Navigating New Terrain: Understanding the First-Generation College Student Experience

Introduction

The landscape of higher education is constantly evolving, with a growing number of students embarking on a journey that no one in their immediate family has undertaken before: attending college. These students, known as first-generation college students (FGCS), bring unique perspectives and experiences to campus, enriching the academic community in countless ways. However, they also face distinct challenges as they navigate unfamiliar terrain. Understanding the definition, experiences, and needs of first-generation college students is crucial for creating a more inclusive and supportive environment within higher education.

Defining a First-Generation College Student

A formal definition of a first-generation college student is a student whose parent(s) did not complete a four-year college or university degree in the United States. At the University of Michigan, first-generation college students are defined as individuals whose parents or guardians have not attained a four-year college degree. This inclusive definition applies to both undergraduate and graduate students.

However, this definition may not fully account for the depth and breadth of experiences first-generation college students represent. For many students, being first-generation is not just about parental education level; it often represents obtaining higher-level education without inheriting knowledge about resources like financial aid, academic systems, networking, or campus culture.

The Historical Context of the First-Generation Student Program

The First-Generation Student Program is grounded in a history of student activism. The students advocated for greater campus support for themselves and other peer first-generation students. In 2017, the University of Michigan hired the inaugural First-Generation Program Manager, established the First-Generation Gateway Office, and launched multiple initiatives to increase first-generation student success.

The term “first-generation” was initially coined within TRIO Support Services to underscore the unique challenges faced by students with multiple intersecting identities as they embark on their higher education journey (Jehangir & Romasanta, 2021). This terminology seeks to shed light on the fact that the structures of higher education were not originally designed with the needs of first-generation college students in consideration.

Read also: Student Transportation Evolution

The Significance of Earning a Bachelor's Degree and the Barriers Faced by FGCS

Research consistently shows that earning a bachelor’s degree increases opportunities for socioeconomic mobility in the United States (Pew Research, 2014). However, first- generation students often face structural barriers that make the path to it more difficult. These barriers include limited financial resources, lack of institutional guidance, work and family responsibilities, and systemic inequalities tied to race and class (Engle & Tinto, 2008; Catalina et al., 2018).

Age and Enrollment Characteristics of FGCS

A review of the literature on first-generation college students published by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSLC) cites a 2001 study which reported that 31% of first-generation college students were 24 years of age or older. A 1998 study cited in the same review reported that 13% of first-generation college students were 30 years of age or older. Additionally, 46% did not start attending college immediately after high school graduation.

According to the NCES report for the 2011-2012 school year, the share of undergraduate full-time employed undergraduate students whose parents' highest education level was high school or less was 38.0%. This is slightly higher than the share of undergraduate students who did not work while enrolled whose parents' highest education level was high school or less (34.1%). The NCES report by Redford and Hoyer following students who were high school sophomores in 2002 states that 76% of first-generation college students first enrolled in public, 9% in private, and 16% in for-profit institutions. Regarding the selectivity of institutions where first-generation college students tend to enroll, the same NCES report states that 52% enrolled in 2-year institutions whose selectivity is unclassified.

The Positive Impact of Age and Experience on FGCS

Through interviews with first-generation college students older than 25 at a small liberal arts college, researchers Kathleen Byrd and Ginger Macdonald found that these students considered their age to be a positive contributor to their time management and self-advocacy skills. Having more experience navigating life and work contributed to their confidence. Some interviewees expressed that their self-advocacy skills in particular had helped to compensate for what they lacked in background knowledge, or cultural capital, of the college system in areas such as financial aid, student advising services, and student-professor relationships. Interviewees who were also parents cited their children as sources of motivation in their academic pursuits.

Cultural Capital and the "Cultural Mismatch"

In an article from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Stephens et al. observe that the institution of higher education in the United States of America is popularly viewed as an environment of equal opportunity regardless of social class background and a means for social mobility. Indeed, a 2002 report by Connie Ayala and Al Striplen cited in the TGSLC literature review asserts that first-generation college students are involved in a "deliberate attempt" to achieve upward social, economic, or occupational mobility. However, research by Jean Phinney et al. revealed that a college education plays a significant role in students' potential for social mobility and status.

