is Brown Miles away??? should i even consider going to college??

Student Lounge Hispanic Students
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<p>To start things off, i'd like to thank anyone who has the courtesy and time to stop by and give me honest and RESPECTFUL answers. Okay so as you might have read before I have a huge interest in Brown University because of its rich diversity in both students and faculty, awesome academics and generous financial aid packages. With that being said I'd be much appreciated if you' all gave me your input on my possibilities on attending there for the fall of 2015(I'm a Junior in high school). I'm basically a first generation everything, First in my family to speak English fluently, first in my family to even attend and hopefully finish high school and first in my family of college dreams and aspirations. I first moved to the U.S. at the age of five and knew nothing or no one, including my parents. It took me a while to not just assimilate to a new way of life, but to also truly appreciate the education I was being given. As of now I have an embarrassing 2.8 gpa that could rise to a 3.0 if I maintain my current 4.2 gpa, I've taken 4 honors and an AP class as of now and just recently scored a 34 on the ACT. I'm part of the DECA CLUB, French club and STARTED a Youth Hispanic club at my school and an International "society" type of club were we appreciate and learn about new and different cultures. I also volunteered as a Spanish--- English translator for Elementary and Middle schools in my district as I know how frustrating and almost emotional taunting it is to not have anyone understand you or your parents. I did some volunteering at the salvation army, volunteered to coach little kids at my previous soccer club and hope to try out and MAKE the U-18 Chicago Fire Academy this June of 2014.</p>

<p>P.S. Sorry If it was too long, but I wanted to give as much info in as little time possible. Oh I almost forgot, I'm also an undocumented immigrant who is currently under the Deferred Action for Childhood arrivals (DACA) and am of a low income family($35,000 a year to be precise) :(</p>

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<p>I suggest you visit the website imfirst.org. You can check if Brown is one of their partner colleges. If so then look for the contact people for Brown and ask them your questions. They would give better answers than this forum since first generation is treated differently. One thing you should be aware of is that some colleges treat DACA students as internationals and give them no financial aid. You should ask Brown how they treat DACA students. On the Hispanic forum I have given some information for DACA students so I would search for that information. </p>

<p>Keep up your good grades. With your ACT score and a progression in your gpa it would at least help you with college admissions. </p>

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<p>Thanks i’ll make sure I look into that.</p>

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<p>Of course you should go to college. Why do you question that, give some insight? </p>

<p>Iin your chances thread, you have not answered my question about your grades. It has been a long time since you were 5. </p>

<p>I think it is worthwhile for you to apply for the Questbridge program for talented low income students. There is no gpa cutoff. It is well worth your effort. You ACT score shows talent, and you involve yourself it appears, and you are improving your grades significantly if I read you right. If you write good essays and get good recommendations it is truly possible.</p>

<p>This month the College Prep Scholarship for juniors application opens. If you are selected you may get a free college summer program, college admission advising, college visits, conference admission etc.</p>

<p>For Sr year in August the Questbridge Scholar application becomes available. It is an extensive application but successful applications who match with one of the partner colleges get 4 year full ride scholarships. From the site:</p>

<p>The following partner colleges will consider undocumented students (students who live in the U.S. and do not have a current visa) for the full College Match scholarship: Brown, Carleton, Grinnell, Pomona, Princeton, Swarthmore, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, Washington & Lee, Williams, and Yale. </p>

<p>So even if you are not a Questbridge Finalist, these college may give financial aid to you, however getting in will be the hard part. It isn’t very likely at most of those, don’t fool yourself. But don’t overlook it either. Grinnell particularly takes a bit lower stats and is devoted to increasing diversity. I like that college a lot and my daughter applied there. If you are interested, they have a diversity fly-in for 1st gen college that they will pay for–look into it. They say they it isn’t for ‘International Applicants’ but you may be an exception case. You can email them. They also bring accepted URM’s in a week early and have a research methods seminar.</p>

<p>For Brown, (and many other colleges) URM and first generation are valuable. In particular the students I have particularly notice that get In with lower than usual stats are low income URM from Providence, Rhode Island as I believe that selective colleges particularly try to serve their area/state. However, I have not heard that level of gpa getting admission. My daughter, not URM, got in with full need, but had stats in usual range of accepted students. Virtually all students are in the top 25% of their graduating class. You might like Brown because of diversity but other colleges may like you better because of it. Brown doesn’t have trouble attracting diversity. But some school in Iowa or Minnesota may.</p>

<p>If you are able to continue a very high gpa, it might be worth it to take a gap year and apply again as the college will then have 2 full years of grades to look at. Don’t forget to take your SAT II’s. You are in CA, why did you take the ACT? I don’t usually hear of that here.</p>

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<p>And if you are considering not going to college, consider instead the wage gap between HS grads and college grads. See the chart. That extra money takes you out of poverty.
<a href=“Millennials Who Chose Not To Attend College Are More Likely To Live In Poverty Than Past Generations – Consumerist”>http://consumerist.com/2014/02/11/millennials-who-chose-not-to-attend-college-are-more-likely-to-live-in-poverty-than-past-generations/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Also if Brown is not in the cards for you, there are other colleges with rich diversity in both students and faculty, awesome academics and generous financial aid packages. It is not all or nothing.</p>

<p>Did you take the PSAT? Perhaps you are eligible for the National Hispanic Recognition Program.</p>