Undocumented Students And Their Quest For Higher Education IACAC Conference May 4, 2005

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Undocumented Students And Their Quest For Higher
EducationIACAC ConferenceMay 4, 2005

• Melanie Davis, Loyola University Chicago
• Aliza Gilbert, Highland Park High School
• Faviola Kallas, Northeastern Illinois University
• Fred Tsao, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and
  Refugee Rights

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What Can We Do?

• Improve identification of students
• Better educate those involved
• - High School Counselors
• - Students
• - College Admission Professionals
• Increase accessibility of post-secondary education

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• Identification

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Who are these kids?

• Many are recent immigrants but MANY are not.
• Smart kids with poor grades who have bad
  attitudes toward school. Many are bitter.
• Students with good grades who dont engage in the
  college process and ultimately never apply to
  college.

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How can we find them?

• Identify students with birth places outside the
  U.S. who do not have social security numbers.
• Talk to teachers.
• Use current students as a resource.
• Outreach to student groups.

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How can we find them?

• Keep in touch with past grads, many are still
  very connected to their communities.
• Build trust and they eventually will come to you.

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• Education

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Educating High School Counselors

• Informed counselors lead to informed students
• We are responsible to educate our colleagues
• Department
• District
• Outreach to other members of professional
  associations (ICA, ILASFSA, NAFSA)
• Present at professional conferences
• Write an article for your school newspaper,
  professional journal

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Educating Students

• Revise your all presentations to include the
  terms citizens, lawful permanent residents and
  undocumented students.
• Do presentations to multicultural and
  international student groups
• Get to the freshmen early!
• Educate teachers and student group advisors

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Educating College Admission Professionals

• Understandably the least informed.
• Education can be top down or bottom up.
• CRITICIAL! You have the most power!

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Common Misperceptions of Admissions Counselors

• Colleges cannot admit undocumented students.
  FALSE
• If a college knows that a student is undocumented
  the student must be reported to the Department of
  Homeland Security. FALSE
• Undocumented students are international students
  and therefore must complete a Verification of
  Finances. FALSE
• The rules of SEVIS require the tracking and
  reporting of undocumented students. FALSE

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• Accessibility

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Colleges can do a lot!

• Revise your application
• Eliminate request for social security number
• Revise citizenship options
• Revise on-line application
• Dont require a Verification of Finances
• Create a financial aid form for institutional
  need based aid
• Award institutional scholarships
• Educate your entire staff, especially front line
  admissions reps and data processors
• Assign a point person in Admissions for students
  and counselors to contact

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Counselors can do a lot!

• Paying for college is the biggest roadblock
• Inform students about Public Act 93-007 and
  tuition costs of state universities
• UIC out-of-state tuition 16,930 per year
• UIC in-state tuition 5682 per year
• Talk about attending college part-time vs.
  full-time
• Northeastern IL University full time 3596.40
• (12 hrs each semester)
• Northeastern IL University part time 1798.20
• (6 hrs each semester)

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Counselors can do a lot!

• Explore community college
• College of Lake County - 57.45.credit
  (1,724/yr)
• Oakton Community College - 62.00/credit
  (1,860/yr)
• Kennedy-King College - 62.00/credit (1,860/yr)
• Triton College - 48.00/credit (1,152/yr)
• Payment plans
• Tuition paid each semester
• Tuition paid monthly
• Affirm that an education is worthwhile

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Why is this issue so important?

• According to 2000 Census
• 1.5 million undocumented students in the U.S.
  under the age of 18.
• Anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 students graduate
  from U.S. high schools each year
• 3,500 from Chicago high schools alone.
• Equal protection clause of the 14th amendment
• Not the kids choice to come here.
• Many of these kids are high achieving, talented
  kids.

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What else can I do?

• Support immigration reform.
• Support the Dream Act and/or Student Adjustment
  Act.
• Educate neighbors, friends, colleagues about
  these issues.
• Write, email and call your legislators
• NACAC Legislative Action Center
• www.nacac.com
• IL Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
• www.icirr.org

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QUESTIONS ANSWERS

• Thank you for coming and please complete your
  evaluation before you leave.
• Enjoy the conference!!!