After arriving in the U.S. from Venezuela, Scarlett enrolled at Everett Community College hoping to build a stable future for herself and her family. She started, paused, and returned to school while balancing life as a mother of two, learning along the way how complex the system can be without clear guidance. What kept her going were small classes, supportive professors, and a sense that community college saw her as a person—not just a number.
She chose community college because universities felt out of reach: too expensive, too crowded, and too impersonal. Her goal is to earn a certificate, find stable work, and eventually transfer to a university. But finances remain a constant barrier. Rent, transportation, parking tickets, and surprise class costs—like nearly $700 for a single course—make it hard to stay enrolled. She’s seen many motivated classmates drop out simply because they couldn’t afford to continue.
Scarlett also struggled to access basic-needs support, not because it doesn’t exist, but because information is hard to find. Programs like TRIO, MESA, childcare support, and financial help often require someone to physically guide you to the right office. Without that, students are left guessing. Advising and transfer pathways are equally confusing, with unclear roles and requirements that students often discover too late.
As an immigrant and a parent, she believes colleges must be more honest and proactive—especially with undocumented students—about which programs lead to real job opportunities and which do not. She also stresses the importance of mental health support and realistic course loads, reminding policymakers that students don’t fail because they’re lazy, but because the system isn’t built for their realities.
Her message is simple: when education is affordable, information is clear, and support is real, students don’t just survive—they succeed.