The purpose of this study aimed to explore the experiences of Haitian immigrant college students who sought higher education attainment in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in the United States. This study focused on understanding participants' migration experience, immigration policy, and their decision to pursue a college degree in the United States after surviving the 2010 earthquake. The four themes that emerged from the data were: barriers, self-preservation, self-motivation, and support. The findings demonstrated that participants felt supported by family and friends and were heavily involved in college groups and organizations. Haitian earthquake survivors revealed how resilient and hard-working they were as they overcame many obstacles during their college matriculation and achieved high-grade point averages. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]