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A GUIDE TO SUCCESS FOR FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS:
UNA GUÍA AL ÉXITO PARA ESTUDIANTES DE PRIMERA GENERACIÓN
A Project
Presented to the faculty of the Graduate and Professional Studies in Education
California State University, Sacramento
Submitted in partial satisfaction of
the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
in
Education
(Multicultural Education)
by
Paulina T. Salceda
SPRING
2013
© 2013
Paulina T. Salceda
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ii
A GUIDE TO SUCCESS FOR FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS:
UNA GUÍA AL ÉXITO PARA ESTUDIANTES DE PRIMERA GENERACIÓN
A Project
by
Paulina T. Salceda
Approved by:
__________________________________, Advisor
Maria Mejorado, Ph. D.
____________________________
Date
iii
Student: Paulina T. Salceda
I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University
format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to
be awarded for the project.
__________________________, Graduate Coordinator ___________________
Susan Heredia, Ph.D.
Date
Graduate and Professional Studies in Education
iv
Abstract
of
A GUIDE TO SUCCESS FOR FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS:
UNA GUÍA AL ÉXITO PARA ESTUDIANTES DE PRIMERA GENERACIÓN
by
Paulina T. Salceda
The purpose of this project is to create a handbook that provides access to resources
that will facilitate the college going process for first generation college students and their
parents. The handbook is written in both Spanish and English in order to provide ease of
use and access to Spanish-speaking parents. The handbook serves as an accessible tool
for both students and parents to use that will help make college success a reality. A
college dream is possible for all students and there are several ways to achieve one’s
educational goals. This handbook will serve as the bridge and help demystify college for
first-generation college students and their parents.
_______________________, Advisor
Maria Mejorado, Ph.D.
_______________________
Date
v
DEDICATION
Le dedico este triunfo a mi familia; a mis padres, mi hermana, y mis hermanos.
Mom and Dad: Gracias por traerme a este mundo y por brindarme la fortaleza y las raíces
para ser exitosa. Mis triunfos son sus triunfos. Los quiero mucho.
Mary: Thank you for paving the way and showing us that the grass is greener on the other
side. I know it wasn’t easy but you did it. You’re our family’s trailblazer and a reminder
of The American Dream. Ramon: Thank you for always being there for me and giving
me the inspiration to complete this degree. You’re such a great role model. Pepe: Thank
you for always making school seem easy and seamless. You taught me that anything can
get done, even last minute.
Lastly, I dedicate this project to my husband, Jose. Thank you for all your support
and inspiration during these last two years. You’ve been there for me since the beginning
of this journey and I thank you for encouraging me when I needed it the most. I love you.
Nobody said it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am thankful for my advisor, Prof. Maria Mejorado, for her support and guidance
throughout the writing of this project. You have been such an inspiration for my work
and it was truly an honor working with you. ¡Gracias!
I would also like to thank Prof. Albert Lozano for all the wisdom gained
throughout my years of study in the BMED department at CSUS. You are the reason I am
graduating today as a proud BMED’er! I will never forget your motto: “No llores”.
Si Se Pudo!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Dedication.................................................................................................................... vi
Acknowledgements.................................................................................................... vii
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………….. 1
Purpose of the Project .................................................................................... 14
Limitations ..................................................................................................... 16
Terms and Definitions .................................................................................... 17
Summary ……………………………………………………………………..18
2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ...................................................................... 19
Parent Involvement......................................................................................... 21
Academic Preparedness .................................................................................. 23
Educational Aspirations …………………………………………………….. 25
3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 29
4. GUIDE TO SUCCESS FOR FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS:
UNA GUÍA AL ÉXITO PARA ESTUDIANTES DE PRIMERA GENERACIÓN.... 31
References................................................................................................................... 54
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1
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
To do well in school was instilled in me at an early age in order to become
“someone”. I never quite knew who that “someone” might become but one thing was
certain: I knew I had to work hard, get good grades in school, go to college, and pursue a
career. As a child I experienced the financial hardships my family had endured in order to
establish themselves in this country, which served to motivate me to work even harder. It
all started when my grandfather, Alfonso Salceda, first came to work in the United States
during the Bracero Program in the early 1940s. The Bracero Program (1942-1964) was a
set of agreements between the United States and Mexico. It offered legal contracts for
Mexican laborers to legally work in the U.S on a temporary basis. This innovative
program started due to a shortage of workers in the United States during World War II, at
a time when there was a high demand for manual labor, as men were needed as soldiers.
My grandfather was one of 30 agricultural workers from his hometown of
Chavinda, Michoacán, Mexico, who were the first to be offered a temporary contract
through the Bracero Program to work in the United States. Upon his arrival to the U.S.,
my grandfather worked in Michigan, Illinois, and ultimately settled in the state of
California. While in Michigan, my grandfather worked harvesting melons. Soon after
completing his time in the Bracero Program, my grandfather then migrated to Illinois,
where relatives from our hometown lived. There he worked for the railroad, laying tracks
and lived in a railroad car the company provided as housing for their employees. After
the work on the railroad tracks ended, my grandfather made his final trek to the state of
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California. Once in the “Golden State”, my grandfather became a migrant worker who
followed and harvested the seasonal crops as they ripened. His home base was Fresno,
California where he lived for four years and harvested grapes sold as table grapes and in
local wineries that produced wine. After the grape harvest ended, my grandfather
migrated to Visalia, just a few miles south of Fresno during the months of November and
December to harvest oranges. During the summer months, July and August, he would
migrate north 40 miles in search of work to Madera, California. He worked in Madera for
2 months each year, harvesting grapes and peaches. In all, the various types of
employments my grandfather was offered, in the fields and working on the railroad
tracks, was very laborious and physically draining and needless to say, low paying.
My grandfather’s goal while working in the United States was to save money to
send home to his family in Mexico. However, the seasonal jobs and constant search for
work did not generate enough money to send back to his family in Mexico as he
continued to face financial difficulties. For this reason, my grandfather asked that my
father, his oldest son, join him to work in California. At the time, my father was attending
middle school in Zamora, Michoacán and was only able to complete a few months of
schooling at the middle school level before immigrating to the United States.
My father’s mother played the traditional role of staying at home to take care of
the children, unemployed, and therefore my grandfather was the sole provider for the
family. My father first came to the U.S. on August 9th, 1963. When my dad arrived in San
Jose, California, my grandfather was working at a nursery. They stayed in San Jose for a
week and then moved to Fresno to work in the fields picking grapes. Alongside my
3
grandfather, my father worked in both Fresno and Madera, California. However, it was
not until 1962 that my grandfather was able to apply for legal residency and was granted
a visa that allowed him to reside in the United States legally. Over thirty years later, both
my mother and father became U.S. citizens in June of 1995.
Hearing the stories of hardships my grandfather and father endured while working
in the United States, made me appreciate their immigrant journey that much more. My
father recounts stories of working long hours in the drenching heat, working seasonal
jobs, with no stable housing, and having to follow migratory patterns to work in the
seasonal crops that needed to be harvested at the time. I recall vivid memories of my
father arriving home late after his long hours in the fields, and seeing him dirty and tired.
Despite working long and hard, he never lost hope in a better future for his children. I
recall him saying to my siblings and I, “Si no quieren trabajar en el fil como yo, entonces
tienen que ir a la escuela” (If you don’t want to work in the fields like me, then you have
to go to school). I often felt that the physical act of his four children going to school
every day was enough for my father to feel rewarded for the hardships of moving to a
new country.
