"...AS A LOW-INCOME, MINORITY, FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT, I AM ALREADY IDENTIFIED AS SOMEONE WHO WILL LIKELY NOT GRADUATE... AND IT'S TERRIFYING BECAUSE HALF THE TIME, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, OR WHAT I NEED TO DO."
- Elizabeth Aguilar, University of Central Florida (Reichard, 2015)
A first-generation student is defined by Engle & Tinto (2008) as a student whose parent(s) or guardian(s) have not earned a bachelor’s degree. First-generation students can often be described within the context of other underrepresented groups in higher education as well, because first-generation students are disproportionately older, female, have a disability, come from minority backgrounds, or come from single-parent households (Engle & Tinto, 2008). |
First-generation students are significantly less likely to attend college, enroll in a four-year institution, or graduate within six years. Each student has unique reasons for making these choices, but research has found that the opinions of a first-generation student's parent(s) on the importance of a college degree has a large impact on the student's decision whether or not to attend college. Another contributing factor is that first-generation students often need assistance to understand things like standardized testing requirements, financial aid opportunities, and job prospects associated with a college degree.
Engle, Bermeo, and O’Brien (2006), researchers with the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, spoke with first-generation students and identified three critical steps on the path to college where support was the most helpful in assisting from the transition from high school to college:
Engle, Bermeo, and O’Brien (2006), researchers with the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, spoke with first-generation students and identified three critical steps on the path to college where support was the most helpful in assisting from the transition from high school to college:
1. Raising aspirations for college 2. Navigating the college admissions process 3. Easing the initial transition to college
What works to raise college aspirations?Connecting college to job and career interests
|