For Her Family, For Her Future: Alexandra Pacheco’s Journey to Stanford

Alexandra Pacheco, a sophomore at Stanford University

Alexandra Pacheco quietly set up her camera in the living room on Christmas Day and pressed record. For days, she had been teasing her family, saying she had the perfect Christmas gift. Although they were skeptical, she eventually handed them a box with a red sweater and a letter inside. That letter revealed the life-changing news: Alexandra had been accepted into Stanford University’s Class of 2028. The gasp from her mother and the warm embrace from both parents are moments she’ll never forget; this is a memory she’ll carry forever.

Alex is from a small, rural town where access to resources, especially for ambitious students dreaming of attending top-tier universities, was limited. Her drive to pursue one of the best educations in the country is rooted in her parents’ sacrifices. Like many Latino immigrants, her parents worked factory jobs and consistently emphasized the importance of higher education. They always encouraged her and her siblings to obtain a college degree and create the life that they once wished to have.

She attended an International Studies Magnet school (Cass High School), where she found encouragement from supportive teachers. Still, the college application process felt overwhelming. Like many first-generation students, Alex wasn’t sure where to start. Alexandra decided to turn to social media for help. After reaching out to a content creator, Elise Pham, who focused on college admissions, she paid ten dollars to have a personalized list of schools researched for her. When the list came back, it included Stanford and Brown. At the time, she wasn’t too interested in Brown, something she now laughs about, saying, “I didn’t know what I was thinking–Brown is obviously an incredible school.”

Stanford, however, stuck with her. She spent days crafting her Restrictive Early Action application, often seeking resources to guide her through the process. Alex credits much of her success to Dyllen Nellis, a Stanford graduate and founder of Next Gen Admit. Using money she saved from her job at McDonald’s, she enrolled in Nellis’s self-paced program, Admissions Edge: The Ultimate College App Course. The program provided strategies, examples, and feedback that helped her craft strong essays and tell her story with confidence.

When she received her acceptance, her reaction was surprisingly calm. Her mom even walked into the room, telling her to sleep, completely unaware of the life-changing news her daughter had just received.

At Stanford, Alex quickly found a community among fellow Latino students. Some of her fondest memories involve teaching her friends how to dance and building deep friendships rooted in shared culture. She says that Stanford offers spaces where students from diverse minority backgrounds can thrive, and she’s proud to embrace her heritage every day on campus. Alex has also benefited from Stanford’s mentorship programs. Her mentor, Armando Herreria, a Yale alumnus and current Stanford Law student, has played a crucial role in helping her navigate academic and professional pathways. He’s helped her refine her résumé, explore internship opportunities, and introduced her to the possibility of exploring management consulting as a career path. He also informed her that some major firms offer financial assistance for law school–an encouraging discovery, especially since graduate school doesn’t typically provide the same level of aid as undergrad.

Alex dreams of starting her law firm and raising a family. She knows she’ll be a great mother, smiles at the thought of her children one day saying, “My mom went to Stanford, and my aunt went to Columbia Law School,” a testament to the legacy she’s helping to build. Her advice to other first-generation college students is simple yet profound: it’s okay not to have everything figured out. At the end of the day, she says, “What happens will happen.”

Alexandra's story is a powerful reminder that determination, support, and resourcefulness can open doors once thought out of reach. Through Futuro Educado, we share stories like hers to show Latino youth that their dreams are valid and possible. Alex’s journey from a small rural town to the halls of Stanford demonstrates that being the first in your family to attend college isn’t a barrier; it’s a beginning. Her resilience and willingness to seek help, even through a ten-dollar TikTok recommendation, exemplify the creativity and courage it often takes to forge new paths. We hope Alex’s story inspires other first-generation students to believe in their potential, pursue their passions, and know they’re not alone on the journey.