My grandfather’s work cycles in the U.S. were very difficult for his family he had
to leave behind and could only return to see them every two years. Thus, his absence in
Mexico affected the family in various ways as my grandmother raised my father and his
two sisters alone. Their interactions with their father were very limited. As the oldest, my
father’s interactions with his father were equally limited and he was never able to
establish a close bond with him as a child because of his father’s long absences. My
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grandfather’s migration patterns of working in the United States and visiting Mexico
every 2 years continued until he retired in 1978. At the time my grandfather retired, my
father was working for Franciscan Winery, in the Napa Valley, bottling wine for three
years and ultimately settled in the Northern region of California.
My parents both grew up in the same hometown, Chavinda, Michoacán, Mexico.
While they were dating, my father continued to immigrate alongside his father to work in
the U.S. and would communicate with my mother via hand-written letters. At the time,
my mother was working as a nurse at the local Health Center that had just been
inaugurated. My mother began working at the Health Center at age 16 to age 19, and was
also helping her father with his local telegram business in Mexico. My mother never
envisioned leaving her hometown or family behind in Mexico. While in Mexico, she
would hear stories of friends and neighbors who migrated to the U.S. and my mother
claims to always have rejected the notion of leaving her family for the thought of finding
work in a country so far away from her loved ones. However, this all changed when she
married my father on February 3rd, 1973 in Chavinda, Michoacán. Although they wed in
Mexico, my parents migrated to the U.S. together for the first time on September 19th,
1975. My mother was the first in her family to leave Mexico and start a new life in the
United States.
Upon arrival to California, my parents established our family in the Napa Valley.
My father worked for Robert Mondavi Winery for 16 years and ultimately retired from
Mondavi Winery in 2003. My mother began her first part-time job in the U.S. in 1979 in
an English-as-a Second Language (ESL) program through the County that offered
5
employees the opportunity to attend a daily 4-hour class to learn English, followed by a
4-hour workday at the local Napa State Hospital. On November 1st, 1988 my mother
began working for the State of California as a nurse assistant at the Veteran’s Home of
California in Yountville, California. She ultimately retired early, due to a job related
disability, from the Veteran’s Home in 2003.
Like many families, my parents wanted something better for their children and
migrated to the U.S. in search of the “American Dream”. However, the journey, thought
to be full of promise and employment opportunities, was not picture perfect. Upon
migrating to the United States, my parents were forced to leave their families behind,
move to a city where they knew no one, and live in a ranch with no television, no radio,
no crib for my sister to sleep in, nor enough chairs for all to sit. My father had left behind
his mother and two sisters to join my grandfather, while my mother was the first in her
family to migrate to the United States and left behind both parents and her seven siblings.
Nonetheless, my parents knew that the educational and employment opportunities for
themselves and their children would be worth the risk of migration.
Both my father and mother completed the equivalency of a sixth grade education
in Mexico. They, like many immigrants, transcended physical, linguistic, and cultural
boundaries so their children could have the opportunity to a quality education. They
sacrificed the lifestyles they had in their native Mexico in order to explore new horizons
that would offer their children opportunities they never had. They traveled to the United
States knowing very little to no English and having to adopt a new culture and lifestyle.
My father knew a bit of English, from working with my grandfather, while my mother
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knew no English upon her arrival to the U.S. My parents strived to give us the best by
providing unconditional support and encouragement, for that was all they could offer.
They constantly encouraged us to do our best in school, by making sure we completed
our nightly homework, and would ask about our school day during our nightly family
dinners. Yet despite the fact that my parents did not have access to information regarding
college preparation classes, financial aid and scholarships, nor knew the difference
between community college and the University, they instilled in us the importance of
valuing school and always achieving our goals. Fortunately for me, my three older
siblings were my role models and mentored me through the college-going process and
guided me through the maze of financial aid applications, scholarships, and registration
of classes. Since they had already been through the process, they were able to provide me
with support and guidance along the way.
My parents settled our family in the Napa Valley where my older sister, Mary,
two older brothers, Ramon and Pepe, and I, attended the local schools. My sister was
born in Mexico, whereas my brothers were both born in St. Helena, CA and I was born in
Napa, CA. Both are neighboring cities close to where my father had been working as a
farm worker. However, when I was the age of one, my parents decided it would be best
that my mother and all four children return to Mexico for a short period of time while my
father continued to work and save money in the United States. My parents came to this
decision after quickly realizing how costly it was to raise a large family with young
children in the United States, while earning very little income. My parents calculated that
with the money they had saved while working in the U.S. would be enough for my
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mother and siblings to live comfortably in Mexico for a few years while my father stayed
behind to work, and save his monthly earnings, by living with relatives. My parents’ goal
was to save enough money to put towards a down payment on a home in the United
States. The move to Mexico came about in the summer of 1986 and we returned, ahead of
schedule, in August of 1988 because of my sister Mary, our family’s trailblazer.
Mary was able to finish elementary school, Kinder-6th grade, at a local elementary
school in the Napa Valley. However, it was during the summer after completing 6th grade
that my father announced that we, and without him, would be moving back to Mexico for
a short period of time. At this point my sister, at age 12, knew her “life would change
forever”. She realized that living in Mexico meant the possibility of her going to a
University was very unlikely. In Chavinda, my parent’s hometown in Mexico, the nearest
high school was located 20 miles away from the town of Zamora. In addition, high school
was not free, tuition was required, which my parents would not be able to afford. I credit
our return and permanent stay in the United States to my sister who knew that in order for
her to go to college, she had to attend high school in the U.S. and therefore insisted that
my parents and siblings move back to the United States permanently.
While in Mexico, Mary was very perceptive and understood that women had a
certain role in the community. From the short time we lived there and knowing my
mother’s minimal schooling experience, Mary quickly saw the life trajectory for herself.
Most of the local girls attended public schools through middle school, and then were
expected to take on the role of cooking and cleaning in the household, until she
eventually wed and would leave the house only as a married woman. Very few were able
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to pay the tuition fees and travel 20 miles to attend high school. However, Mary always
challenged a woman’s traditional roles and knew she wanted something different for
herself, something more. At that point, no one in our nuclear and extended family had
ever attended college.
Mary, at age 4, recounts her earliest memory of riding on a Headstart bus, on her
way to preschool, which passed by the fields where my dad and other men were working.
She remembers telling herself, “My parents sacrificed so much that I needed to change
my destiny”. In order to do so, Mary knew at a very young age, that she needed to go to
college. She doesn’t recall a specific time or place in which she made this life changing
decision, but rather credits her college-bound mentality to the accumulation of
challenging experiences and financial hardships, as the oldest in our migrant family that
led her to yearn for something different, something better.
Mary was so determined to return our family back to the United States, to change
our destiny, that she announced to my parents that she would leave to live with relatives
we had in the United States if they did not leave Mexico with her. Initially, my father was
not convinced by the idea of moving the family back so soon. After all, he had not been
able to save enough money to purchase a home at the time and was not financially stable
enough to rent and furnish his own apartment in preparation for his family’s premature
return. After much resistance, my father ultimately understood my sister’s desire to better
herself in a country of opportunity and we finally moved back for the last time in August
of 1988. At the time, I was only a toddler. When we arrived, my father had rented an
unfurnished two-bedroom apartment in Napa. We did not have a table to dine on, nor
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chairs to sit on, or beds to sleep on. Mary, in essence, is the personification of why my
parents first immigrated to the United States. They wanted their children to have
educational opportunities and social mobility that they did not have access to in Mexico.
