Being A First-gen College Student

Education is an indicator of many social factors. As compared to individuals with a high school diploma, a college degree can evidently entrust an individual higher wages, a more stable employment, and less dependence on welfare. With that being said, more and more people are eager to fight against the struggle of attaining higher education. Unfortunately, the U.S. labor market constantly demands higher education in order to satisfy the sharp rising economy. As a result, the gap between the middle-class and the lower-class continues to emerge.

Attainment of higher education becomes challenging mainly because of its horrendous costs and lack of resources. These minutiae factors, despite of it being challenging for many lower-income students, prove to be even more challenging to immigrant students, let alone for first-generation college students from immigrant families. Although immigration status does not appear to prevent people from accessing higher level education, there are still barriers that remain largely concealed.

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey of 2011, approximately one of eight U.

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S. residents are immigrants and thirty percent of these immigrants are considered low-income U.S. residents (Stella and Sandy, Students in Immigrant Families 173). Also, one third of the students enrolled in post-secondary institutions are first-generation college students, and about thirty three percent of them are from immigrant families (Emily et. al 2). I am representing first-generation college students in immigrant families. Allow me to walk you through the difficulties we had to face, and still continue to face. Being part of this minority, I felt that there are complex threats to our potential educational success this includes economic difficulties, insufficient support, and cultural capital issues.

As we all know, it is now more urgent than ever to attain higher education because we are slowly running out of jobs that requires actual labor. In the near future, for example, we will not need actual teachers anymore. We have Youtube, Google, and online teaching sites like Khan Academy. Another example is in a hospital environment, the care nurses provide are slowly being replaced by technology. Though these improvements are helping the economy progress faster and more efficiently, social classes are emerging faster, making the cost of living unaffordable for people in low-income families. And as discussed earlier, these first-generation college students in immigrant families are often from the lower-class.

As of 2004, average cost of attendance for nonworking poor averages from $10,048, while $9,027 for working poor, and $7,836 for working nonpoor. Given these needs, Expected Family Contribution (EFC) for the nonworking poor averages to about $774, $900 for working poor, and $13,534 for working nonpoor. Thus, the average remaining need after EFC and total aids for nonworking poor drops to $5,940, $3,899 for working poor, and $958 for working nonpoor. (FIND AUTHOR FOR NONWORKING BLAVLA PACKET 19). This means that low-income students are needed to work extra hours, attend school, balance their social life and/or sacrifice their social life, and care for their physical and mental health. For the working poor, working itself makes it difficult to allot time and energy needed to improve their skills to, eventually, help them move into better paying jobs. Clearly, these low-income students do not have the same level of opportunity to enhance their education and improve their situation as compared to students whose parents have the ability to provide their children financial support. It is a constant fight against the growing economy.

(RAUL)

Besides the economic difficulties, cultural capital issues are another cause of delay to their potential success. Some examples for cultural capital includes knowledge, skills, and education. Immigrants often come for the opportunity; however, they have to face unfortunate confrontations from social and cultural differences. In addition to this, immigrants, today, are belittled. In a recent press conference, Donald Trump spoke of his complains about the danger immigrants bring to the United States. “We have people coming into the country or trying to come in, we're stopping a lot of them, but we're taking people out of the country. You wouldn't believe how bad these people are', Trump said. This is inaccurate. Immigrant crime rates are far lower than crimes committed by those who are born here (Steve Cohen, 2018).

Racism, microaggression, and xenophobia are a few of many reasons why these students feel discouraged. Coming from a different country, some groups of immigrants come to the U.S. with low levels of education. With this, comes the lack of ability to speak the native language; which plays a vital role in their ability to cope with the unfamiliar society. These are just a few of the many struggles that immigrants face. And on top of that, being a first-gen college student from an immigrant family does not make anything better either. Lack of familiarity with the U.S. post-secondary education system is a barrier for immigrants, especially for those whose parents do not speak sufficient English. Understanding or better yet, applying for financial aid or college itself is very complex, even for those whose parents are native speakers and college graduates. It is far more difficult for those who do not speak proficient English, even for the very few who are fluent themselves.

