Today, I got a letter recommending me for AP 3 classes and early college enrollment. I've also received 20 letters from colleges, including an Ivy League. I'm a sophomore. Pretty darn good for the daughter of illegal Mexican aliens. MMT

Comments

Receiving solicitation letters from prestigious universities and being admitted into those universities are not the same thing. They are an indication of your potential, certainly, but what you achieve with that potential remains to be seen. To have your ability be recognized at such an early point in your life is not an end in itself, but instead should be taken as an encouragement to do better. Every demographic group has its high-achievers and deadbeats. Keep up the good work.

Those letters mean you took a standardized test and checked the box that said "Allow colleges to mail me." The colleges then can buy a big list of names and addresses based on tons of (self-reported) criteria. They don't get your test scores or anything you didn't tell them yourself (and thus could be a lie, which the colleges know). These colleges just want to get as many applicants as possible to get as low an acceptance rate as they can. This is an annoying brag post, and the worst part is that there isn't a real basis for the bragging.

To the above poster: No need to be such a jackass. It was clearly a comment on much of America's attitude towards illegal Mexican immigrants, not so much about the academic accomplishments themselves.

I would like to commend you, you appear to be more literate than most in your status, however it is primarily due to your cultural/ racial status that you got these contacts, the schools have quotas they have to meet, and your situation is a feather in which ever lucky school you choose hat.

Kind of ironic that OP is bragging about this in the first place, as if getting those letters is actually impressive for a member of any group.

As an Asian person who does go to an Ivy League school, I can tell you this: be glad you're not Asian. The racial quotas for college admissions are NOT a myth.

Congrats for possibly getting into a college based on an education your parents didn't pay for. I'm glad my taxes could help you out.

You go girl!!!! Don't listen to these other people telling you that the only reason you got this was because of affirmative action. And I think your point was that you have overcome the stigma attached to being an illegal immigrant, a phrase I firmly disagree with. This country was founded on immigrants, right? But that is besides this point. You're doing much better than most people!!! Congrats!

As an Ivy League college student--neither an uneducated person nor a racist one--the problem people have with illegal immigrants is the ILLEGAL part. There is a legitimate way of doing things for a reason. It's good you're overcoming what I assume to be a difficult background, but what your parents did was wrong and there is a reason for the stigma attached to their situation, a completely legitimate one. It's wrong to be racist, but to dislike people taking advantage of your country by not becoming citizens the proper way is entirely justified.

You guys are so insensitive. Just because of her parent's choices, there is no right to put this girl down and shun her. How is she supposed to change it? How is she supposed to make things right, with only being the sophomore age? What is she supposed to do, and what has she done that is so wrong for you to put her down the way you all are? She can't help that her parents chose the actions that they did, and i'm sure she doesn't want to be shunned because of their actions. Shame on all of you.

To wowwtf: You are correct in saying that this girl is not responsible for what her parents did, and we are not looking for displays of contrition or anything like that. What is disturbing to a lot of the repliers here is only the fact that she does not seem to acknowledge that what her parents did was wrong. It's simple: she cannot change her background, but she can refrain from flaunting it in order to make her own achievements seem somehow more impressive than they really are.

It´s easy to say that her parents did something wrong, but immigration is a much deeper issue than that. Most of us who have roots in the U.S. probably had parents who came here legally, but times change. It´s only been recent that immigration into the U.S. has been relatively difficult. The issue is not black or white, not about wrong or right; if it were, this wouldn´t be so contentious.

While I don't agree with her parents actions what-so-ever, or the fact that she's throwing out that they're illegal. As it's harder for the legal ones to get by because they're all accused of being illegal. But her achievements are still impressive, and I hope she plans to succeed with all of what has been given her.

I hate to rain on your parade, but a lot of colleges, especially Ivy, will send out letters congratulating you on your "high achievement" and "above average intelligence". I guarantee you 75% of all high schoolers who take standardized tests get those same exact letters/postcards. For all I know, you could be very smart. But they send those letters to everyone. You may think I'm just being mean, but you'll understand once you get to applying for colleges and you understand how the system really works. And don't flaunt that your parents are illegal aliens, you shouldn't be proud that your parents broke the law and you got to where you are today by cheating the system and having American citizens pay for your schooling, medical, what have you. Congratulations on succeeding in school and in America, but shame on you and your parents for doing it the wrong way, and seeing nothing wrong with it.