Ultimately, it was Mary who did not allow the family to lose sight of that American
dream.
The final move to the United States took place during the summer, giving my
siblings time to start the new school year in the fall. During our time in Mexico, Mary
completed middle school and returned to the United States ready to register for high
school. She remembers the day she met with her high school counselor to re-enroll in
school. In reminiscing, Mary smiles as she recalls walking into her high school
counselor’s office and simply yet confidently stating, “I’m going to college so put me in
the classes that I need to get to college”. With the help of her counselor, Mary enrolled in
Algebra, College Prep English, and various Advanced Placement courses needed to
attend a University. School was always her priority and Mary knew she had to work very
hard to get to college. Most importantly, Mary internalized what our parents had instilled
in us: to value school and she had learned to enjoy it.
Mary stood out in high school, as she was the only Latina in several of her Honors
and Advanced Placement classes, including Chemistry and Physics. By taking advanced
classes, Mary thought of her transcript as “building a college resume”. Mary was familiar
with the Career Center on campus and therefore knew she needed a good resume for
when the time came to apply for college. Although she was more determined than ever to
attend college, Mary knew it was expensive. Moreover, Mary knew my parents would be
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unable to provide financial support at a time when they too were struggling to make ends
meet. For this reason, Mary states, “I knew that my ticket to college was through
scholarships”. Mary shares, “My mission was to get into college without asking my
parents for a penny”. She did not want money to be an obstacle on her track to attend
college and therefore she knew ahead of time that if she was able to get good grades in
high school and earn scholarships for her college tuition, money would not be a factor
and therefore, my parents could not say NO to college.
During her freshman year in high school, Mary was establishing friendships and
focusing on her class load. By her sophomore year, Mary was involved in school clubs,
leadership, and extracurricular activities that would help build up her college resume.
However, high school was not easy, academically nor socially. After completing middle
school in Mexico, Mary had lost touch with friends and upon entering a new high school
in the U.S. she had to establish a new network of friends. She admits that fitting in was a
struggle but soon after joining school clubs, she was able to make new friends and
establish new social networks. When the time arrived to apply to college, Mary was able
to earn fee waivers through the Career Center for her college applications and met with
representatives from various universities who were represented at the Career Fair. Mary
narrowed her options and applied to University of California San Diego, University of
California Santa Barbara, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Mary has always had a lot of
self-initiative and during Spring Break of her senior year, she visited all three college
campuses. Much to her surprise, she was accepted to all three Universities. In addition,
Mary was awarded the Regents scholarship, the University of California’s most
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prestigious award only offered to students with outstanding academic records and
personal achievements. She was also awarded the California State University
Chancellor’s Scholarship, combined with the UC Regents scholarship, both paid for all
her entire college tuition. Ultimately she decided to accept the admissions offer from the
University of California at Santa Barbara and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor’s
Degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish.
My brothers, Ramon and Pepe, followed a different route by living at home and
attending the local community college and then transferring to the California State
University system. One transferred to San Francisco State University and San Diego
State University, respectively, in order to finish their coursework focusing on their
educational majors. Needless to say, I as the youngest, had the benefit of strong role
models who offered me options to consider. Following in my sister’s footsteps, I knew I
wanted to go straight to a University after high school and made sure I enrolled in the
classes that would secure the requirements required to attend college. Since my siblings
and I all attended Napa High, as the youngest, many of my high school teachers had also
been my siblings’ teachers. In school I was constantly reminded of the legacy my sister
Mary left at Napa High School. I knew that I needed to work very hard to keep up the
strong college-bound legacy that my siblings had left for me and others to follow. The
school community also reinforced the fact that since my siblings went to college, I was
too.
Although I was determined to go to college at age 18, I did not want to go too far
from home. I wanted to stay closer to home, closer to my family, but still attend a college
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where I could live on my own. I dreamed of the college experience, I wanted to live in
the dorms and meet new friends, just like my sister. I vividly recall the first time I visited
a University campus, at age 7, to visit Mary while she attended UC Santa Barbara. The
campus was beautiful and close to the beach. I immediately fell in love with UC Santa
Barbara. However, I did not like the fact it was 370 miles away from home. Thus we
were not able to see my sister as often as we wished and therefore I decided I did not
want to live far from my parents. For this reason, I chose to attend UC Davis, located
within a 1 hour drive from Napa, therefore it was far enough to live on-campus yet close
enough to visit my family on the weekends.
As a child of immigrant parents, I value and appreciate their sacrifices in order to
establish themselves in a new world, a place for better employment and educational
opportunities. My parents immigrated to the United States in hope of providing their four
children access to something they did not have in their native country of Mexico: a
formal college education. My siblings and I knew it was our job, our duty, to succeed in
school and become professionals as a way of validating our parent’s sacrifices. Giving
back meant doing well in school, earning a college education, having a career of our
choice, and giving back to our community. My parents, along with many others, were not
aware of the college-going process, including the financial assistance that was available
to us, the academic requirements needed to be accepted into a University, nor the time
commitment and dedication that is required to successfully attain a college degree. These
obstacles meant my siblings and I had to work twice as hard to navigate a system that
was unfamiliar and often times intimidating.
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Determined to overcome the challenges presented to us, my siblings and I were
fortunate to attend institutions of higher education and successfully complete our college
degrees. My sister, Mary, attended UC Santa Barbara upon graduating from high school
and received her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish. She
continued and received a Master’s of Arts degree in Counseling from Sacramento State
University. My brother, Ramon, obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from
San Francisco State University and a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Capella
University. My brother, Pepe, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from San
Diego State University and a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Washington State
University.
The journey has not been easy. To this day, my parents are often asked by friends
and family members, “Como le hicieron?” (How did you do it?) The question asked
almost in disbelief, is directed at my parents who despite having a minimal education
have four children who graduated from different Universities in California. We did so by
having parents who were able to instill the importance of an education and to their
children who in turn worked hard and were resourceful enough to earn a college degree.
The more I started to internalize the comment over the years, “Como le hicieron?” I
began to question why these individuals were unable to say the same about their own
children. What was holding back the aspirations and dreams of other first-generation
students from going to college? Did they not want to attend college? If so, why not? Did
they not know what to do in order to attend college? All these questions have lingered in
my head for many years and eventually lead to the development of this project: “A
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Handbook for First-Generation College Students and their Parents”. Due to my personal
experience as a first-generation college student, although not the first among my siblings,
I understand the hardships one must endure in preparation for the college-going process.
Now, as a bilingual teacher in the same community in which I grew up, I work with many
immigrant children and their parents. I hope this project will provide the tools needed to
ease the transition and intimidation for first generation college students and their parents
that often come with planning and pursuing a college career.
Purpose of the Project
The purpose of creating a handbook for first-generation college students and their
parents is to provide a resource that can be used to defy the dismal state and national
statistics of low college attendance by Latinos and serve as a guide to help inform them
about different resources and steps that will provide access to institutions of higher
education. The project will serve as a bridge, between parents who are new to the
college-going process and the actualization of attending college for their children. The
handbook will serve as a tool for students and parents alike, in hopes of bringing forth the
knowledge that is often left out of conversations between first-generation college
students, their families and their schools. The thought of applying for, and ultimately
attending college, can be overwhelming and often intimidating. Some students simply
miss important deadlines and more problematic are those who have never considered
college for themselves or who are discouraged from applying to college by others. My
hope is that this handbook can provide the tools that would address these challenges
throughout the college going process.
