Sunday, August 11, 2019

An Immigrant Departs From The Script

I agree with this person:
Candidates were back at it last week, competing to see who could present the best student loan forgiveness plan. Sure, that might appeal to some of the party's base and America’s cash-strapped millennials. But for roughly 46 million immigrants like me, the idea that the government should forgive student loans is totally unfair. After all, when we came here, our idea of the American Dream was to work hard for a brighter future—not for the government to pick our pockets.

I understand the motivation behind these proposals; alleviating student debt sounds ideal. I came from Russia to attend grad school in the US, so I know just how expensive tuition can be. But when I got my degree from Stony Brook University in New York, I did so without taking out a single loan. And it wasn’t because I was Hawkings-brilliant or Gates-wealthy. I planned meticulously, made sacrifices, and worked hard. This, I believed, was the way Americans did things and got what they wanted.
I'm not an immigrant, but I, too, planned, sacrificed, and worked.  I applied to 4 schools, got accepted to 3, and went to my last choice, West Point, because it was the only one I could afford.  Being an American is pretty much a Golden Ticket on this planet, don't expect me to cover that ticket in platinum as well.

The title of the above piece?
I Immigrated to the US to Pursue the American Dream, Not to Pay for Your College Degree

No comments: