Financial Barriers

One of the biggest struggles Jane faced during her transfer process was figuring out the complicated financial aid system:

"The cost of attendance plus other miscellaneous stuff like food, gas, insurance... was really hard to figure out, especially because I was a first-generation student. My mom never went to a four-year institution, and my dad never obtained an associate’s degree, so basically, I had to figure it out by myself" (Interview 2).

The challenges didn't end there. When Jane applied to UCLA, she submitted her FAFSA application on time according to Pacific Standard Time, not realizing it needed to be submitted by East Coast time.

Jane explained:

"When I submitted my FAFSA, they don't tell you that you have to submit it on East Coast time. So when I submitted it, it was on Pacific Standard Time. And so it was considered 'late' because it was a day after, even though it was our time still like the day before. Everybody else had honored my FAFSA except UCLA" (Interview 2) .

This meant she received significantly less financial aid at UCLA, making it the most expensive option among the schools she got into. Her mom even suggested attending another UC campus, such as UCBerkeley, that offered more financial aid, but Jane was determined to attend UCLA. Thankfully, UCLA's Transfer Summer Program became a crucial resource,

Jane shared how:

"The Transfer Summer Program showed me what UCLA was going to be like...they provided me with scholarships and resources... A lot of people don’t know you can go to financial aid and talk about your needs...that was really helpful" (Interview 2).

Financial uncertainty is a common challenge for many transfer students from diverse backgrounds. Jane's experience highlights the importance of accessible and transparent financial support resources.

Additionally, even after receiving financial aid, Jane continues to struggle often not having enough resources for basic necessities such as food.

Jane shared:

"So, like finding different resources to, like, find free textbooks. And that was another challenge for me. Because sometimes I had to pay for the textbooks and, like, instead of spending money, like, on food or gas, I had to spend money on textbooks. So, yeah, it was often really hard" (Interview 1).

Her experience reflects a common struggle among first-generation students who often lack the financial resources to cover hidden costs in higher education.