I hate to rain on your parade, but a lot of colleges, especially Ivy, will send out letters congratulating you on your "high achievement" and "above average intelligence". I guarantee you 75% of all high schoolers who take standardized tests get those same exact letters/postcards. For all I know, you could be very smart. But they send those letters to everyone. You may think I'm just being mean, but you'll understand once you get to applying for colleges and you understand how the system really works. And don't flaunt that your parents are illegal aliens, you shouldn't be proud that your parents broke the law and you got to where you are today by cheating the system and having American citizens pay for your schooling, medical, what have you. Congratulations on succeeding in school and in America, but shame on you and your parents for doing it the wrong way, and seeing nothing wrong with it.

I hate to rain on your parade, but a lot of colleges, especially Ivy, will send out letters congratulating you on your "high achievement" and "above average intelligence". I guarantee you 75% of all high schoolers who take standardized tests get those same exact letters/postcards. For all I know, you could be very smart. But they send those letters to everyone. You may think I'm just being mean, but you'll understand once you get to applying for colleges and you understand how the system really works. And don't flaunt that your parents are illegal aliens, you shouldn't be proud that your parents broke the law and you got to where you are today by cheating the system and having American citizens pay for your schooling, medical, what have you. Congratulations on succeeding in school and in America, but shame on you and your parents for doing it the wrong way, and seeing nothing wrong with it.

I hate to rain on your parade, but a lot of colleges, especially Ivy, will send out letters congratulating you on your "high achievement" and "above average intelligence". I guarantee you 75% of all high schoolers who take standardized tests get those same exact letters/postcards. For all I know, you could be very smart. But they send those letters to everyone. You may think I'm just being mean, but you'll understand once you get to applying for colleges and you understand how the system really works. And don't flaunt that your parents are illegal aliens, you shouldn't be proud that your parents broke the law and you got to where you are today by cheating the system and having American citizens pay for your schooling, medical, what have you. Congratulations on succeeding in school and in America, but shame on you and your parents for doing it the wrong way, and seeing nothing wrong with it.

Honestly, all of you should really stop putting her down. You don't know if those letters were just average "Hey how's it going" letters or not. I'm pretty sure that her intention in this isn't a "Ha I have this and you don't" story. Hey, maybe she just wants to go out and change her family name, make a change in it. You can shame her parents for their wrong doing, but you have no right to shame her for their actions as I've said before. Lovelivelife, no where in there did she once say that she saw nothing wrong with the actions her parents made. I don't know about you guys, but right now I just see an average sophomore girl, very bright, very smart, not trying to brag, but instead showing that even with your past, you can do anything that you set your mind to. Stop looking at the negative side of this story, stop putting her down. Maybe this country needs more people with her upbeat attitude, it sure is better than all of this negativity on here.

The words above the comment box say "Speak your mind, BUT PLEASE TRY AND BE RESPECTFUL." Here's what I advise before you comment. Read those instructions, then read them again. Did you ever consider that maybe, since she is in high school, she was unaware of how colleges advertise when she got the letters and saw them as a reward for her hard work? Is it so laughable thata teenage girl took pride in the fact that she is a minority receiving new opportunities? Of course it's not right to build her hopes up and tell her she's a shoo-in, but you guys are just ripping her up. I hope those of you who are immature enough to pick on a sophmore and get worked up over a damn post are NOT walking around my campus.

Katie, you're missing half of the point. Many of the OP's critics have a problem with her apparent attitude toward illegal immigration, as if it's just a label to underline the significance of her own achievements. As for dashing her hopes, it is better that she finds out now than two years later, when she's facing the realities of the college race. Finally, "I hope those of you who are immature enough to pick on a sophmore and get worked up over a damn post are NOT walking around my campus?" Please, practice what you preach.

