[@Lord of Evil]
I still don't think you understand the difference between a mage and familiar. There are people who are mages, and then there are people who are familiars. A familiar can't become a mage and vice versa. In that case, your character picking up his Mother's, who is a familiar, dream of becoming a mage doesn't really make sense.

Mages don't study to become mages. They study to control their powers. If your character's father dropped out of studying his magic, then he just wouldn't know how to use his magical element. He could have picked up magic tricks like we have (like pulling a bunny out of a hat) but that would not be true magic and that would not be related to him being a mage. Also, we're still not sure why this shattered your characters psyche to the point where he became a shut-in. Like what about finding out his dad wasn't the great and powerful mage he thought he was that lead to your character being a shut in because it sounds like there was more going on with him in that case.

I'm not sure what you're calling a great mage? Being a great mage is something anyone can do in this world if they work hard enough. It's not about having great power or saving the world. A great mage would be on par with our real world scientists and doctors. Yes, those things are hard but it's not like they're impossible.

Also, can we talk about how your character is paying for the school? What do you mean by "A half scholarship"? Scholarships don't work like that at all. You either have it or you don't. If you're trying to say he didn't get all the scholarship money required...that's not how it works either. If you got a scholarship, you're in. And even if that did work, did his parents pay for the rest? You made this sound like a bad thing but nothing ever came from it?

And one more thing about this, your character should have gotten in his first year of high school. His low proficiency wouldn't have mattered as magic and powers would only start to manifest around this time (so a low proficiency would be normal) and his physical capabilities also wouldn't have mattered. Your character has the highest intelligence score right now and characters with a lower score have gotten in with a scholarship. There would be no half scholarship with him. If he was as smart as you say he is, then he would have gotten a scholarship no problem.