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Making a Decision About College Interactive Case: Meet Claudia, Marisela’s Mother     

“I'm so proud of Marisela. She's a good student, a great sister to her siblings, and a wonderful daughter. I don't know what I would do without her…. Maybe it's better that she go to the nearby community college. Deep down I want what’s best for her, but I will miss her so much if she goes so far away.” 


“I came to California from El Salvador to flee the war and to give my children a better life. My sister Clara, who immigrated a few years earlier, encouraged me. But my children’s father―he refused to leave El Salvador and fought to keep me and the kids in our home country. We had to escape in the middle of the night in order to get away. I fear that one of these days he might track us down. 

“It's not easy balancing two jobs and raising four children. Before my sister moved to Sacramento, I could at least get some help from her. Now, by the time I get home, I just want to lie down. I barely have the energy to eat the meal that my dear Marisela so diligently prepares every night. I wonder if things are ever going to get any easier.”

Claudia works the night shift at the hospital as a midwife and during the day at a local restaurant. She wishes she had more time to spend with her children, but she has to work to be able to pay the rent and provide them with food and clothes. Claudia raised her children with the belief that they could be anything that they wanted to be as long as they worked hard. She has always encouraged them to do well at school. Now that it was time for Marisela to go off to college to pursue her dreams, Claudia was torn between her hopes for her daughter, but also her dependence on her.

“I'm so proud of Marisela. She's a good student, a great sister to her siblings, and a wonderful daughter. I don't know what I would do without her. I want her to be successful in life and have it easier than I did, but I don't know if going away to school will be good for her. She's so young and I worry about her safety and how she'll be treated. My sister Clara tells me that this is why we came to California, for a better life for our children, but Marisela will be so far away from home and her family. Maybe it's better that she go to the nearby community college. Deep down I want what’s best for her, but I will miss her so much if she goes so far away”. 

Next, complete three short reflection questions and click "done" to gain additional insights. Please note: Once you click "done" your responses are no longer retrievable.You may want to copy and paste your responses into a word document.

 

Marisela, high school senior
Marisela's mother Up next ->
Biology teacher Guidance Counselor Supporting data University
Admissions
Counselor
Piecing it all together

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Published by Harvard Family Research Project