You go girl! Keep it up, I'm sure your parents will be proud...mine were! Laxbro819 and smasil...show some respect, or at least proper grammar. I am an American citizen with parents that came here illegaly and taking FULL advantage of my opportunities to an education.

CONGRATULATIONS GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great job!!!!! to the people making negative comments, why the fuck does it matter that her parents were illegal immigrants?? there's no need to make this a "gtfo of our country" thing. thats just stupid!!! to the OP, congratulations again!!

@trsg my mom was an illegal immigrant and she payed taxes too. She had her cousin do the taxes for her (even though i don't really know how it worked out). You seriously need to just chill because you still get an education too. And now that my mom got her green card shes going to get a job that helps the community what do you do? P..S. @ the OP congratulations im in the same situation (im also a sophmore) congratulations!!

also at all those people who keep saying getting those letters isn't an achievement....it is! The good colleges wouldn't be mailing you if you didn't get a high score on the PSAT or watevr standardized test u take. My friends get different letters than i do...some better some worse.

congratulations. Your succeeding, i would hope your parents have at this point made it legal for them to be here. Not because i dont think they should be here, but because i've heard stories of people being deported. It really disappoints me that the one story i see a bunch of comments on is just people bashing a girl for a choice that wasn't hers to make. Illegal immigrants can and do find ways to pay taxes. Believe it or not they probably put more effort into it then legal United States citizens would, because they lived in a place where they didn't have what they have here. I commend you chica. Also no, im not hispanic, my family didn't illegally immigrate here. So i'm not defending her because i can relate. I just see that America is known as the land of opportunity, yet so many people attack those that come here seeking opportunity. I wish you the best OP, and puedes siempre tener buena suerte.

by the way at smasil and laxbro819 just because her parents are illegal doesnt mean she is. if they were here before she was born, even if they are illegal. if she was born here, she is from all legal viewpoints, a U.S. citizen.

First, I would like to congratulate you on your success. I am glad that you appear care about your education and you will have many opportunities to achieve, and they will not be due only to your background. I would also like to point out a few things to people making comments: 1) At least her parents care enough about the life of their child to get her here. That is more than a lot of legal Americans can say. And to say that they think it's fine to be here illegally is ridiculous. I am sure they know the risks. Just look at all we do to protect the boarder. 2) The OP is putting our education system to better use than a good chunk of American citizens. If they aren't going to use it, she might as well. You'll end up paying less for her in the long run than you will for the people who don't care enough about their education to do anything in life and will be on welfare. 3) Many of you are just proving the point that the OP made in her post. You have cut her down numerous times for the fact that her parents are illegal immigrants and literally told her she is no better than anyone else. You have no clue who this person is. That is not to say that I do, but I am neither assuming that she is the most brilliant person on Earth nor that she is only receiving letters based on her background.

wow, so many fucken haters here.. .... anyways, congrates mami, dont let these haters get to you.

Congratulations on your achievements, being a college student myself, I understand how happy you are. But I think what really irks people is that some immigrants pay thousands of dollars in fees, applications and visas and spend many years waiting for the opportunity to come to America. I know you can't change who you are, but what your parents did is just not fair for everyone else. It seriously undermines the American immigration system.

The rules are there for a reason. They don't discriminate nor are biased in any sense.

Harvard has no quota. Just sayin'.

This is just disgusting. Like many other posters have said, I'm so glad you think it's something worth bragging over that your parents are illegal immigrants. That doesn't mean you have a right to be here using our educational system. Believe me, you're not special, just because you checked a box allowing colleges to email you is what is allowing for all those letters. Of course because of your racial background their interest in you is just to fill their quota. Thousands of letters and packages like that go out every single year, as well as thousands of upperclassman around the country who are being recommended and suggested for AP courses. Normally I'd keep my mouth shut on something like this, but honey, change the attitude. Having parents who don't have the legal right to be here is no reason to be bragging. Glad us paying exorbitant amounts of taxes every year allows your family to live here and from you to take from the education system when there are kids who deserve to be here who are denied the very same things based on their poverty and demographic area.

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