This phenomenological inquiry was designed to explore the ways in which students who experienced foster care (SEFC) transition into and through college; it is grounded in Tintos (1988) Theory of Student Departure, Schlossbergs (1989) Theory of Marginality and Mattering, and Schlossbergs (2012) Transition Theory. Eight participants who were in their second year of college or beyond participated in one-on-one interviews. The following four main themes emerged via the phenomenological reduction process: Ahead of Most: Consequences of Trauma; Outsider: Peer Relationships; Im Not Here to Party: Integrating Social and Academic Experiences in School; and Heavy Amount of Love. These themes capture the lived experiences of participants who used their resilience to matriculate into and progress through college. Though participants described feeling like outsiders in K-12 schools, most made meaningful connections as undergraduates. These connections with peers as well as the integration of social and academic experiences helped participants progress. Finally, participants described the love they found for themselves through their journeys in foster care and college. Implications for professionals, including P-16 educators, school and mental health counselors, and social workers are organized by systemic domains that emphasize micro, meso, and macro-level advocacy.