Read the excerpt from the body of rachel’s video script draft and answer the question.

(1)would my initial curiosity alone have led me to pursue an internship? (2)perhaps, but i believe that without mentors, including my parents, my teachers, and most recently, ms. gladstone, the obstacles may have been enough to discourage me from filling out an application. (3)with their facilitation i was assured that whenever my dreams seemed too big or there were too many obstacles to overcome, there were people who could me overcome them. (4)when i was overwhelmed by choosing which science classes to enroll in or managing my time so that i could apply for science fairs, sponsorships, or internships, i turned to them. (5)they listened to me express my doubts and encouraged me to try again.

which clause would best be inserted at the beginning of sentence 5 to provide a clearer transition between ideas in this paragraph?

a)whether or not i received a prize or scholarship or was selected for an internship,
b)because i am a volunteer at my high school career services center,
c)for the same reasons other mentors assisted me,
d)when i counted all my credits and found that i needed to enroll in yet another class,