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The project will include information on the wide range of educational institutions of
higher education and how they work together. Key to this component of the project is
The California Master Plan of Education that was signed into law in 1960 by Governor
Edmund G. Brown. According to the Master Plan, the functions of community colleges
were to serve as an essential component for students to transfer to a State University or a
University of California. The Master Plan further describes the UC and CSU systems as
being able to establish a lower division to upper division ratio of 40:60 in order to
provide transfer opportunities into the upper division for community college students.
The goal of the Master Plan was for the UC and CSU systems to enroll at least one
community college transfer student for each two freshmen enrolled. The plan also
ensured that all eligible California Community College transfer students would be
provided a place in the upper division and would be given priority over freshmen in the
admissions process. However, the reality is different. First-generation college students
are more than twice as likely to leave a 4-year institution before their second year (Choy,
2001).
The difference between a University of California (UC), a California State
University (CSU), a Community College, Vocational, and Trade schools and the GED
will be explained in the handbook. In addition, given that many immigrant families do
not know how the American educational system works, it is critical to describe high
school graduation requirements, such as the A-G high school college preparation courses,
the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), along with corresponding academic
units required to earn a high school diploma. In addition, the handbook will provide
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resources and guidelines to apply for financial aid and describe the differences with other
financial resources that are available, such as scholarships, work-study, grants and loans.
The handbook will offer practical tips and strategies that first-generation college students
and their parents will be able to use to gain access to their dreams and aspirations. There
will also be a section on “Most frequently asked questions”. My hopes are that the
handbook becomes an interactive, easy to use, and effective tool for parents and students
alike.
Limitations
A possible limitation of the project could be that all students referred to in the
project may be defined by their parents’ education. These individual students could have
older siblings who attended college and may not define themselves as first-generation,
but like me, technically they are. This could be a limitation because their experiences
may vary and therefore could have strategies or obstacles that are unique to their college
experience and not to that of all first-generation college students.
Another limitation of the study could include the vast differences that exist among
first-generation groups of individuals. Some of the strategies that will be provided in the
handbook might not be applicable to all first-generation college students or perhaps some
families have already fulfilled some strategies.
Despite these limitations, the handbook can be adapted to guide students in the
various stages of the college-going process and can benefit families who are given access
to resources that are needed to be successful in college.
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Terms and Definitions
To ensure a clear understanding, the terms that are used in the project will be defined
below.
At-risk students: Students who are identified as being at-risk is usually due to the
following contributing factors: low socio economic status, parents low educational levels,
underrepresented or belonging to a systematically disenfranchised group of people.
Bracero Program: The Bracero Program was a guest worker program that ran
between the years of 1942 and 1964. The Bracero Program was a series of laws and
diplomatic agreements, initiated in August 1942, for the importation of temporary
contract laborers from Mexico to the United States.
First-generation students: Students whose parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have not
completed a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university in the United States.
Latino: Residing in the U.S. but ethnic/national roots are that of Mexico or any
part of Latin America.
Socio-economic status: A measure of an individual or family’s relative economic
and social ranking.
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Summary
The remainder of the project will focus on providing visual aids and graphic
organizers to ease understanding of concepts that may seem difficult to grasp. Some
examples that will be included are the Educational Pipeline, employment variations
depending on levels of college degrees, and a list of the institutions of higher education in
California. The project will also include handouts that can be photocopied and duplicated
to be used as a resource for group presentations. My hope is that by providing visuals and
graphic organizers, parents and students alike will treat the handbook as a friendly tool
that can be interactive and resourceful, not abstract or intimidating. This handbook will
also be accessible to teachers and counselors who would be interested in presenting this
type of information at parent meetings or sharing during daily interactions with students.
I will also be able to use the project with the families of my students whom I teach, as
well as the community at large.
19
Chapter 2
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
The literature review will provide the foundation for the work I will be doing in
the handbook for first-generation college students and their parents. A first-generation
college student refers to students whose parents did not attend college in the United
States and therefore are going through the college-going process for the first time. This
experience can be daunting, especially without a guide who has gone through the process
themselves such as parents. The different themes that I will use to support my work are
that of first-generation students, parent involvement, academic preparedness, selfdetermination, presence of role models, and educational aspirations. These were some of
the various approaches and themes that I identified throughout the literature that are
relevant to the work I want to include in the handbook.
The need for developing this handbook is in part due to the dismal statistics for
Latinos who are often first-generation college students. Community colleges’ transfer
option is a critical piece of the college pipeline to four-year colleges and universities. Yet
it is common knowledge that the general transfer rates are very low for Latino students.
According to a longitudinal study conducted by Project Muse, first-generation college
students differ in significant ways from their non-first generation peers. The study found
that first-generation college students are less equipped for college due to poor academic
preparation from high school (Zalaquett, 1999). In one study, less than twenty percent of
Latinos who attend community college transfer to a four-year institution (Haro, 2008).
Several factors impede first-generation Latinos from attaining a college degree, including
20
parent’s level of education, low socio economic status, language barriers, and lack of
access to a quality secondary level education (K-12). One of the main factors that
motivated me to create this handbook was watching the experience of my older siblings
as they prepared to become first-generation college students. While they made my
journey easier, it was still overwhelming.
Research by Carranza (2010) shows California Latinos as the largest and fastest
growing minority group in the United States yet the alarming statistics of Latinos who
actually complete a college degree is disproportionately low. Carranza states that,
“Latinos have the lowest rates of college enrollment, highest school drop-out rate, and
lowest bachelor’s degree attainment than any other major ethnic group in the country”
(p.2). By informing students and parents about the college-going and college-readiness
process through this handbook, my goal is that becoming informed about the intricacies
of college preparedness will become more accessible to Latino students. Furthermore,
Carranza explains that of every 100 Latino students in Kindergarten, only 11 will obtain
at least a bachelor’s degree (p.v). In order to contribute to changing these
disproportionately low statistics, students and parents alike need to be informed of the
academic preparedness that is required to obtain a college degree. This process ought to
begin as early as Kindergarten and should continue to be the guiding force throughout
high school and beyond. With resources, such as the handbook created for this project,
parents and teachers will be able to have access to resources and be informed of academic
requirements for the college-going process in order to help their children succeed.
21
Parent Involvement
As in my home, crucial to the success of first-generation college students is the
parental support and encouragement received at home. Delgado-Gaitan (1991) conducted
a 4-year ethnographic study that examined the school district's parental involvement
activities of lower-socio economic Spanish-speaking parents. Parental involvement was
observed at traditional activities, such as parent-teacher conferences and open house, and
non-conventional activities, such as the Bilingual Preschool Parent Involvement Program,
as well as interviews with parent participants. The Spanish-speaking parents formed a
committee called, "Comite de Padres Latinos" (COPLA), a place for critical reflection,
and their participation in this group enabled parents to feel included in the academic
conversations that surround the success of their children and allowed them to feel a part
of the community. Parental involvement is crucial to the success of college-going
students, and having committees such as COPLA, creates an environment of access and
knowledge.