(Denise)

“Sometimes, the pressure to identify short-term solutions under pressure can result in overly-simplified approaches that inhibit the potential positive effects that counseling center treatment has to offer” says Ben Locke, senior director of Penn State Counseling and Psychological Services, and executive director of the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH). First-gen college students in immigrant families are pioneers of higher education in their families. Because of this, they experience constant pressure, both externally and internally. Competition amongst peers and family discouragements are just two of many factors of external pressure, thus causing, internal pressure due to the overwhelming desire to satisfy their expectations.

The idea of nepotism, the favoring of relatives or friends by giving them the likelihood for admissions, is a perfect example for this. Four-year institutions like Yale University, who asks their alumnae for donations to their school, are the same institutions that asks who you know that went to that institution on surveys. Do you ever wonder why? I strongly believe that it is because they are likely to get admitted if their parents give tons of donations. Which, in fact, are likely to be from the Caucasian race. This gives first-gen students in immigrant families the disadvantage. It is stressful. Everyone seems to be two or three steps ahead of us. It discourages us to even consider higher level of education! I wish I had the same support as everyone else. Where do I go when I need help? What are my options? What do I need to help myself improve? To be on the same level as these students whose parents serve as instruction manuals about what, where, and when I need to do things?

Like I said, I am a first-generation college student in a low-income immigrant family. I emigrated from the Philippines about four years ago. While I am not a native speaker, I had to force myself learn to speak English fluently. People made fun of my accent. Fortunately, my mom, who is the only relative my older brother and I have in the U.S., can speak sufficient English. Though I am provided with emotional support, she lacks an adequate understanding about the U.S. educational system. She also is unable to help me financially. My EFC is exactly one hundred dollars, and that can barely pay for my transportation. I do not blame her but I just have to push a little more harder.

This Fall 2018, along with taking twenty academic units, I am also a student-athlete. I pursue my career in water polo in order to be more competitive as I apply to a university level schooling, and somehow make friends. On top of that, I am also working two jobs in order to support my basic necessities; but there is very little room for school expenses. In all honesty, I am tired, stressed, and emotionally unstable trying to keep up with everyone else. It hurts to think that everyone seems to be two steps ahead of me. I fear that I am not doing enough. Recently, my coach sent me a text saying I have the drive and determination in and out of the pool to be a strong athlete. I was proud of myself. However, my family constantly asks why I want to pursue Neuroscience, my desired major, “when you can just be a nurse, you’re wasting your time” they all say. So am I even doing the right thing? Put yourself in my shoes. What would you do?

Some people say being a first-generation college student in immigrant families makes it easier to get into colleges. No it is not! One, most of us want to attend college to help our families financially, and give ourselves the opportunity that our parents did not have. Second, it is hard enough that we have to work extra hard to try understanding the society we are not well familiar with, but in addition to this, there are discouragements from the government system itself. And lastly, we do not get the support as compared to students whose parents went to college. I have questions that I do not know who to get answers from. “That’s why you have counselors” some might say. But counselors rush through hundreds of students everyday, often they can only help with what classes I should take. Sometimes, I even feel like they just read me what they see on their screen and go.

It is not the end of the world being first-generation college students from immigrant families; but it is a barrier that can easily be overlooked. It is beyond the reach of this paper to fully explain every single issues that exists. However, As a student, I try to write about the things I know the most. It is me against economic difficulties, cultural capital issues, and insufficient support. I am not the first to ever be in this situation. Despite all discouraging circumstances, these students refused to give up on their dreams. I refuse to give up on mine. Like them, I hope that nothing can defeat me. Micheal Phelps, an olympic swimmer, once said, “If you want to be the best, you have to do what other people aren’t willing to do”.