He earned A's and B's at Bluffton High School, passing Advanced Placement courses in chemistry, biology and history.
He played four sports and thought his times in swimming were fast enough to attract interest from a Division I school, where he hoped to study exercise science and eventually go to medical school.
But something stopped those coaches from recruiting George, who asked that his full name not be used in this article.
He is undocumented. George's parents brought him to South Carolina from Venezuela when he was 5.
George, 19, is among of thousands of U.S. high school graduates who cannot attend public colleges and universities in South Carolina because of their immigration status. Laws vary among states, but even most that allow illegal immigrants to enroll in college don't offer them financial aid or other benefits.
However, Congress is considering the DREAM act, which would provide a path to citizenship to some illegal immigrants. The legislation would give hundreds of thousands of high school graduates brought to the United States before age 16, who have been here for five years and have no criminal record, a chance to gain legal status if they complete two years of college or military service.
Read the complete story at islandpacket.com
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