially considered technical colleges, evaluating their programs to ensure they aligned with current IT trends. “It’s not a big secret that the Information Technology field is changing pretty fast nowadays,” he notes. He believes that to be a top specialist today, one must go beyond just knowing how to code; understanding algorithms, data structures, cloud technologies, and having skills in big data and machine learning are essential. “Machine learning is the priority of the future. Because look what Artificial Intelligence does. It’s unbelievable. That is why the college program is very important and should be focused on long term demands of the HiTech industry,” he emphasizes.

After graduating from high school, Nikita spent his time focused on preparing for this next chapter. He spent weekends with his parents and dedicated weekdays to a summer math class, which was instrumental in getting him ready for college.

Nikita said his main concern during his college selection process was not receiving acceptances. Despite his concerns, Nikita received offers from six colleges across the U.S., providing him with options, but he acknowledged that not everyone is as fortunate. Financial considerations were also a significant source of anxiety. He emphasized, “The finances, the education price, I mean our second factor of fear, it’s absolutely unbelievably high.” While scholarships and financial aid programs are available, Nikita pointed out that they often do not cover the full cost, making higher education financially inaccessible for many families. He is currently enrolled in college and plans to pursue his dream career in tech.

“The finances, the education price, I mean our second factor of fear, it’s absolutely unbelievably high.”

Nikita’s Next Steps

• For all education leaders: Nikita is passionate about making the transition smoother for students like himself who are new to the American education system. He suggests that educational staff should develop clear, step-by-step guides to help newcomers navigate the system. “Education staff have to keep in mind always that transitioning students know nothing about the American education system,” he explains. Simple terms like “credit hours” can be confusing for those unfamiliar with the system. “Of course, I can translate this, but what does this mean? Is it academic hours or something different? For us, who came from another part of the globe, it’s absolutely dim. Sometimes we don’t understand just because we don’t know the business or how the system works,” Nikita says, emphasizing the need for clarity and well-defined explanations to help students from diverse backgrounds adjust more easily to their new educational environment.

Nikita’s Hopes for the field

• As he planned for college, Nikita initially considered technical colleges, evaluating their programs to ensure they aligned with current IT trends. He believes that to be a top specialist today, one must go beyond just knowing how to code; understanding algorithms, data structures, cloud technologies, and having skills in big data and machine learning are essential. “Machine learning is the priority of the future. Because look what Artificial Intelligence does. It’s unbelievable. That is why the college program is very important and should be focused on long term demands of the HiTech industry,” he emphasizes.