If you grew up with poor immigrant parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a poor immigrant parent but not Latina.
I am trying to read up as much as I can on college etc
However my child doesn’t seem too motivated
I try to tell him that as long as he doesn’t outright hate coding he should pursue it as his career
He doesn’t seem to be passionate about anything but I hope he has time to grow and change

It has to start with motivation of child. If child is not a good student, it is game over before it even begins.

Good student has a lot to do with the parent though. Parent has to be involved in their schooling but a poor immigrant parent who works long hours and doesn't understand what the kid is being taught can't really help. I know because I asked parents for math help and they didn't know anything.i don't believe one graduated high school like he said he did and my mom didn't even finish middle school. She stopped out because she was pregnant.

[Anonymous]

Eastern European immigrant parents here. Dad worked in steel mills all his life, mom was a seamstress.

I pretty much heard every day of my life that education was the ticket out of physical work, and that the only door that boys could open for me was the door to a car or a bedroom. They harped on us getting straight As, but couldn't do much beyond that in that their English was quite poor (like, I had to fill out insurance forms for them and write out how to spell 'thousand' and 'hundred' when they got a checkbook) and they didn't have more than a high school education.

We were the most important thing in their lives and they did all they could to help us succeed. When the principal of the Chicago public school told them to move the suburbs because their kids were smart and couldn't get a good education in Chicago, they moved to the suburbs despite the cost.

Mom worked as a lunch mom and school and learned about how the American educational system worked. When my mom learned how important ACT/SAT scores were, she found a tutor and made sure we scored well. She heard about scholarships and told us to go to the library and figure it out and apply for them (I probably applied for upward of 30). They told us they couldn't afford to pay for college but would help as much as they could, so we needed to work hard and save summer job money to help pay.

They taught us to value family, hard work, and the meaning of a dollar. I am so grateful for all that they did for us.

Education is really the key.

[Anonymous]

Latina here, with immigrant parents. both my parents came to the US after high school with no money and worked their way through college (both actually went to University of MD, college park). They absolutely believed education was the way ahead and did it for themselves. They came from middle class families in their countries, although none of my grandparents finished high school.

Spanish was my first language and I grew up middle class in flyover country. My parents pushed us to achieve in school and to study engineering which they saw as a path to economic security. My siblings and I all went to HYP with lots of financial aid. We all studied engineering.

I went on to get a PhD and I make a decent income. But I married someone (white) who make a lot of money and our HHI is low seven figures.

My siblings picked careers thinking about the money because at HYP you are surrounded by money and they decided they wanted to also be wealthy. One is in tech and one is an attorney. I didn’t care as much about money and I work at a nonprofit in a senior role.

My DH’s family is very focused on income and getting a good job. He and all of his siblings make 7+ figures. They all had useless liberal arts major degrees for undergrad because they knew they were going into law/medicine/finance, so just needed to make good grades to get into grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Latina here, with immigrant parents. both my parents came to the US after high school with no money and worked their way through college (both actually went to University of MD, college park). They absolutely believed education was the way ahead and did it for themselves. They came from middle class families in their countries, although none of my grandparents finished high school.

Spanish was my first language and I grew up middle class in flyover country. My parents pushed us to achieve in school and to study engineering which they saw as a path to economic security. My siblings and I all went to HYP with lots of financial aid. We all studied engineering.

I went on to get a PhD and I make a decent income. But I married someone (white) who make a lot of money and our HHI is low seven figures.

My siblings picked careers thinking about the money because at HYP you are surrounded by money and they decided they wanted to also be wealthy. One is in tech and one is an attorney. I didn’t care as much about money and I work at a nonprofit in a senior role.

My DH’s family is very focused on income and getting a good job. He and all of his siblings make 7+ figures. They all had useless liberal arts major degrees for undergrad because they knew they were going into law/medicine/finance, so just needed to make good grades to get into grad school.

That's the key right there no matter what race you are. If you start out with parents who were college grads themselves you're already ahead in life than others who didn't have the fortune of having both parents who attended college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm west Indian and this is something I've always wondered. Immigrants from Africa, Middle Eastern, Asian push college especially STEM for their children.

When it comes to women studying stem it's mainly the women from countries that dont have much opportunities for women. Think arab, african, middle east, indian except latin america.

There was even a study showing that the less opportunities a girl has the more she is likely to study STEM except for Latin American women. I would like to know the history of education in Latin American nations to understand this. Even Chile which is a homogenous nation and is nowhere near the top at education.