Spanish-speaking parents often feel intimidated and uncomfortable participating
and asking questions at their children’s school because of language barriers that may
exist. This is especially true with language minorities who often feel isolated from the
school community and do not have cultural capital related to college readiness. Cultural
capital is a term used by French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu that refers to cultural capital
as the “forms of knowledge; skill; education; any advantages a person has which give
them a higher status in society, including high expectations. Parents provide children with
cultural capital, the attitudes and knowledge that makes the educational system a
22
comfortable familiar place in which they can succeed easily” (Bourdieu, 1986).
However, many Latino parents do not have cultural capital to provide for their children
due to low socio economic status and their lack of educational experience, therefore it
limits their access to cultural capital necessary to demystify college for their children.
Moreover, it is very important to understand that parent participation can be defined in
many different ways.
McCarron and Inkelas (2006) examined if parental involvement had a significant
influence on the educational aspirations of first-generation students as compared to the
educational aspirations of non-first generation students. The discrepancy lies between
students’ personal aspirations of attending college, compared to their actual attainment of
a college degree. Along with socio-economic status, they found that one of the main
factors for the realization of a college degree is cultural and social capital. Therefore,
lacking cultural and social capital inhibits one from achieving mobility. What this means
for first-generation college students is that their road to gaining social and cultural capital
is by earning a college education. In order to do so, first-generation college students and
their families need to be active participants and know how the educational system works.
For this reason, parents and students alike need resources, such as the handbook, to guide
them in the college-going process.
Quiocho and Daoud (2006) conducted a qualitative study to discuss and dispel
commonly held myths about Latino parents' involvement in their children's education.
The study looked at the differences between teacher perceptions of Latino parent
involvement and parents' understanding of their roles in supporting their children's
23
education. The study revealed that Latino parents had high expectations of their children's
academic achievement and wanted to be more involved in their education, but felt
excluded from the school community. As a teacher myself, this is a common theme that I
hear from colleagues who suggest that Latinos parents don’t want to be involved without
considering the many factors that inhibit them from visiting the school; such as working
several jobs or working long hours in order to support their family. Nevertheless in my
own family, my parents provided support for my siblings and I in other meaningful ways.
These include support at home such as help with homework, words of encouragement,
and accountability to do well in school. This was true in my household growing up with
two working parents who, although they were unable to attend school functions because
of their long work days, they always made sure we completed our homework after dinner
and encouraged us to always do our best. The notion that “Latino parents are not
involved” is a fallacy that needs to be reversed and better understood as parents who are
working hard, like all parents, and want the best for their children.
Academic Preparedness
Cammarota and Romero (2009) describe the experience of going to college and
being the first in your family to receive a college degree as transforming. Unlike
mainstream action research, this article focuses on Latino high school students who
conducted participatory action research on problems that could affect their own selfdetermination. The college enrollment of Latinos in college is disproportionately low
compared to their non-Latino counterparts. One of the factors for the low college
24
enrollment is due to the poor education they receive in high school. Too often students
are bored in class because they cannot relate to the curriculum they are being taught and
expected to learn. Latino students often feel neglected from the content read in their
textbooks and not important to the history that they are learning. Therefore, students’
choose to explore other options other than pursuing a college education after high school,
such as entering the work force or the military. In their research, Cammarota and Romero
supplemented the mandated curriculum with culturally relevant curriculum that included
advanced-level readings from Chicana/o studies, critical race theory, critical pedagogy,
and, participatory action research. Throughout their research, they found that students in
this study were learning about experiences and individuals who they share many
similarities with and therefore were more engaged with the curriculum.
Cammarota and Romero describe student research as similar to the funds of
knowledge approach that serves as the bridge between the lived sociocultural context and
the classroom (p. 56). Funds of knowledge is defined by researchers Luis Moll, Cathy
Amanti, Deborah Neff, and Norma Gonzalez (1992) “to refer to the historically
accumulated and culturally developed bodies of knowledge and skills essential for
household or individual functioning and well-being” (p. 133). Tapping into a students’
funds of knowledge and actively engage students with the core curriculum that is
provided in schools is crucial to the students’ desire to learn and aspirations to further
their education. To compensate for these types of limitations, students like myself
become involved in student activities and leadership roles, which serve to keep us
engaged in the school community.
25
Researchers Chuateco, L., Dennis, J., and Phinney, J., examined the background
variables, personal motivations, and the environmental support to determine college
student outcomes. The effects of these variables were used as predictors or indicators of
the students’ college success. It is clear that a student’s personal motivation is key in the
college-going process and begins early in their academic trajectory. However, motivation
alone is not enough for a student to make the college-going aspirations a reality. There
are other factors, or predictors of academic success, to make college success a reality.
One predictor of academic success includes the background variables, such as ethnicity,
socio economic status, and gender of a student. The personal motivations include the
family expectations, as well as the personal and career motivation. Environmental
support, through family and peers, is also a factor that supports a college student’s
outcome. For example, Gandara speaks of the importance of peers in college going rates.
All these factors combined can be predictors, or indicators, to the success of a college
student, that includes their college grade point average (GPA), college adjustment, as
well as their commitment to college. It is crucial that first-generation college students and
their parents have knowledge of these indicators of success and have access to resources,
such as the handbook, that will help them be successful throughout the college-going
process.
Educational Aspirations
Although many Spanish-speaking parents are not always visibly present at school
due to work schedules or other responsibilities, many parents are actively engaged in
their child’s education at home and most certainly care about their success in school. In
26
her book, Over the Ivory Walls: The Educational Mobility of Low Income Chicanos,
Gandara reminds us that one has the power to change our destiny, despite living in
poverty and being the first in the family to make college a reality. Like my sister Mary,
Gandara describes how students who have self-initiative and are driven can indeed
succeed and attain a college degree, despite coming from very poor families. Gandara
interviewed 50 Chicano professionals who came from low-income backgrounds. Despite
their socio economic status they were able to gain access and gain mobility of the highest
levels such as medical doctors, professors and lawyers. Access and mobility are key
factors that can be gained through education yet low-income students are often unaware
of resources and aid that is available to them. When informed, along with having access
and family support, low-income Latino students are able to navigate the social structure
in order to successfully attain a college degree. Within her book, Gandara more closely
examines the role of 20 first-generation women who completed their graduate degrees.
The overriding theme that emerged from these women was very similar to that of my
sister Mary: they were raised in a strict, authoritarian home where few opportunities were
provided to socialize outside of school, not allowed to date until very late in high school,
and had strict curfews (p. 92-93). However, they all had been good or outstanding
students throughout their precollege years (p. 93). Gandara found traditional gender
preferences as parents encouraged sons and daughters similarly, but they were more
specific with their sons about the kinds of career roles to which they might aspire (p. 94).
The women appear to be left on their own, with little sense of direction. These indirect
messages may be internalized resulting in women limiting their career and life role
27
aspirations. On the other hand, it could serve as a way for women to make their own
career decisions, rather than to have predetermined roles prescribed by their parents.
This role of father-daughter dynamics was also very evident throughout my
sister’s experience growing up as the oldest in our family and the first female to attend
college. It was not expected that my sister leave home to attend college but rather she
leave the house upon getting married. It took much convincing and explaining for my
father to understand the college-going process that Mary was experiencing and the reason
why he needed to sign college applications. It was with much persistence that Mary was
able to gain my father’s confianza (trust), to allow her to leave home to attend the
University. However, my father’s full support did not come easy. Gandara sends a clear
message to parents asking them to be supportive of their children and their education,
despite their socio-economic status or gender. However, parents need to identify what
their own dreams look like in order to understand the dreams of their children. For
example, if a parents dream is to own their own home, they need to be able to question if
their dream can be deferred for the accomplishment of their child’s dream to complete a
college degree. This was the case in my family, where the realization of the “American
Dream” for my father and sister were both very different. For my father it meant owning
a home, whereas for my sister it meant completing her college education. After much
thought and resistance, my father had to defer his dream in order to support Mary’s
dream of going to college.
