This story was originally published on L.A. Youth. 

Author's name not given to protect their identity. 

I’ve always worked hard in school because I want to go to college and be successful. But because I’m not a citizen, my hard work could be for nothing. My parents don’t have the money to pay for college and I can’t get federal financial aid because I don’t have a Social Security number. In October, Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Dream Act, which will allow undocumented students like me to get financial help to attend public colleges in California. This made me feel hopeful for my future. However, the state Dream Act doesn’t provide a path to citizenship. Even if I graduate from college, would I have to work in a low-wage job? Will my status prevent me from obtaining my dream job as a journalist?

This story originally aired on NPR's Morning Edition.

One day last year I skipped school to wait for acceptances from colleges. It was the final day that letters or e-mails were supposed to be sent out.

I sat in front of my laptop by the front door for at least three hours, listening for the mailman while eagerly pressing the refresh button on my inbox. I admit, at one point, I checked my neighbor’s mail. Getting my house skipped on the mail route was one of the less crazy hypotheticals I imagined while waiting.

The college responses I had already received were pinned up on a cork board in the hallway so everyone in my family would pass by them on the way to the bathroom.

After my 300^th click I finally got it; my rejection e-mail. It was just 2 paragraphs: we’re very sorry, such-and-such many applicants, etc. etc. Sure, I was upset. But, I thought, at least I still have the other schools on that corkboard.

A few weeks later, I got my federal financial aid notice or FAFSA. It estimates what your family can pay for college, and how much federal aid you can get. I knew the minute I saw those little black numbers it wouldn’t be enough. My mom was still paying off her college loans and I had already spent more than I could afford on high school transcripts, applications, and the ACT test. Tuition at my top school was 30 thousand dollars a year and I was going to be on the hook for two-thirds of it.

Robyn Gee, Turnstyle News

We heard last week that the number of people living in poverty is the highest it's been in 40 years. For young people living in low-income situations, funding college can seem impossible. We spoke with a financial aid officer recently, who said parents and students who have lost their jobs are scrambling to apply for more financial aid. And with budget cuts that threaten faculty, facilities, and students, it would be easy to let the dream of college dissolve.

De Ashla Miller from Oakland, CA refused to let financial troubles get in the way of college. She knew she wanted to go to college since her first day in high school. Miller's mom pushed her to pursue this dream, but couldn't support her financially. “One time we tried for the Parent Plus Loan but that wasn’t able to go through because she just wasn’t credit-worthy... I knew I could do it on my own and I did,” said Miller. So Miller funded the entire tuition of Holy Names University (practically equal to that of Stanford's tuition) on merit-based scholarships and a grant from the East Bay College Fund (EBCF), a pretty extraordinary accomplishment.

EBCF is an organization focused on college success, instead of college access -- meaning they stick with scholarship grantees throughout their four years of college. The scholarships are meant for low-income students. If they are granted a scholarship from EBCF, the student receives $4,000 each year, financial training, and a mentor that stays with them through college.

Diane Dodge, the director of EBCF, said that knowing how to ask for financial assistance from colleges can be tricky, but it is essential that students don’t take “No” for an answer. “The first thing you want to say is, thank you so much for what you have given me, it means so much, explain how excited you are to go to school, if you have a nice GPA it’s good to drop that...After they say, ‘We don’t have any more support,’ a lot of people would hang up. The important thing to do then is say, ‘Is there any way I can make an appeal? I really appreciate what you’re doing, I’m just not sure I can afford school,’” said Dodge.

Robyn Gee, Turnstyle News

The recent Census Bureau data on poverty is staggering: the number of people living below 50 percent of the poverty level is the highest it’s been since 1975, according to Mother Jones. President Obama and presidential candidates are putting jobs plans at the top of their lists to respond to this crisis.

One sector that noticed the increase in people affected by poverty is college financial aid. We spoke with Peter Coe, Financial Aid Specialist at City College of San Francisco, whose job only gets harder when people don’t have enough money.

Students applying for aid complete the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) and are allocated funds based on this document. Parents usually document their previous year’s income on their financial aid application. “I’ve definitely seen more application changes based on loss of income than in the past,” said Coe. If a parent or guardian has lost a job, then the student might be eligible for more financial aid.

Making these changes takes time. Coe said he sits down with each student individually to work through the documentation. “With this many people out of work it’s definitely a challenge to serve students,” said Coe. “It’s impacting the office... When there’s more work, there’s delays in getting money out, and the quality of service goes down,” said Coe.

By Sara Schultz, Turnstyle News

Telling people I am going to seminary to become a pastor elicits a variety of reactions. In addition to the encouragement I receive from the people in my life who know me well, I get my fair share of thinly veiled negative responses. Like the laughter that turned to an embarrassed look of disbelief when I encountered an old high school classmate on BART-- “Oh, you’re serious- I’m sorry.” Or the look of confusion and then a swift change of subject when I share that my end goal is to be a pastor and not a professor. Those kinds of reactions don’t phase me that much- I could care less that the guy I haven’t seen since I was 16 thinks my future plans are a joke. But the response that always manages to shake me is “Wow, is there even any money in that? How much does that kind of schooling cost? Are you going to be in debt for the rest of your life?”

