First-generation College Students

Aimee Turner

During the more recent years, the enrollment of women in college has significantly increased and surpassed that of our male counterparts. Moreover, the enrollment rates for members of historically underrepresented groups have made impressive increases. With this new influx of these different “new school” classes, many of these students are the first in their families to attend college. There have been many speculative research cases conducted on the success rate of first-generation of students. Can the success rate be determined based on the group as a whole or on a case-to-case basis?

Research indicates that students whose parents did not attend college are more likely than their non first-generation counterparts to be less academically prepared for college, to have less knowledge of how to apply for college and for financial assistance, and to have more difficulty in adapting themselves to college once they enroll. First generation college students receiving a baccalaureate degree or higher is an avenue of upward social mobility, representing the single most important rung in the educational-attainment ladder in terms of economic benefits. Although first-generation college students are less likely to persist and graduate, surprisingly little is known about their college experiences and the ways those experiences compare to the experiences of students who have college-educated parents.

Despite the things they have heard via college recruiters and the media, it is important to have a source that is more personable to yourself. It is important that first-generation students succeed in college as with all; however, I believe that they can benefit from having outside resources so that they and their families can better understand the college experience in order to increase overall success for everyone.