Nevarez (2011) provides 22 strategies for parents to use with their children
starting at an early age through high school and beyond. Some of the steps include
28
reading to your children, taking them on fieldtrips, being positive role models for your
children, and using technology wisely. However, many of these steps may not apply as
readily to low-income families. For example, parents of first-generation college students
may not be financially capable of taking their children on fieldtrips. Parents may also not
know any college role models. Furthermore, parents may not know how to read or write
and thus are not able to help their children with their academic work. These families are
most likely being exposed to the experience of the college-going process for the first time
and need that to be modeled for them and explained more explicitly. Low-income
families, along with others, need to be supported and the college-going process needs to
be scaffolded in order to ensure success. While Nevarez is correct in starting the college
preparation early, the strategies he outlines seem more appropriate for families with
steady jobs and access to resources.
Ceballo (2004) interviewed ten first-generation Latino students who were
attending Yale University and were the first in their families to receive a college degree.
She found that strong parental commitment and role models are key factors that lead to
the success of a college degree. In my situation, it was a combination of my parent’s
commitment to my education as well as my siblings who served as my role models that
together led to my college success. However, individuals like my sister, Mary, had our
parent’s commitment to support her education but she had no college-bound role models
to follow after. Therefore, many factors play into the success of first-generation college
students but not all factors are the same for all students.
29
Chapter 3
METHODOLOGY
The project will be conducted through the use of data from several recourses such
as literature reviews from journal articles, books in the field of first-generation college
students, and research studies. I will rely most heavily on the literature that has been
written about this particular group and other examples of handbooks that have been
produced in recent years. The literature review will include research studies in the area of
college transfer rates for Latinos and parental involvement. The handbook will be created
through the use of books, as well as my own experience as a first-generation college
student.
Resources used in the handbook will include information on preparing for college,
including the required high school courses for college entrance, the importance of letter
grades and grade point average (G.P.A.), the college entrance exams (SAT and ACT), as
well as a description of the college essay. The handbook will also describe the college
application process, including the application form, the letters of recommendation, high
school transcripts, entrance exam scores, the college essay, and the scholarship form.
Information will also be found in the handbook on paying for college and will include a
general range of costs for tuition and fees, financial aid resources, and different types of
financial aid. The four general types of financial aid will be described. These include:
grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. The handbook will also describe the different
types of colleges, including Universities of California, State University of California, and
California Community Colleges. The importance of choosing a college can be determined
30
based on important factors to consider, such as the type of education desired, the cost,
and location. It is my hope that implementation of this handbook will guide firstgeneration students and their families as they embark on their journey through the college
going process.
31
A Guide to Success for
First-Generation College Students
and their Families
Una Guía al Éxito Para
Estudiantes de Primera Generación
y sus Familias
32
Dear Parents,
This handbook was created with the goal that all students can achieve
a college education. Investing in your child’s education is the best
decision you could make. This handbook will guide you through the
steps towards a successful college journey for your student(s). It also
provides tools and resources that will answer any further questions
that may arise throughout the process. Remember, your child’s future
depends on you. Always have high expectations and provide support
along the way. Enjoy the college journey!
~Paulina T. Salceda
Estimados Padres,
Esta guía fue creada con el objetivo que todos los estudiantes pueden
lograr un estudio universitario. Invertir en la educación de su hijo/a es
la mejor decisión que usted puede hacer. Esta guía le ayudará con los
pasos hacia un viaje exitoso con rumba hacia la universidad para sus
estudiantes. También ofrece herramientas y recursos que contestarán
más preguntas que pueden surgir a través del proceso. Recuerde, el
futuro de su hijo/a depende de usted. Siempre tenga esperanzas altas
y ofrezca apoyo por el camino. ¡Disfrute del viaje hacia la universidad!
~Paulina T. Salceda
33
Elementary School (K-5)
Families:
-It is important to begin thinking about college early and begin to put
labels on things as children play. For example, if a child is playing and
pretending to be a teacher, begin to use the label “teacher” or
“professor”.
-Exposure to various career terms helps build the language and
concepts early.
-Begin to identify career options by visiting your local library and
exploring the concept of what is a career.
-Read literature and help your child become immersed in education.
Middle School (6-8)
Families:
-It is never too early to help your children explore their educational
aspirations.
-Help support your son/daughter with their homework.
-Encourage your student to develop independent study habits.
-Meet with the school counselor and ask how your student is doing,
especially in reading and math courses.
-Talk to your son/daughter about the importance of studying hard and
getting good grades.
Students:
-It is important to meet with your school counselor and tell the
counselor that your goal is to attend college.
-Ask your school counselor to help you enroll in classes that will
prepare you for college.
-Set a goal to earn grades of A or B in all of your classes.
-Stay focused on your classes and always do your homework.
34
La Escuela Primaria (K-5)
Familias:
-Es importante empezar a pensar en el colegio temprano y comenzar a
poner nombres a cosas mientras los niños juegan. Por ejemplo, si su
niño/a juega a ser maestro, comienza a utilizar el nombre "maestro" de
o "profesor".
-Ser expuesto a varias profesiones ayuda a construir el idioma y los
conceptos temprano.
-Comienza a identificar opciones profesionales visitando su biblioteca
y explorar el concepto de lo que es una carrera.
-Leer la literatura y ayudar a su niño a que tenga interés en educación.
La Escuela Intermedia (6-8)
Familias:
-Nunca es demasiado temprano para ayudar a sus niños a explorar sus
aspiraciones educativas.
-Ofrezca apoyo a su hijo/a con su tarea.
-Ayude a su estudiante con el desarrollo de hábitos independientes de
estudio.
-Tenga juntas con el consejero de la escuela y pregunte cómo va su
estudiante, especialmente en lectura y matemáticas.
-Hable con su hijo/a acerca de la importancia de estudiar y recibir
buenos grados.
Estudiantes:
-Es importante reunirte con tu consejero de la escuela y decirle que tu
objetivo es asistir al colegio.
-Pídele ayuda a tu consejero para registrarte en clases que te
prepararán para el colegio.
-Ten una meta de lograr grados A o B en todas sus clases.
35
High School/ La Escuela Secundaria (9-12)
The following courses are required for college admission:
Los siguientes cursos son requeridos para admisión al colegio:
Area
Subject
a. History and Social Science (including 1 year of U.S.
history or 1 semester of U.S. history and 1 semester of
civics or American government AND 1 year of social
science)
b. English (4 years of college preparatory English
composition and literature)
c. Math (4 years recommended) including Algebra I,
Geometry, Algebra II, or higher mathematics (take one
each year)
d. Laboratory Science (including 1 biological science
and 1 physical science)
e. Language Other than English (2 years of the same
language; American Sign Language is applicable See below about a possible waiver of this
requirement)
f. Visual and Performing Arts (dance, drama or
theater, music, or visual art)
g. College Preparatory Elective (additional year chosen
from the University of California "a-g" list)
Total Required Courses
http://www.csumentor.edu/planning/high_school/subjects.asp
Years
2
4
3
2
2
1
1
15
36
High School (9-12)
Grades:
-The grades you earn in high school are the most important factor in
college admission.