My friend is a professor and he told me that Latin American parents tend to push labour but college will always be seen a superior in this nation.

I've wondered about this.

What is an “West Indian”? Is this a new thing?

Seriously? You’ve never heard of the “west indies”?? Aka the Caribbean!

[Anonymous]

DH is Latino who grew up with immigrant parents. His parents were poor by American standards, but they were educated and middle class in their home country. I think this makes all the difference. If your parents are educated, then it’s a huge advantage. DH has a stem degree and makes 7+ figure salary with a tech company. I think his case is different than poor Hispanics whose parents are barely literate (in Spanish, let alone English!). Also, DH’s parents were political refugees (they were not fleeing poverty) vs. many of the poor uneducated Hispanics here in the US who fled poverty and violence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another poor Asian immigrant kid. I had to translate for my parents everywhere, make phone calls for them and do all the paperwork. I still do this many decades later. I often wonder how they survived in this country. They seem so lost.

I absolutely hated being poor. My parents didn’t help me navigate anything. I wrote a pretty good essay about being poor and my dreams and it won me a bunch of scholarships. I went to college on a full ride but still took out loans so I could send my parents money to help pay their bills. I always had a job.

One thing that I notice that is different in Hispanic households is that the students and families may not try to go away for college. I had one coworker who was bright and taking forever to finish college. She lived at home with her mom and boyfriend and worked full time to pay bills. She must have been 27 or 28. If she had gone to a regular 4 year college, she would have qualified for financial aid and could have finished in 4 years instead of not being finished in 10. She also said she earned too much to get financial aid. I think it was because she went to school part time and not full time but I didn’t say anything.

Our Hispanic housekeeper has some amazing bright children. I am rooting for them. I know they stress about college costs. I had 100k in debt by the time I finished grad school. I had a high income that I was able to pay it off quickly.

Your Hispanic co worker stayed home to also financially support her parents. Many do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm west Indian and this is something I've always wondered. Immigrants from Africa, Middle Eastern, Asian push college especially STEM for their children.

When it comes to women studying stem it's mainly the women from countries that dont have much opportunities for women. Think arab, african, middle east, indian except latin america.

There was even a study showing that the less opportunities a girl has the more she is likely to study STEM except for Latin American women. I would like to know the history of education in Latin American nations to understand this. Even Chile which is a homogenous nation and is nowhere near the top at education.

My friend is a professor and he told me that Latin American parents tend to push labour but college will always be seen a superior in this nation.

I've wondered about this.

What is an “West Indian”? Is this a new thing?

Seriously? You’ve never heard of the “west indies”?? Aka the Caribbean!

Is there a “central Indian” ethnicity also?

[Anonymous]

What is an “West Indian”? Is this a new thing?

Wow. Just wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm west Indian and this is something I've always wondered. Immigrants from Africa, Middle Eastern, Asian push college especially STEM for their children.

When it comes to women studying stem it's mainly the women from countries that dont have much opportunities for women. Think arab, african, middle east, indian except latin america.

There was even a study showing that the less opportunities a girl has the more she is likely to study STEM except for Latin American women. I would like to know the history of education in Latin American nations to understand this. Even Chile which is a homogenous nation and is nowhere near the top at education.

My friend is a professor and he told me that Latin American parents tend to push labour but college will always be seen a superior in this nation.

I've wondered about this.

I’m Hispanic and do not understand your diatribe.

One female cousin is a physician and another a microbiologist. My aunt a pharmacist. Another aunt was a nurse. My cousin’s daughter is pursuing a graduate physics degree from a top university.

No, we didn’t all go into sciences. There are a few educators and a few who went into policy / law. All female.

There are plenty of women who go into scientific fields in Latin America. Your example - Chile - actually had a female president (before the U.S. of course) who was a physician.

[Anonymous]

OP, I read what you wrote above. I’m Hispanic but had one college-educated parent. It made a big difference even though they did not pay for my college. There are a lot of people of lots of races and nationalities in the US who were exactly in your position. You said you are debating getting a grad degree. Do all the research you can about job prospects, cost of degree, etc - and believe in yourself. Put in the hours and the work to get your goal. You only live once and that grad degree isn’t going to get any cheaper.