Stephens et al. show that working class and middle class societies have differing cultural capital and norms, and these differences are present in the way each class approaches and values higher education. The "cultural mismatch" between the college environment and first-generation college students' working-class backgrounds can be a source of academic disadvantage. Middle class students are typically socialized to value independence, and they are encouraged to approach college with the intention to "separate and distinguish themselves from their parents…, to find themselves, to develop their voices, to follow their passions, and to influence the world". On the other hand, working class students are often socialized to value interdependence, such as by "adjusting and responding to others' needs" and "being a part of a community", and may view college through a lens of interdependence as well.

The article shows how American first and second tier universities included in their study do indeed reflect the middle class values of independence, creating a mismatch between the environment familiar to students of working-class backgrounds and the college environment.

Financial Challenges and Stressors

A problem that first-generation students face, more frequently than other students is lack of finance with the constant growing cost of college. The cost of college often increases as students move through college. According to a primary research study, first-generation female students are experiencing high amounts of stress that is difficult to manage which can affect their progress in academics. Coming from this doubly disadvantaged background, first-generation women face adversity related to both their gender and first-generation status in academia.

Faulty Expectations and "Double Assignment"

Olson cites how FGCS have been found to enter college with the expectation that it will lead to a high-paying or prestigious job, which are not guaranteed outcomes. Brooks-Terry (1998) explores FGCS go into college with faulty expectations and struggle with "double assignment", which entail handling their courses while also learning and understanding the college lifestyle in general.

Navigating College Culture and Family Expectations

Orbe (2008) explains that FGCS' understanding of the college culture becomes a "multidimensional identity negotiation" against their home culture. FGCS have to acknowledge how they change in college while also relating that to their experiences with family and friends. Additionally, Olson addresses the obstacles the FGCS faces when wanting to move out. London (1989) explains how families of FGCS assign roles to keep them grounded to their families. Families may delegate the FGCS as the example for other members of the family, or keep them at home so they can remain reliant on family.

Read also: Amazon Internship Requirements

Self-Efficacy and Imposter Syndrome

Furthermore, Olson applies social cognitive career theory (SCCT) when exploring self-efficacy in more depth. Bandura (1986) says that self-efficacy and success of FGCS may be "learned" by watching their peers fail in college. It is likely that their perspectives are not accurate, and their families lack of education experience negatively reinforces the notion that they will not succeed.

Research has found that first-generation college students experience imposter syndrome (IP) at higher rates than their continuing-generation peers. Initially coined as the "impostor phenomenon" by Pauline Clance and Joe Langford in 1978 to describe the "internal experience of intellectual phoniness" among high-achieving women in the workplace, impostor syndrome has been attributed as the reason that many first-generation college students feel that they do not belong in postsecondary education and/or do not have the skills or intelligence to complete their studies. First-generation college students who struggle with impostor syndrome often cite feeling that their classes are highly competitive and that their continuing-generation peers may "find out" that they are not as capable, as skilled, or as intelligent as they may be perceived. IP perceptions can be influenced depending on the student's familial background.

According to research, first-generation students are generally less academically prepared for college because they do not have the guidance by their parents. In The Journal of Higher Education, Ernest Pascarella et al. reiterate the fact that first-generation students have a hard time completing their higher education due to their constant struggle of comparing themselves with their counterpart, students who have parents with a degree. The feelings of inadequacy or feeling like a fraud can be overpowering and mentally limit a student from achieving their best. When first-generation students can't find a support system at home, they feel lonely and go into a state of attrition. Martinez et al. Impostor syndrome has been observed to have detrimental effects on the academic, social, and emotional wellbeing of first-generation college students. Educators and institutions can help these students overcome their fears with the right resources if they were put into place. Joel Bothello and Thomas J. Roulet, authors of The Imposter Syndrome, or the Mis-Representation of Self in Academic Life, state, "higher education establishments need to change their incentive systems.

Degree Completion and Academic Preparation

DeAngelo provides statistics on graduation rates among FGCS and non-FGCS in a framework of four, five, and six years as well as a table that breaks down the degree attainment by race/ethnicity. In a 2001 US Department of Education report, Susan Choy explains that in order to becoming a college student requires a student proceed through multiple steps, starting with aspiring to earn a bachelor's degree, then achieving at least minimal academic preparation, then taking the SAT or ACT test, and finally, applying to a four-year institution. Her report shows that as a students' parents' education level increases, so does the students' likelihood of completing each step along the way to enrollment at a four-year institution. Choy also reports that the likelihood that a students will enroll in a four-year higher education institution is highly correlated with taking more advanced math courses in high school. Regarding the last step in the college enrollment process, application, the literature review by Carmen Tym et al.