-Your high school grade point average is calculated using all your
grades in your classes after the 9th grade.
-Remember: the higher your G.P.A., the better chances you will have
of getting into the college of your choice.
Tests:
-The SAT and ACT are tests that measure how you compare to other
students around the country.
-Many colleges use either the ACT or the SAT to help determine your
eligibility.
-Ask your counselor for advice on which test you should take.
-The ACT covers four areas: English, Mathematics, Reading, and
Science. The ACT also offers an optional Writing Test.
-The SAT covers three areas: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing.
-In order to graduate from high school and earn your high school
diploma, you also need to pass the California High School Exit Exam
(CAHSEE) to show grade level skills in reading, writing, and math.
-You can take the CAHSEE for the first time in 10th grade. If you do
not pass, you have more opportunities to take the test. You can take
the CAHSEE two times in 11th grade and up to five times to pass in
12th grade (www.cde.ca.gov).
-For more information on the CAHSEE, you can contact your local
school district.
*Missing credits or didn’t pass the CAHSEE?
-You have the option of earning a General Education Diploma
(G.E.D.)
-The G.E.D requires the passing of five exams that include:
Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Writing.
-The G.E.D. is equivalent to a high school diploma.
37
School Involvement and Community Service:
-It is important to be involved at your school through extracurricular
activities such as school clubs, sports, and leadership.
-Helping in your community is also important and will help you gain
work experience.
38
La Escuela Secundaria (9-12)
Los grados:
-Los grados que recibes en la escuela secundaria es lo más importante
en la admisión a la universidad.
-Su promedio es calculado utilizando todos tus grados de tus clases
después del noveno grado.
-Recuerda: cuanto más altas estén tus calificaciones, mas
oportunidades tendrás de entrar al colegio de tu gusto.
Las exámenes:
-Los exámenes SAT y ACT miden cómo te comparas con otros
estudiantes alrededor del país.
-Muchos colegios utilizan el ACT o el SAT para ayudar a determinar tu
elegibilidad.
-Pregúntale a tu consejero cual examen debes tomar.
-El examen ACT cubre cuatro áreas: Inglés, Matemáticas, Lectura, y
Ciencia. El ACT también ofrece una prueba opcional de Escritura.
-El examen SAT cubre tres áreas: Lectura Crítica, Matemáticas, y
Escritura.
-Para graduarte de la Escuela Secundaria y recibir tu diploma, también
debes pasar el Examen de Salida de Instituto de California (CAHSEE)
y mostrar habilidades de nivel de grado en lectura, escritura, y
matemáticas.
-Puedes tomar el CAHSEE por primera vez en grado 10. Si no lo pasas,
tienes más oportunidades de tomar el examen. Puedes tomar el
CAHSEE dos veces en el grado 11 y hasta cinco veces en grado 12
(www.cde.ca.gov).
-Para más información del examen CAHSEE, comunícese con su distrito
escolar.
¿*Le faltan créditos o no paso el examen CAHSEE?
-Tiene la opción de recibir un Diploma General de la Educación (G.E.D.)
-El G. E. D requiere el paso de cinco exámenes que incluyen:
Matemáticas, Ciencia, Lectura en Ingles, Estudio Social, y la Escritura.
-El G. E. D. equivale a un bachillerato.
39
La Participación en la Escuela y el Trabajo Comunitario:
-Es importante estar involucrado en su escuela con actividades fuera
del programa de estudios como clubes de escuela, deportes, y
liderazgo.
-Ayudando en su comunidad también es importante y te ayudará a
ganar experiencia de trabajo.
40
Types of College
When it comes to choosing a college, there are several different
options. You might want to consider its location, the type of education
offered, the cost for tuition, and the size of its student population.
1) Community Colleges
a. What is it?
i. “A community college is a publicly supported and
locally oriented college that provides programs to:
help you transfer to a four-year college, pursue
career education programs, take remedial or "catchup" programs, and offer coursework for cultural
growth, life enrichment, and skills improvement”
(CaliforniaColleges.edu).
b. What are the benefits?
i. There are several benefits of attending a local
community college. These include: the option of living
at home while attending college, opportunity to take
classes that prepare you for college-level math and
English, cost savings by completing your general
education courses, and admission priority for
transferring to a CSU or UC.
ii. There are transfer agreements between certain
community colleges and University of California
campuses that give priority for admission.
c. How much does it cost to attend a community college?
i. An enrollment fee is charged to every student who
takes courses for credit.
ii. The current fee charged to state residents is $46
per unit.
iii. A full time student enrolled for 12 units for 2
semesters would currently pay $1,104 per year in
enrollment fees. (CaliforniaColleges.edu)
41
Los tipos de Colegios
Cuando se trata de escoger un colegio, hay varias opciones
diferentes. Usted quizás quiera considerar su ubicación, el tipo de la
educación que ofrece, el costo, y el tamaño de su población estudiantil.
1)
Colegio Comunitario
a. ¿Qué es?
i. "Un colegio comunitario es un colegio
públicamente apoyado y localmente orientado
que ofrece programas para: transferirse a un
colegio de cuatro-años, seguir programas
profesionales de educación, tomar clases
correctivas o programas "alcanza", y ofrece
clases para el crecimiento de cultura,
enriquecimiento de la vida, y para mejorar
habilidades" (CaliforniaColleges.edu).
b. ¿Cuales con los beneficios?
i. Hay varios beneficios de asistir a un colegio
comunitario. Estos incluyen: la opción de vivir en
casa mientras asistiendo el colegio, la
oportunidad de tomar clases que te preparan
para matemáticas e inglés al nivel colegial,
ahorros de costo completando sus cursos
generales, y prioridad de admisión para
transferirse a CSU o UC.
ii. Hay acuerdos de transferencia entre ciertos
colegios comunitarios y la Universidad de
California que dan prioridad de admisión.
c. ¿Cuánto cuesta asistir al colegio comunitario?
i. Un costo de matriculación se requiere de cada
estudiante que toma cursos para recibir crédito.
El costo actual para residentes de California es
$46 por unidad. (CaliforniaColleges.edu).
ii. Un estudiante de tiempo completo que esta
registrado para tomar 12 unidades por 2
semestres pagaría $1,104 por año.
42
Community Colleges
This map shows the California Communtiy College Campuses:
Este mapa muestra los sitios de los Colegios Comunitarios de California:
https://secure.californiacolleges.edu/explore-colleges/mapof-ccc-campus-locations.asp
43
2)
California State University (CSU)
a. What is it?
i. “The California State University is the largest system
of senior higher education in the country with 23
campuses. Under the 1961 Master Plan for Higher
Education, the CSU draws students from the top
third of California's high school graduates, and
prioritizes admission to eligible upper division
California Community College transfer students”.
(csumentor.edu)
b. What are the benefits?
i. The CSU is a leader in accessible, student-focused
higher education.
ii. It is the largest, most diverse, and one of the most
affordable university systems in the country.