That’s because that last question is a tough one to answer, and as much as I try to muster my faith that “God will provide” (I should believe that after all), I am absolutely terrified. Next year I will attend Union Theological Seminary, which is connected to Columbia University in New York. The prospect of graduating with loans greater than my yearly salary is daunting. And yet, it’s what I have very consciously decided to do. I’m not going into this with my eyes closed; I won’t finish school and be shocked at my $50,000 educational debt (which will ultimately be amplified to a great degree by interest).

Rather, I’ve thought about it intensely, I’ve made budget after meager living budget for myself to whittle down that big number, I’ve calculated what I’ll need to pay back, how much my minimum monthly payments will be (and how much of those will be purely interest), and just what all this might mean for the way I will live most of my adult life- what kind of living situation I’ll be able to afford, how often I’ll be able to visit friends and family who live far away, when and whether or not I’ll be able to buy a car.

Most of the time, this post-school, young pastor lifestyle that I imagine seems doable and even exciting. Who cares if I’ll never be able to afford a big fancy house if I’m able to do what I love everyday? So when I’m at my best, I am confident in the life I’ve chosen and I feel ready to go, loans and all, come August when I’ll move to New York to start my Masters of Divinity Program. Really, I can imagine no better way to spend my time than studying theologies of liberation and entering into mutually vulnerable conversations about how to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly.”

Is it true that if you've been convicted of a felony you cant recieve financial aid? If you have never been convicted for anything drug related then answer 'No'  on the FAFSA Application, you are eligible for financial aid. That makes sense to me, if I haven't done anything why wouldn't I be eligible? If you have been convicted of a drug related offense then you need to fill out the student aid eligibility worksheet to determine your eligibility. Having a convictions doesnt eliminate your eligibilty for Federal Student Aid but it does slim the chances. You can become eligible earlier in the school year if you complete an acceptable drug rehabilitation program. In my eyes, that's not fair.

You can also hear Amanda's commentary online at American Public Media's Marketplace Money.  

By Amanda Ly

(download mp3)

I worked hard all through high school here in Los Angeles. And I dreamed about going to a private college far from home. I imagined myself at a small liberal arts school on the east coast with leaves that changed in the fall and snow that covered the campus in the winter. But, I knew that my parents couldn't afford to pay for a private school. I figured I'd get scholarships, grants, and loans.

Now, I realize I was too optimistic. I didn't understand the economy and how hard it would be to borrow money for school. I also didn't ask financial questions of my guidance counselor, my parents or even the colleges I selected.

My guidance counselor just told me to apply and then see what happened. I applied to six schools. I didn't know much about financial aid. When I filled out the FAFSA form, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid I noticed my parent's income looked small. But the counselors always assured me that some of us would get grants or loans or scholarships. I just assumed they were talking about me.

I spent hours writing and revising college essays. I sought out recommendations. I did everything I could to show that I could be a good student. I got into my first choice-a small East Coast School. At first I was in shock. And then I felt really excited. I began planning that cross country move and a shopping spree to outfit myself with rain boots and a warmer jacket.

Then the financial award letter came. There was some money in grants and loans, but my parents still needed to pay $12,000 a year. I didn't understand what some terms meant like "subsidized" and "unsubsidized." In high school we learned what subsidies had to do with farmers and agriculture, not education. Even with the loans, we had to come up with thousands of dollars on our own. My dad and I went to the bank to apply for a private loan. We were denied because of our low household income. And I missed the deadline for many scholarships from foundations and non profit groups.

After all of that, I couldn't make the money work. I declined the admission. I'm now at a community college finishing my last semester this spring. I live at home. I'm hoping to transfer to a four- year college. I'm looking at public schools closer to home and I'm looking at outside scholarships. And this time, I hope that the grants and government loans will help me cover the costs.

Youth Radio produced Amanda's commentary which appeared originally in L.A. Youth, a newspaper written by teens in Los Angeles.  

By: Dione Lien

When I was in high school thinking about college, the encouragement I got was "You can go anywhere. Money shouldn't be an issue." So when I started working as a college advisor, I imparted the same advice to motivate my students. I could get away with it several years ago, but lately I feel like I'm flat out lying.

What happened to one of my students this school year is a constant reminder that money is an issue. She got into UCLA, but her financial aid wasn't enough to cover her living expenses. She had to move out of the dorms and live with friends. Looking back, I had no idea her financial aid package wasn't going to meet her needs - or that her Mom couldn't make the family contribution.

So now I'm more careful. I have to ask: "Has anyone in your family saved for your college tuition? Is there anyone you can ask to help with expenses?" I find myself running numbers on cost of living, rent, and school fees, which I never did before.

UC Berkeley students and workers began a three-day strike today to protest against fee hikes and layoffs. Protestors chanted "no cuts, no peace," while union workers brought signs to Sproul Plaza as early as 5 a.m.

The union members were mostly workers from the local chapters of University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE), Coalition of University Employees (CUE) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Protests took place at North Gate, West Gate, East Gate and five university construction sites. Protestors formed a picket line around the perimeter of the campus.

(via The Daily Californian)

Youth Radio's Denise Tejada was in Berkeley today. Check out her video of the protests:

Previously:

• UC Students Energized By Diversity, Turnout at Budget Cut Protest ...
• UCs Walkout Against Budget Cuts
• Budget Cuts Spark Protest at UC Irvine