The immigrant student going to college

At this time, almost all senior high school students have already graduated. Their choice of college has very significant consequences. I’m referring not only to the course they are taking but also to the school or university they are attending, and other important factors such as scholarships, student loans, among other things.

Here in the US, going to college is a very big deal, more so than in the Philippines. As I recall, when I graduated from high school, there really wasn’t really much decision making involved in choosing a college. It was either taking up Education at then Cebu State College (now Cebu Normal University) or find a scholarship at a private university. In my wandering around the cavernous halls of CSC, I learned it offered a Nursing program as well. The affordability of a state college education was the main driving force why I found myself wearing a white uniform as a Nursing freshman in June 1991. The love for the profession only came later.

How big of a deal is a college education in the US? It’s enormously important. Remember a few years ago there was a scandal about celebrity parents who paid large sums of money to con artists masquerading as student advisors who guaranteed their children admission to some of the most prestigious schools in the US? Some of these parents were convicted for this.

As early as junior high, students have counselors who help them strategize how to get into the top universities, plan out their activities in order to attract the attention of admission officers, seek out scholarship programs and financial grants --all designed to get them into college.

As for immigrants, it’s a clear advantage if a child of an immigrant settles in the US early in life. That way, he’s more assimilated and accustomed to American ways. If your child in his high school years, he has a lot of catching up to do. But it’s never too late. There are still a lot of various resources available to him.

If you are an immigrant and your child is going to college, make sure that you ask your child’s school if they have pre-college programs that assist immigrant students. Some of these programs may be as simple as learning English or American culture and history. Inquire if there are financial aids or scholarship grants from local, state, or federal funding sources. I know in New York, there are several scholarships offered to Dreamers and those students who came here undocumented or with expired authorizations to stay. There are also work study programs you can look at. Make sure to compare tuition fees of state universities and private colleges. If you plan to send your child to another state, check the rates for state residents which are usually cheaper than those out of state attendees.

As to student loans, it’s important that your child graduates with as little debt as possible. Student loan debts are a huge paralyzer for most young adults when they start their lives after graduating college. Each university has a financial counselor to assist you and your child navigate your way around college education financing. Don’t hesitate to apply for more free money. File an appeal or reconsideration of a scholarship offer. It never hurts to ask.

Immigrants always place a high premium on the value of college education. And rightfully so. We believe that education is a great equalizer and one of the surest ways to get out of poverty. With US education as valuable and as expensive as it is, let’s make sure that we and our children have the right resources to achieving that dream.