Education, which is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge,

skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Over our lives many of us experience education, some decide

to go deeper than others. Education helps us to become more wise and it helps us to pursue the

careers we are interested in. It is a very fundamental part in someone's life and everyone should

have the right to it equally. Although, in America people have found that the education system

isn’t equal and favors people over others. The American education system is unfair and

jeopardizes the success of individuals. In the writing, In College, These Americans Citizens Are

Not Created Equal by Fabiola Santiago, she explains the life of a descendant of immigrants and

the unfairness she faces in college. The writing helps to give an idea of what life is like for

immigrant children while in school and the mistreatment they are faced with. The education

system continues to mistreat children whose parents are immigrants and limits their success in

America. People who deserve the right to a proper education the most, often cannot get it

because of their families past.

While having immigrant parents, a child faces the unfair consequences of the risks their

family took to seek asylum. In the writing, In College, These American Citizens Are Not Created

Equal, Fabiola Santiago explains the life of a college student, Wendy Ruiz, whose parents are

immigrants. Santiago explains how the American education system treats Ruiz unfairly, all

because her parents wanted a better life for their family. Santiago talks about how students, like

Wendy Ruize, are treated unfairly by the education system, saying, “Under rules established by

the state's Department of Education and the university system's Board of Governors, students

like Wendy Ruiz-born and raised in Miami — have to pay out-of-state tuition at rates that are

more than three times what other Florida resident students pay for their education.” Although

Wendy was born and raised in Florida, she is faced having to pay out-of-state tuition, all because
her parents are immigrants. Santiago also touches on the purpose of the education system and the

way it punishes students like Wendy, making them pay the cost of out-of-state tuition: “Here's an

institution that is supposed to defend education punishing a young American for the sins of her

parents, who are undocumented immigrants. But while other Miami Dade College students pay

about $1,266 per term in tuition, she must pay $4,524 because the state considers her a

dependent of nonresidents.” While Wendy’s parents are considered “nonresidents” of the United

States, Wendy is a legal resident and deserves to be treated equally to receive the best education

possible. America's education system continues to fail college students seeking a future, like

Wendy, but all because their parents are immigrants they are unable to succeed to their fullest

ability.

Without the proper treatment, descendants of immigrants can not live their life to their

fullest potential. Without being treated equally students, like Wendy, have to pay higher prices

than she would have to if she were looked at like her peers. While having a hefty price to pay for

tuition, college students have to work to pay off their tuition. The time that is spent working

could be used as time to study and focus on school, but because of the unfairness and mistreatal

of students whose parents are immigrants, their attention is focused on school and work.

Santiago praises Wendy for her hardwork and dedication to her focus on her education while

also working three part time jobs: “But we should all aspire to have neighbors like the Ruizes,

who raised a daughter like Wendy, willing to work three part time jobs to pay her tuition while

maintaining a 3.7 grade-point average.” Wendy’s parents raised her to have good morals and

work for what she wants, but because she has to focus on paying her tuition, she is stuck with

having to work harder than most college students for her education. If Wendy didn’t have to

work while continuing her education Wendy could accomplish so much more, Santiago expands
on this topic saying, “Who knows what more Wendy Ruiz might accomplish, what more she

could become if she were able to pay all of her attention to her education without the unfair

financial burden of paying extravagantly unfair fees.” If students whose parents are immigrants

were treated like their peers, they could accomplish so much more, but because of their parents'

past decisions, they have to work harder than most to achieve their goals.

Education is what helps us to form our lives, what helps us to succeed, and be happy.

Without the proper education, many people fail to succeed, and live out long days until they

retire, not doing the career they want to. When someone has the proper education they can

succeed and enjoy life to fullest and succeed in their career. Some, however, are treated

differently and only achieve what they do because they are dedicated and deserving of success

and happiness. The most deserving people are the ones who are focused on the goals they have

set and the ones who never give up, even if they are faced with obstacles. When someone is so

dedicated to something, they can achieve great things. Although, if treated unfairly, they have to

work extra hard to achieve their goal. If America's education system treated students equally and

students, like Wendy, weren’t faced with an obstacle, who knows what they could achieve and

how they could change the world for the best.