For the next 12 years, he worked whenever he could and went to
school whenever he could. He managed to finish high school and won a
scholarship to go to Highland University. However, when he appeared
at the university, they refused to admit him because he was black. This
did not stop Carver. He continued to work and save money. Eventually,
he went to Simpson College in 1890 to study painting and paid for his
school by ironing clothes for other students. Soon, he realized he could
not support himself as an artist and decided to study agriculture
instead.
In 1891, he was accepted at Iowa Agricultural College. He was the
only black student at the college, and as usual he supported himself by
doing small jobs. He amazed everyone with his special work with
plants. After he graduated, the college asked him to stay on as an
instructor because his work with plants and chemistry was so
outstanding. So Carver stayed on and taught, but he continued his
research with plants while he was teaching.
One day he received a letter from Booker T. Washington, who was
the most respected black educator in the country. Washington asked
him to work at the Tuskegee Institute, a black agricultural school in