Thread: For IA students, applying to college is an uphill battle

For undocumented immigrant students, applying to college is an uphill battle


BY Erica Pearson
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, February 2nd 2011, 4:00 AM


The New York State Youth Leadership Council advises undocumented students on their options for applying to college.

For some undocumented high school kids, the first step to getting into college is realizing they are allowed to apply.

"My guidance counselor said, 'Oh, my God. You can't go to college. That's it,'" said Sonia Guinansaca, who came to Harlem from Ecuador when she was 5.

She applied anyway, bonding with the other five other illegal immigrants in her class at Frederic Douglass Academy.

"We said, 'We're not going to give up,'" she said.

The experience led Guinansaca, now a 21-year-old Hunter College senior, to start a new mentoring program with the nonprofit New York State Youth Leadership Council.

More than a dozen students gathered for help last week - just under the wire before Tuesday's CUNY deadline.

Orlando, 17, a senior at Urban Assembly New York Harbor School and an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, said he's overwhelmed and isn't able to get help at home in Ridgewood, Queens.

"My mother, she only made it to the ninth grade," said Orlando, who only gave his first name.

Goddard Riverside Community Center has started hosting seminars for counselors on immigrants and college so that talented students among the estimated 10,000 undocumented kids that graduate from city schools every year don't fall through the cracks.

One of the biggest hurdles is fear. "A lot of times students don't apply," said Donna Gill, a student records specialist at Hunter. "They don't want to be identified. That's a scary process."

Some states have banned undocumented immigrants from enrolling in public colleges, saying that they shouldn't benefit from public funds.

New York is one of 10 states to allow these kids in-state tuition. But there are many other limitations. Many private universities classify undocumented kids as international students and turn down those who can't pay.

They also don't qualify for federal loans, grants or work study. There are lots of private scholarships out there, but many require federal papers designed to be filed online with a Social Security number. Students need to know to request a paper version.

For Orlando, the personal application questions were the toughest. He doesn't usually talk about his legal status. But in the end, he decided to write his essay about crossing the border at age 12 because the mother he had never met in New York wanted him here with her.

"This is my life," he said. "So I wrote about it."

epearson@nydailynews.com

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/edu ... z1CuTfmCwl

Sorry but two wrongs (parents) does not make one right. So Sad, Too Bad.

Illegal is Illegal - We have a $6,000,000,000 budget deficit here in Minnesota, the santuary state. NO PUBLIC funds should be used to support ILLEGALS.

It is hard enough for families to have legal citizens get into college, let alone find work for college students because entry level jobs are filled by illegals - remember Chipoltes. The local community colleges are filled to the brim and non-citizens should not be given equal access. I know this from attending myself and competing for limited degree program access.

Regards.

you have college In Mexico . so go back to mexico why it not free bee & we can Not afford Our Kid to got to college . you don;t like your life well go Back to mexico . I don't feel sorry for any of you

No Amnesty

[quote="Ratbstard"]For undocumented immigrant students, applying to college is an uphill battle


There is a much gentler hill to climb: the one that leads back to your home country.

very well said Millere
no amnesty