An Article Published By Arthur C. Brooks, A Writer For

In “Undocumented students’ Access to College: The American Dream Denied,” Chavez, Soriano and Olivia (2007) have stated that millions of students who live in United States are undocumented immigrants; most of them come to U.S at a very young age. They completed their high school and achieved great academic success, some of them even got admitted by well know universities. From 2002 onwards , Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) , authorized by the late Marco Antonio Firebaugh , allows any student who has completed three years high school, and received a high school diploma or equivalent in California, regardless of their immigration status, are legally allowed to attend colleges and universities (Chavez,Soriano and Oliverez 256).Even though they are eligible to apply and be admitted to universities, but they are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid, without the help of financial aid, it is extremely difficult for them to afford tuition. In this case, it severely limits undocumented student’s chances for upward mobility.

There is always that one student that has a strong work ethic and when things get exacerbated they keep working and just do not quit. These students are students who are eager to learn who want succeed, but when it comes to the end of their high school career, what happens? There are approximately 65,000 young adults that are undocumented and graduate each year from high school ( “The DREAM Act Immigration Access to Higher Education.”). These students want to achieve something prominent for themselves they have the grades and the qualifications so that they can attend college. The main obstacle standing in their way is citizenship or residency. This complication prohibits them from being able to apply for government

Among other names, like their latin names and the regular name( Oaks), mighty oaks are a haven for many organisms. Those organisms include: squirrels, raccoons, spiders, black bears, mountain lions, and bobcats. I’m going to talk about the relationships between these animals and the things that happen during the mighty oak’s life span.

Many undocumented citizens graduate high school or obtain a GED diploma, but cannot apply to college or even obtain employment legally due to their status. Even if a student can be enrolled in college, valuable and necessary services such as financial aid will not be available to them because they are undocumented. This most often results in sending this person back to their home country, otherwise known as

(Wise 179) Meritocracy is the idea that those who have made it to the top of the power structure done so by hard work and talent. If someone were to fail it is their own fault for being lazy and not trying hard enough. The reality is that this is not at all true, there are many obstacles, no matter how determined you are there will always be an obstacle. We do like to believe that we are in control of what happens in our lives, it is empowering unlike the belief that there are systematic restraints that block opportunities for

The racial income gap illustrates that the United States is not a meritocracy society. A meritocracy society would be an area where everyone no matter what color or background they are from have the chance to succeed based on their own ability. Although it is certainly appealing and a magnificent way of viewing our society, in reality no society can ever truly function as a meritocracy and therefore having no control at birth and the environment where we grow up, and who we get surrounded with puts major races, especially in the United States in disadvantage, a country that is far from meritocratic compared to other nation.

This paper exposes the urgency to implement an immigration reform that would eliminate educational and occupational barriers to millions of undocumented students that want to pursue a postsecondary education. The information in this research examines the impact undocumented students may have in society and the economy of this country. There are thousands of undocumented students that graduate high school every year and have no opportunities to pursue a higher education degree, thus increasing the chances of poverty in this country, increase in unemployment and a serious negative shift in the economy. Given the increase role

Approximately 200,000 to 225,000 undocumented immigrants enroll in American institutions of higher education and represent 2 percent of all students in college (Suarez-Orozco, Katsiaficas, Birchall, Alcantar, & Hernandez, 2015). Undocumented students have low rates of enrollment to programs of higher education in comparison to documented students. When undocumented students begin college, they go through struggles to adapt and assimilate to college life. As a result of feeling disconnected to the campus they attend, undocumented students may look for different options for support, such as clubs and centers offered for students. In recent years, there have been legal changes set in place to support the success of undocumented students enrolled in higher education, which include in state tuition, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities. These changes have given undocumented students more choices and access to

This paper will try to explain the variety of hardships many Mexican-American students endure in hopes to gain a higher education. Many are driven by the “American Dream”, which is the idea that individuals living in the U.S. have the equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and abilities. The American Dream often motivates foreigners to enter the United States illegally, hoping for that “equal opportunity” to success. However, not everyone living in the U.S. has equal opportunities, compared to native-born American citizens. This is why it can be difficult for Mexican-American students to attend colleges and universities. A higher education is difficult to obtain for Mexican-American students because of their low socioeconomic status, their differing cultural and structural characteristics, and the social and political institutions in our current society. Although this paper does not focus on the educational opportunities in Mexico, this paper will mostly focus on the educational system in the United States, particularly California State University, San Bernardino. In addition, this paper will refer to Mexican-American students as first-generation college students.

First generation immigrants face many issues while they are in the public education system, but their issues are greater when they decide to continue their schooling. The access to higher education for first generation immigrants is limited. The biggest concern for them is the affordability of post secondary education. Immigrants

It can always be nice to imagine that you can go from very poor to very rich but in America, that’s not the case. According to a recent study, 70% of those born in low income families remained in the lower income bracket. Out of the remaining 30%, only 24% reached middle-class or upper- class and 4% rose to become high income earners (Hargreaves). Now, it is very difficult for people born into the lower class to rise up to the middle or upper class. These people that do successfully rise up have to have certain characteristics. 53% were college graduates, 50% were two income families, 35% were white, and 34% did not experience unemployment (Hargreaves). Most people in low- income families cannot afford college and student loans. This makes them less likely to become part of the middle class. Poor people do not have the resources to strive and become part of the other social classes. Overall, it is becoming more and more difficult for low- income families to become part of the middle class.

The middle class usually does not fare any better in America. The middle class, like the poor minorities, do not usually move up from their current position. This is a problem for those of color. It is no secret that black or minorities are more likely to suffer in an American economy. “ Just as striking,however, is the fact that black children born into middle-quintile families are also twice as likely to be downwardly mobile as middle income whites ” (Reeves). Blacks are at a disadvantage in this country when it comes to upward mobility. Whites on average are doing a lot better than other races with an “average of 57,009”(Perlberg). Blacks are even behind in income. “Large racial and gender gaps in the U.S. remain, even as they have narrowed in some cases over the years. Among full- and part-time workers in the U.S., blacks in 2015 earned just 75% as much as whites in median hourly earnings and women earned 83% as much as men”(Patten). The gap between whites and minorities in America keep the dream farther and farther away. Since the middle class can 't grow it means that in the end the American is a stretch.

The social class one is born into, more often than not dictates the social class they will belong to as an adult. There have been studies done in regards to social mobility, which greatly supports the concept that social class further promotes inequality, for 40% of individuals, born into either the top or bottom as infants, will remain there throughout their adult life. The stagnant nature of economic mobility, is only further worsened by absolute mobility. Those who begin impoverished are disadvantaged from the start and even with an increase of income, they most likely will remain in their same social class, for most people with time have an increase in overall income, and yet the relative increase remains stagnant, for all

The myth of meritocracy has been proven true in multiply sources. Studies have hypothesized this before when relating to upward mobility. Upward mobility in the last forty years has been more and more unlikely for years and years now. Factors like race, socioeconomic status, household makeup, and economic conditions of this country play a big role. I will go more indepth about this study by showing more facts in the following paragraphs.

Secondary education is a highly debated subject. Many critics of secondary education say that inner-city high schools and students are not receiving the same attention as students from non inner-city high schools. Two of the biggest concerns are the lack of school funding that inner-city high schools are receive and the low success rate in sending inner-city high schools graduates to college. Critics say that while inner-city high schools struggle to pay its teachers and educate its student’s non inner-city high schools don’t have to deal with the lack of school funding. Also students from non inner-city high school are not being given the opportunity to attend colleges once the