In the final episode of our three-part series Making It Out, we sit down with Mia Velasco (T’28), a first-year student at Duke, to discuss her transition from a central New Jersey public high school to life on East Campus in Durham, North Carolina. Mia takes us through her college application journey, breaking down the financial realities of choosing a school as a low-income student. She challenges common myths about affordability and shares what truly influenced her decision. We also explore her experiences with FOCUS clusters, service-learning classes, and her perspectives on access to higher education for first-generation, low-income students. Tune in for an honest and insightful conversation about what it really takes to make it out—and make it work.