Because of a lack of experience, first-generation college students' parents do not always understand what the academic requirements are to attend a four-year college; therefore, they cannot prepare their children for admission to such universities or the stress of the college experience. First-generation past students now parents would advise their children different from how they were advised when they were college students, with the advice they wish they were given by their parents. Students must rely on their teachers and counselors to place them on the correct track in order to enroll in any form of post-secondary education.

DeAngelo (et al., 2011) explains how prior academic achievements impact degree completion. These are explored through SAT scores and high school grades. FGCS with a higher-grade average in high school and SAT composite scores are more likely to graduate in 4 years. If these students don't understand the impact of their SAT scores and GPAs on their likelihood to graduate, they are not predisposed to take them seriously, while college experienced students know that based on their previous knowledge.

Family Achievement Guilt

Studies on family achievement guilt have reported that minority students are more likely to be the first in their family to attend college than non-minority students and that they are prone to feelings of guilt over prior generations' inability to pursue further education due to a variety of factors. As a result, these students are more likely to attempt to hide or downplay their scholastic achievements, which can lead to the students becoming depressed. The students living on what they perceive as "luxurious campuses" have also reported feeling guilt, particularly if their family members continue to experience suffering. Covarrbuias et al.

Most first-generation college students (FGCS) feel the guilt of achieving great success in college because most of their parents did not even finish elementary school, middle school, high school, or any post-secondary education. They face unique psychological challenges according to associate professor of Education Linda Banks-Santilli in an article published in The Washington Post. This is something that is common among minority Latinx families. The parents of first-generation college students chose to sacrifice their education to come to another country to find better opportunities for themselves and for their future families. With that being said, some of FGCS are also looked down upon because their relatives are not getting or taking advantage of the same opportunities. Although some relatives are supportive, others are envious and judgmental and may be quick to judge when they see their cousins or other relatives taking advantage of the opportunities given to them.

Strategies for Supporting FGCS

The Institute for Higher Education (September 2012), provides an issue brief and describes how to support FGCS through classroom-based practices. First, faculty can be key allies as they are the key point of contact for students in the classroom. When faculty are encouraged by their institutions to uphold strong leadership roles in FGCS initiatives, the results are extremely beneficial. The issue brief has a very helpful graphic that breaks down the strategies faculty can use to help students. Additionally, the Institute for Higher Education (2012) identifies how it is crucial for institutions to examine barriers faced by FGCS and to redesign their curriculum to better serve these students. Some possible approaches involve educators implementing tutoring programs and proving supplemental services to better serve this community. They can create an initiative to train faculty and instructors specially, while keeping in consideration the cultural obstacles these students may face. By identifying and integrating cultural characteristics into the way they serve FGCS, they are being more inclusive and creating stronger relationships between the students and faculty. Because many Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI's) don't have a strong grasp on how many FGCS are on their campuses, they may not understand how to serve this community. The Institute for Higher Education (2012) emphasizes the need to use data (also known as evidence-based solutions) to support the efforts to strengthen programs to help FGCS. Some methods include primarily identifying the number of FGCS and the qualitative and quantitative approaches to better serving the population. Schools can also use research models to not only design but track the most effective practices that provide the utmost opportunities for FGCS. Although there are programs intact to help FGCS, The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) states that these programs can only serve 11 percent of students.

Practical Advice and Resources for FGCS

Applying to college can feel like a daunting process, especially for students who come from first-generation backgrounds. Once on campus, first-generation college students are encouraged to make the most of their experience at Brown by exploring broadly through the Open Curriculum and joining any of our 500+ student organizations. The Undocumented, First-Generation College, and Low-Income (U-FLi) Student Center is the main hub for members of the Brown community who identify with the undocumented, first-generation college, and/or low-income student experience to meet other students, staff, and faculty that share these aspects of their background.

You need to complete the FAFSA every year if you want to receive financial aid. While it may feel uncomfortable at first, your faculty will appreciate getting to know you! Making an introduction allows your faculty to learn more about you, will make it easier to ask questions, and may result in exciting research/internship opportunities. Many on-campus jobs will require you to submit a resume and/or cover letter and complete an interview. Getting in touch with your academic advisor and scheduling a meeting is a great way to receive some assistance.

A great starting place is connecting with a faculty member or the graduate admissions office if your college has graduate or professional programs. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) maintains a page with tools and resources dedicated to first-gen medical students.

tags: #definition #of #first #generation #college #student