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Story time, to bring another perspective. When I was in high school, and it was time to choose colleges, I had a particular challenge. As an immigrant to the U

Story time, to bring another perspective. When I was in high school, and it was time to choose colleges, I had a particular challenge. As an immigrant to the US, I had a legal immigrant status that was unconventional. Additionally, my family has come to the country just 5 years prior, and it was tough to pay for brand name cereal, let alone college tuition. Federal financial aid, including loans, is not available to everyone. It was unclear whether my family met those criteria. Our immigrant status was rarely encountered. I was told that likely I would not be able to get any financial aid. The prospect of paying $20k-$30k per year worried my head hunched over a bowl of no-name ringo-o’s. I chose not to apply to any top schools because of my financial situation. Without federal assistance the cost would be even higher. I felt that I needed to balance my ability to pay with all other choices that go into a life plan. Who knows if I would have been accepted. I did not even try because I was told that federal financial aid would not be available to me. This ended up being not true and I got federal financial aid after all. I learned this after I already sent in my applications. But not to MIT and Stanford, my dream schools. I ended up going to RIT. It was cold and I found a new appreciation for brick architecture. My life is fine. I do occasionally think about what would have been had I heard “You have access to federal student loans” when I was choosing where to apply. Would such a proposed bill cause more kids who are not well off to not even apply if they knew federal financial aid would not help them pay for certain schools? My situation was odd and rare, but this would place many more kids in a similar dilemma. On the bright side, if such a law passes, less wealthy colleges will get access to more top-tier applicants, and that is what equality is all about, right?

LeafItAlone 3y ago
> I had a legal immigrant status that was unconventional. > It was unclear whether my family met those criteria. Firstly: I’m sorry that your high school and the system seems to have failed you here. A guidance counselor office (or similar) should have been either already knowledgeable in this area or able to figure it out. What was unconventional about your immigration status?
- koliber 3y ago
  No reason to be sorry. Things turned out quite well. I rarely share sad stories but this one provides a perspective that may be valuable for the conversation. Re rare immigration status: my family entered the US in 1990 as “indefinitely paroled.” A single stamp in the passport was all we had to show for it. Supposedly only a few hundred people came in similar circumstances. Eventually this status got normalized through some legislation and now I am a US citizen. I can share more in private if you are curious. So I don’t think the system failed me. There is no way that a guidance counselor would have know this, if lawyers were perplexed. Looking at it from another perspective and a wider view, the system worked well because it gave my family a chance to emigrate to the US. There are many ways to look at the past. Road not taken and all. It’s good to take a moment how our decisions today might play out.
tzs 3y ago
Nowadays most top schools would provide a financial aid package to someone from a family in that situation ("tough to pay for brand name cereal") that requires no family contribution and probably doesn't require loans. Stanford for example does not charge tuition if your family income is under $150k/year and family assets are typical for that income level. Under $100k/year and they don't charge for room and board.
- koliber 3y ago
  Perhaps back then it was also the case, but I did not know it. For me getting accepted and not being able to pay was the most terrifying prospect. Knowing what I know now, I would have gone about it a different way. Good advice for kids who don't get it from other places is wonderful.

LeafItAlone 3y ago

> I had a legal immigrant status that was unconventional. > It was unclear whether my family met those criteria. Firstly: I’m sorry that your high school and the system seems to have failed you here. A guidance counselor office (or similar) should have been either already knowledgeable in this area or able to figure it out. What was unconventional about your immigration status?

koliber 3y ago
No reason to be sorry. Things turned out quite well. I rarely share sad stories but this one provides a perspective that may be valuable for the conversation. Re rare immigration status: my family entered the US in 1990 as “indefinitely paroled.” A single stamp in the passport was all we had to show for it. Supposedly only a few hundred people came in similar circumstances. Eventually this status got normalized through some legislation and now I am a US citizen. I can share more in private if you are curious. So I don’t think the system failed me. There is no way that a guidance counselor would have know this, if lawyers were perplexed. Looking at it from another perspective and a wider view, the system worked well because it gave my family a chance to emigrate to the US. There are many ways to look at the past. Road not taken and all. It’s good to take a moment how our decisions today might play out.

tzs 3y ago

Nowadays most top schools would provide a financial aid package to someone from a family in that situation ("tough to pay for brand name cereal") that requires no family contribution and probably doesn't require loans. Stanford for example does not charge tuition if your family income is under $150k/year and family assets are typical for that income level. Under $100k/year and they don't charge for room and board.

koliber 3y ago
Perhaps back then it was also the case, but I did not know it. For me getting accepted and not being able to pay was the most terrifying prospect. Knowing what I know now, I would have gone about it a different way. Good advice for kids who don't get it from other places is wonderful.