The path to college wasn’t easy for Belzar Roblero. He'll be the first in his family to attend. And, as a child of migrant farmworkers, Roblero has had to deal with tough disruptions to his schedule.
Throughout most of his childhood, Roblero traveled up and down the country with his family, following the harvest. His parents picked strawberries in Florida, blueberries in North Carolina and apples in Michigan.
“I would have to catch up in the curriculum in those places each time, but I handled it the best I could and kept my grades up,” said Roblero.
READ MORE: Enrollment continues to shrink at Florida's state colleges, and officials are not sure why
When Roblero got into the dual enrollment program at Armwood High School in Seffner, his family decided to stay in Florida. His parents prioritized his education no matter what, he said.
Now, he’s been accepted into multiple Florida universities and hopes to become an orthodontist.
“It’s like a weight lifted off my shoulders a little bit,” Roblero said. “I know college is going to be a lot harder and it’s going to take a lot more work, but I’m prepared for that because I’ve done my fair share of hard work in high school and throughout my life.”
About 206,000 students graduate high school each year in Florida, and about 65% end up enrolling in college or some kind of postsecondary institution, according to a report from Helios Education Foundation.
It finds that if college enrollment increased by just 10%, it would generate an additional $8.38 billion annually for the state. That’s about 14,450 more new college students each year.
"When more individuals have a postsecondary degree, that translates to higher wages for individuals, more consumer spending, better health care, [and] less government spending on state sponsored programs such as welfare or even prison,” said Paul Perrault, an author of the Helios report.
Looking at the report’s local data, the Tampa Bay region would see about $1 billion in economic gains if enrollment increased by 10%.
Perrault said the study counters the narrative that “college just isn’t worth it anymore.”
College enrollment fell about 5% this fall, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. In Florida's college system, enrollment rates are struggling to rebound to prepandemic levels.
But, Perrault said, “no matter how we look at the data, you’re going to have a lot more opportunities in your lifetime when you go to college.”
Overcoming financial barriers
A combination of factors are responsible for the decline in college enrollment: falling birth rates, the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, the botched rollout of FAFSA that left many students wondering how much they’d have to pay for school.
For many, the heart of the issue is cost.
“I feel like for first-generation students, money plays a huge role,” said Roblero.
He’s deciding between the University of South Florida, Florida Atlantic University and his dream school, Florida State University. But his final decision ultimately depends on what he’ll get for financial aid at each institution.
Roblero is also planning to apply for multiple scholarships and grants. And he has some savings from working a part-time job at McDonald’s.
“Going into debt isn’t really an option. I feel we need to play it more safely,” he said.
"Despite Florida’s comparatively affordable options, the cost of postsecondary education remains one of the most significant barriers. Expanding state-sponsored grant aid programs and increased funding for the state’s colleges and universities … can help make college more affordable."Helios report
Frangie Arocho will also be the first in her family to go to college, and she’s “trying her best to have everything covered.”
For the past three years, she’s worked at Chick-fil-A, saving money for school. She also hopes to secure a grant from Florida’s Bright Futures scholarship program.
Her plan is to study biology at USF, where she was accepted in December, and become a pediatric surgeon.
“I want to succeed and do the things my parents weren’t able to do,” Arocho said.
Arocho has experience with the rising cost of living in the region. Her dad moved out of the area because housing became too expensive, and now she lives with her mom. Arocho said it was like losing a best friend.
When she graduates and starts working, her goal is to be able to support her parents and “bring my dad back to Tampa.”
What's next
The Helios report shows that someone with a bachelor’s degree will earn double, or even triple, what a high school graduate may make over a lifetime.
But to help more students like Roblero and Arocho succeed in college, the study says support needs to happen every step of the way.
“Despite Florida’s comparatively affordable options, the cost of postsecondary education remains one of the most significant barriers,” the report states. “Expanding state-sponsored grant aid programs and increased funding for the state’s colleges and universities … can help make college more affordable.”
Efforts to increase college readiness at the high school level are also needed. That includes “reducing chronic absenteeism and increasing participation in accelerated coursework,” such as dual enrollment programs.
Perrault said when individuals benefit from postsecondary education, so does society at large.
When Roblero graduates, he said he wants to give back to his community by opening a dental practice.
“We didn't grow up with too much,” Roblero said. So to get dental care, his family went to a clinic in Tampa that let them pay on a sliding scale.
He wants to do the same.
"There are thousands of people who can't afford dental care, so I want to give care to those who really need it," said Roblero.
