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Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
The Daily Pennsylvanian

Student living in country illegally acccepted to Harvard

Dario Guerrero is a junior at Harvard College, a visual and environmental studies major and an Mexican immigrant living in the country illegally. When applying to colleges, Guerrero was denied by many — including Williams College the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — due to his legal status, and he recalls that receiving financial aid was even more difficult due to many schools' fear of losing federal grants.

After discussing his situation with Harvard admissions, however, he was encouraged to apply.  Guerrero was eventually granted a letter of early admission and a full scholarship to the school, allowing him to attend despite his family's economic circumstances and his legal status. 

Click to read Guerrero's full op-ed in the Huffington Post here.