Name: Jennifer Huerta
College: Cal State Bakersfield
Major: Liberal Studies
Class of: 2023
Scholar's Story:
"I still recall the agonizing final months of my senior year when time became difficult as an undocumented student. Having to fill out a separate financial aid application that not many were trained to assist me with made me feel like I was alone, but luckily, I met great people who were capable of guiding me through that journey.
My struggle to find other means of financial aid to cover my tuition was what initially drove me to commit to my hometown university CSUB. CSUB offered me great financial help and in my situation, it was the best option. At first, I was not amused with the idea of having to stay in town while many of my friends left hours away and lived the “ideal college life”. However, my thoughts soon changed after settling in the first few weeks. Like every other incoming freshman, it was very intimidating. It was a big leap from high school to college, and a fast push into reality. There were many differences I had to get used to and freedom being one of them.
College is a road of freedom, making everything a choice, but those choices can come with consequences. Entering college, you are free to do whatever you want with your education, and it is a drastic change which is why it’s so important to gain skills like time management. One of my biggest fears entering college was not fitting in or finding “my place” at CSUB because I am a person of color and undocumented. However, after finishing my first semester I can proudly say that I did find my place and my people. Joining a club was one of the best ways to fit in and what made me understand I made the right choice in attending CSUB. I joined the M.E.C.H.A club which brought to my life great friends and mentors. These people helped me finish my semester in college while helping me create my first college memories.
"Everything changes and sometimes you will fail, but if you have used all your strength and held on to the last rope trying to keep up, it is ok."
In terms of my academics, it was difficult adjusting to a new class environment given that many of my classes consisted of a large lecture room with one hundred students and one professor. Also, the large hour gaps forced me to always plan my days and use my time wisely. I had to use the skills I learned in high school like planning. It can be very easily to fall into the train of “I can just repeat the class next semester”, but it takes great strength to go against that. The classes will only get harder, but it is also important to realize that the grading and material is not like high school. Everything changes and sometimes you will fail, but if you have used all your strength and held on to the last rope trying to keep up it is ok. It will happen because college is not designed for you to zoom through it all successfully.
I definitely had big bumps along the way in my academics but reminding myself that I am part of the few percentages of undocumented that make it to college was the push that kept me going. If you are a senior or any student in high school thinking to yourself “Can I really do this? Will I make it that far? Is it worth it?” I can tell you as a first generation, low income, undocumented student that YES, it is possible. Yes, we can all make it far, and yes, it is worth it to prove that education is key. One of the many questions is also regarding money. I remember having that fear of expenses and whether or not my field working parents would be able to afford it. I did not want to let money be the reason I did not finish my education, so I used all the resources that were given to me. Informing myself of financial aid in my university helped me pay all my tuition and taking long draining hours to finish scholarship applications helped me pay for books, parking passes and other expenses. The best thing one can do is take advantage of the resources given and the money available by seeking help because at the end of the day it feels good to not have to pay any tuition."