It was lucky number 18 for a formerly homeless Jersey City teen when his target school, The College of New Jersey, joined 17 other colleges in accepting him as a student.

In a surprise visit Tuesday to Henry Snyder High School, TCNJ officials personally presented Dylan Chidick, 17, with an acceptance letter, Dylan said.Starting in August, Dylan sent out 18 college applications and had received 17 acceptances. TCNJ, his target school, was the last of the bunch.

Dylan was in the middle of health class when the main office called him to the principal's office, where he was surprised by TCNJ officials and the good news, he said. Grecia Montero, the school's director of admissions and enrollment management, personally handed Dylan his TCNJ acceptance letter.

"I didn’t know what to say," Dylan said. "I was happy. I was basically too excited to talk."

Over the years, Dylan, his mother, Khadine Phillip, and his two younger brothers have fought through homelessness and illness. With hefty medical bills for Dylan's twin brothers, who both have a heart condition, and Phillip unable to work due to an illness, the family became homeless and had to live in a shelter.

With the help of Village of Families, a HUD-funded housing program, Dylan and his family were able to acquire housing, where he could plan his college applications and await the acceptance letters. Since August, Dylan had been accepted into 17 schools, including Rowan University, York College of Pennsylvania and Ramapo College.

At Henry Snyder High School, Dylan is the senior class president and student council president and helps out in any club he can, he said. As student council president, Dylan had visited The College of New Jersey for the New Jersey Association of Student Councils Convention.

On his visits, Dylan grew fond of TCNJ's campus, which he described as "not too big," and the school's political science program, he said. He plans to major in political science and minor in history, his favorite subject.

Although he has until May 1 to commit to TCNJ, Dylan is already set on attending the Ewing college and plans to officially commit next month, he said.

"I know that I will be attending, basically," Dylan said. "I know that I’m going to commit."

Dylan's story came the same week as college administrators, coaches and television celebrities were indicted in what is the nation's largest-ever college admissions scandal.

Dylan has qualified for the Educational Opportunity Fund, which offers additional academic and financial support for students who go to college, and plans to attend a six-week summer program to acclimate to college life. With the last of his applications returning a "yes," he is excited to start his college career, he said.

"I'm just really excited to be in this institution that has so many great alumni," he said. "I'm just excited to start my freshman year."

Email: torrejon@northjersey.com

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