The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 fast tracked resident status for any Cuban that got to the USA. One year and a day, Green Card. Free Housing (was 24 months till the early 90s, then 18), free education at whatever school of choice, incl college, job training, grants, interest free loans, etc - by the early 90s (when I first heard of this), the US Gov't had given over 5 billion dollars in Cubans - more than ALL Hispanics in the US at the time COMBINED, including 10 million of Mexicans and 6 million Puerto Ricans, and a couple of million others.
In 1995, it was modified into the Wet Foot/Dry Foot Policy in response to the Mariel Boat Lift innundation - those who made it to dry land, stayed, those caught in boats got turned back.
In 2017, the Obama ended the Wet foot/Dry Foot Policy as normalization with relations with Cuba began, and also because other imigrant groups have complained for years about the unfair program.
(Koreans and those from Soviet/Eastern Block countries also got similar Feet on Ground special treatment)
Doubtful that even if you got here after 2017 you were totally oblivious to the program as it was a BIG incentive to get here. And you joined this site in 2016, so I doubt Castro allowed you to, especially since internet access in Cuba at the time was zero.
Oh, but that's right, you said you went from Cuba to Venezuala to Panama and wended your way north from there, because it was a heckuva lot shorter than 93 miles to Florida, right?
btw, the wave of Cubans that came fleeing immediatly the revolution were richer 'Whites,' Marielers and those afterward were poorer, of mixed racial/ethnic background, AKA Creolas. Being a second-waver, that would mean most likely you'd fall under Afro-Cuban, and/or with some Taino coursing through your veins as well.
Regardless, Hispanic-Americans are eligible for the same exact educational assistance as African-Americans (as others), and as them, this depending on economic status/need.
That you claim to have immigrated here and yet have never heard of all this is rather suspect.