[Anonymous]

My parents were poor asian immigrants. Their biggest priority in life was getting me and my siblings set up with an excellent education. That meant renting a small apartment in a good neighborhood, no vacations, no restaurant outings, no summer camps, owning a beat up car, and my dad working 3 jobs to make ends meet.

They succeeded in their main goal- I am very successful and so are my siblings. And many immigrant families I know have a similar story. It does make me wonder about Americans with no language barrier-- why don't they, either white or black, seem to work hard to make it? It is possible, clearly, as so many immigrants do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm west Indian and this is something I've always wondered. Immigrants from Africa, Middle Eastern, Asian push college especially STEM for their children.

When it comes to women studying stem it's mainly the women from countries that dont have much opportunities for women. Think arab, african, middle east, indian except latin america.

There was even a study showing that the less opportunities a girl has the more she is likely to study STEM except for Latin American women. I would like to know the history of education in Latin American nations to understand this. Even Chile which is a homogenous nation and is nowhere near the top at education.

My friend is a professor and he told me that Latin American parents tend to push labour but college will always be seen a superior in this nation.

I've wondered about this.

I’m Hispanic and do not understand your diatribe.

One female cousin is a physician and another a microbiologist. My aunt a pharmacist. Another aunt was a nurse. My cousin’s daughter is pursuing a graduate physics degree from a top university.

No, we didn’t all go into sciences. There are a few educators and a few who went into policy / law. All female.

There are plenty of women who go into scientific fields in Latin America. Your example - Chile - actually had a female president (before the U.S. of course) who was a physician.

Umm only 15% of hispanics in the US have a bachelor's degree. DCUM only brings out the arrogant types who really don't represent the majority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents were poor asian immigrants. Their biggest priority in life was getting me and my siblings set up with an excellent education. That meant renting a small apartment in a good neighborhood, no vacations, no restaurant outings, no summer camps, owning a beat up car, and my dad working 3 jobs to make ends meet.

They succeeded in their main goal- I am very successful and so are my siblings. And many immigrant families I know have a similar story. It does make me wonder about Americans with no language barrier-- why don't they, either white or black, seem to work hard to make it? It is possible, clearly, as so many immigrants do it.

It starts with the parents and their ambition to strive for themselves and their kids. It's no wonder why over 50% of asians have bachelor's degree. It's the highest of the races.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm west Indian and this is something I've always wondered. Immigrants from Africa, Middle Eastern, Asian push college especially STEM for their children.

When it comes to women studying stem it's mainly the women from countries that dont have much opportunities for women. Think arab, african, middle east, indian except latin america.

There was even a study showing that the less opportunities a girl has the more she is likely to study STEM except for Latin American women. I would like to know the history of education in Latin American nations to understand this. Even Chile which is a homogenous nation and is nowhere near the top at education.

My friend is a professor and he told me that Latin American parents tend to push labour but college will always be seen a superior in this nation.

I've wondered about this.

I’m Hispanic and do not understand your diatribe.

One female cousin is a physician and another a microbiologist. My aunt a pharmacist. Another aunt was a nurse. My cousin’s daughter is pursuing a graduate physics degree from a top university.

No, we didn’t all go into sciences. There are a few educators and a few who went into policy / law. All female.

There are plenty of women who go into scientific fields in Latin America. Your example - Chile - actually had a female president (before the U.S. of course) who was a physician.

Umm only 15% of hispanics in the US have a bachelor's degree. DCUM only brings out the arrogant types who really don't represent the majority.

DCUM brings out the racist types. The *majority* of non-Hispanic whites and of African-Americans in the U.S. do not have college degrees either.

I posted the above and my college-educated parent spent their life making college achievable for low-income Hispanics in the U.S. The assumption that Hispanics are uneducated or that there aren’t women in STEM in the U.S. or Latin America is ludicrous. Yes, the percentage of Hispanics in the US with higher education is about half of that of non-Hispanic whites, but most non-Hispanic whites in the U.S. don’t have college degrees either. There are tons of Hispanics in the US at all economic and educational levels and the best we can do is help each other make education achievable - not continue to perpetuate the stereotypes or make it sound like not having a college-educated parent is such an anomaly.

There are factors here that have been identified which are important - information and access to financial aid, working while attending college, even just believing that a certain degree is attainable. But if you cannot find those examples in your own family, look for them outside your family. They exist within Hispanic circles and there are groups (Hispanic Student Fund, for example) and scholarships (Gates Millenium) that help.