(calstate.edu).
c. How much does it cost to attend a California State
University? Here is the latest information on Tuition:
2012-13 Basic Tuition Fee Effective Fall 2012
Student
Per
Per
Per Academic Year
Type/Units
Semester
Quarter
Undergraduate Programs
6.1 or more
$2,736
$1,824
$5,472
0 to 6.0
$1,587
$1,058
$3,174
Credential Programs
6.1 or more
$3,174
$2,116
$6,348
0 to 6.0
$1,842
$1,228
$3,684
Graduate and Other Post-Baccalaureate Programs
6.1 or more
$3,369
$2,246
$6,738
0 to 6.0
$1,953
$1,302
$3,906
http://www.calstate.edu/budget/student-fees/mandatoryfees/1213-feeschedules.shtml
44
2)
Universidad Estatal de California (CSU)
a. ¿Qué es?
i. "La Universidad Pública de California es el
sistema más grande de educación superior
mayor en el país con 23 sitios. Bajo el Plan
Maestro para la Educación Superior de 1961, el
sistema CSU escoge a estudiantes del principal
tercero de los bachilleres de California, y
prioriza admisión a la Comunidad superior
elegible de la división de estudiantes de
Colegiales de California con transferencia".
(csumentor.edu)
b. ¿Cuales con los beneficios?
i. El CSU es un líder en educación accesible y
superior con enfoque en los estudiantes.
ii. Es el sistema más grande, más diverso, y uno de
los sistemas de universidades más económicos
en el país. (Calstate.edu).
c. ¿Cuánto cuesta asistir a una Universidad Estatal de
California? Aquí está la última información:
2012-13 Basic Tuition Fee Effective Fall 2012
Student
Per
Per
Per Academic
Type/Units
Semester Quarter
Year
Undergraduate Programs
6.1 or more
$2,736
$1,824
$5,472
0 to 6.0
$1,587
$1,058
$3,174
Credential Programs
6.1 or more
$3,174
$2,116
$6,348
0 to 6.0
$1,842
$1,228
$3,684
Graduate and Other Post-Baccalaureate Programs
6.1 or more
$3,369
$2,246
$6,738
0 to 6.0
$1,953
$1,302
$3,906
http://www.calstate.edu/budget/student-fees/mandatoryfees/1213-feeschedules.shtml
45
California State University (CSU)
This map shows the California State University Campuses:
Este mapa muestra los sitios de las Universidades Estatales de California:
http://calstate.edu/datastore/campus_map.pdf
46
3)
University of California
a. What is it?
i. The University's fundamental missions are
teaching, research and public service.
(www.universityofcalifornia.edu).
ii. The University of California (UC) is a public
university system in the U.S. state of
California. The University of California's
campuses boast large numbers of distinguished
faculty in almost every field and it is widely
regarded as one of the top public university
systems in the world.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California)
b. What are the benefits?
i. Undergraduate programs are available to all
eligible California high-school graduates and
community college transfer students who wish
to attend the University of California.
Through our academic programs, UC helps create an
educated workforce that keeps the California
economy competitive.
(http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/aboutuc/missi
on.html)
ii. Many UC campuses offer advanced degrees
such as Medical School, Law School, Veterinary
School, etc.
47
c. How much does it cost to attend a University of California?
Estimated average costs for California residents, 2012-13
Living on campus
Living off campus
$13,200
$13,200
Books and supplies
$1,500
$1,500
Health insurance allowance/fee
$1,300
$1,300
$13,500
$9,600
$2,200
$3,000
$31,700
$28,600
Tuition and fees*
Room and board
Personal/transportation
TOTAL
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/cost/index.html
48
3) La Universidad de California (UC)
a. ¿Qué es?
iii. Las misiones fundamentales de la Universidad
enseñan, la investigación y el servicio a la
comunidad. (www.universityofcalifornia.edu).
iv. La Universidad de California (UC) es un sistema
público de la universidad en el estado de EEUU
de California. La Universidad de los campus de
California se jacta prestigiosa mucha facultad
en casi cada campo y es considerado
extensamente como uno de los principales
sistemas públicos de universidad en el mundo.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Califo
rnia)
b. ¿Cuales con los beneficios?
v. Programas para estudiantes universitarios están
disponibles a todos elegibles de California y
estudiantes de transferencia de colegio de
comunidad que desean asistir la Universidad de
California.
vi. Por medio de nuestros programas académicos, la
UC ayuda a crear una fuerza de trabajo que
mantiene la economía de California competitiva.
(http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/aboutuc
/mission.html)
49
c. ¿Cuánto cuesta asistir a la Universidad de California?
Estimated average costs for California residents, 2012-13
Living on campus
Living off campus
$13,200
$13,200
Books and supplies
$1,500
$1,500
Health insurance allowance/fee
$1,300
$1,300
$13,500
$9,600
$2,200
$3,000
$31,700
$28,600
Tuition and fees*
Room and board
Personal/transportation
TOTAL
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/cost/index.html
50
University of California (UC)
This map shows the University of California Campuses:
Este mapa muestra los sitios de las Universidades de California:
http://www2.assist.org/browseUCs.do
51
Applying for College
The college application process can be very overwhelming and
stressful. This handbook will help guide you through the process to ensure
your success in the college-going process.
When applying for college, you will need the following:
1) Application Form
2) Letters of Recommendation
3) High School transcript
4) Entrance Exam scores
5) Essay
6) Scholarship Form
Aplicando al Colegio
El proceso de aplicar al colegio puede ser difícil y muy estresante.
Esta guía le ayudará a usted por el proceso para asegurar su éxito en el
proceso al colegio.
Para aplicar al colegio, necesitará lo siguiente:
1) Formulario de solicitud
2) Cartas de Recomendación
3) Expediente de la Escuela Secundaria
4) Resultados de Examenes de ingreso
5) Ensayo
6) Forma para Becas
52
Help to Pay for College/Ayuda para Pagar el Colegio
The cost to attend college can seem discouraging and unattainable. However,
there are several resources available for financial aid that can help cover
some, if not all, of your college tuition.
El costo para asistir el colegio puede parecer inalcanzable. Sin embargo, hay
varios recursos disponibles para ayuda financiera que puede ayudar con
algunos costos, si no todo, de su educación universitaria.
Types of Financial Aid include:
Tipos de Ayuda Financiera incluye:
4 Basic Types of
Financial Aid Programs Available
Grants
Federal or state gift
assistance with no
obligation for work or
repayment
Loans (Prestamos)
Providing funds now, but with a future
repayment obligation
Scholarships (Becas)
Work-Study (Trabajo-Estudio)
Gift assistance with no
Student is offered part-time work while
obligation for work or
attending the institution
repayment
http://www.csumentor.edu/finaid/steps/
53
What is a FAFSA?
In order to be eligible for financial aid, you must file a FAFSA.
-The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form
the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requires to determine your
Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The government conducts a “need
analysis” based on financial information, such as income, assets, and
other family information, which you (and your parents if you are a
dependent student) will be asked to provide.
-The FAFSA is the application most colleges use to determine
eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid,
including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs.
http://www.fafsa.com/understanding-fafsa/
¿Qué es el FAFSA?
Para ser elegible para la ayuda financiera, debe completar el FAFSA.
-La Aplicación Gratuita para la Ayuda Federal de Estudiante (FAFSA)
es la forma que el Departamento de Educación requiere para
determinar su Esperada Contribución Familiar (EFC). El gobierno
realiza un “análisis de necesidad" que se basa en la información
financiera, como ingresos, las ventajas, y otra información familiar que
usted (y sus padres si es un estudiante dependiente) será pedido
proporcionar.
-La aplicación FAFSA es la aplicación que la mayoría de los colegios
utilizan para determinar elegibilidad para ayuda financiera federal, del
estado, inclusive becas, préstamos educativos, y programas de
trabajo-estudio.
http://www.fafsa.com/understanding-fafsa/
54
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