Navigating New Terrain: Understanding the First-Generation College Student Experience
For many, the pursuit of higher education is a well-trodden path paved by generations of family members. However, for a significant and growing number of students, the journey into college represents uncharted territory. These individuals, known as first-generation college students, embark on their academic careers without the direct experience or guidance of parents or guardians who have completed a four-year college degree. This article delves into the definition of first-generation college students, the unique challenges they face, and the resources and support systems designed to help them thrive.
Defining the First-Generation College Student
The most widely accepted definition of a first-generation college student (FGCS) in the United States is an individual whose parents or guardians have not completed a four-year bachelor's degree. 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. This inclusive definition applies to both undergraduate and graduate students. 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. While seemingly straightforward, this definition encapsulates a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.
Some institutions may adopt slightly different definitions. For example, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) defines a first-generation student as someone who does not live with a parent or guardian who earned a bachelor's degree on a traditional college campus.
The Significance of Being First
To be FIRST takes courage and determination to break new ground and try new things. This includes being among the first in your family to attend and graduate from college. Being a first-generation college student means the world to many, representing an opportunity to demonstrate to their families that their efforts through education are worthwhile.
First-generation college students often have high aspirations, and institutions should support their dreams. Many see their college education as a means of upward social, economic, or occupational mobility. A 2002 report asserted that first-generation college students are involved in a "deliberate attempt" to achieve upward social, economic, or occupational mobility. Research consistently shows that earning a bachelor’s degree increases opportunities for socioeconomic mobility in the United States.
Read also: Your Guide to Nursing Internships
Graduating as a first-generation student can be a tribute to family, representing the culmination of hard work and dedication. Completing a degree can also break a cycle within a family, setting a new precedent for future generations.
Demographics and Enrollment Patterns
More than a third of college students are first-generation. First-generation college students come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. In 2016, 26 percent were Hispanic or Latino, 44 percent were white, 18 percent were Black, 7 percent were Asian, and 2 percent were Native American or Alaska Native. They come from urban, rural, and suburban communities.
First-generation students are likelier to attend community colleges and less-selective four-year colleges and universities. Public colleges and universities are often more affordable than private colleges, making them popular options for first-gen students. In 2016, 46% of first-gen students enrolled in taxpayer-supported institutions, with nearly half going to community colleges and half going to public flagship or regional public universities. A NCES report 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.
Unique Challenges Faced by First-Generation College Students
First-generation students often face a unique set of challenges as they navigate the complexities of higher education. These challenges can be broadly categorized as follows:
Lack of Familiarity with College Culture
One of the most significant hurdles for first-generation students is the lack of inherited knowledge about navigating academic systems, financial aid, networking, or campus culture. Without family members who have experienced college firsthand, these students may feel lost when it comes to understanding the unwritten rules and expectations of higher education. As Zlotkowski said, "What can be difficult is that they are missing the practical support necessary to navigate the campus and our various written and unwritten rules."
Read also: The Return of College Football Gaming
Financial Constraints
First-generation students often come from families with limited financial resources and may have to work more to support themselves, which can interfere with their studies. To ensure students can pay tuition, buy books, and cover living expenses, colleges and universities should increase financial support, such as emergency funds, work-study programs, and scholarships and grants. The cost of college often increases as students move through college.
Parents and guardians of first-gen students might not be able to offer as much help with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and paying for college.
Academic Preparedness
They also may have attended poorly resourced schools, making them less academically prepared. Sometimes, they and their parents are immigrants who do not speak English as their first language. Students who are Black, Hispanic, Latino, or Native American also can have difficulty adjusting to unfamiliar social and cultural norms.
Family Responsibilities and Cultural Mismatch
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. Olson (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.
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 "cultural mismatch" between the college environment and first-generation college students' working-class backgrounds can be a source of academic disadvantage.
Read also: Transfer pathways after community college
Imposter Syndrome and Feelings of Guilt
Research has found that first-generation college students experience of imposter syndrome (IP) at higher rates than their continuing-generation peers. 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. The feelings of inadequacy or feeling like a fraud can be overpowering and mentally limit a student from achieving their best.
Most first-generation college students 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. The students living on what they perceive as "luxurious campuses" have also reported feeling guilt, particularly if their family members continue to experience suffering.
Stress
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.
Strategies for Success and Institutional Support
Despite the challenges, first-generation college students demonstrate remarkable resilience and determination. Moreover, institutions are increasingly recognizing the importance of providing targeted support to help these students thrive. Some key strategies and support mechanisms include:
Financial Aid and Resources
To ensure students can pay tuition, buy books, and cover living expenses, colleges and universities should increase financial support, such as emergency funds, work-study programs, and scholarships and grants. Institutions should help with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and paying for college.
Mentorship and Guidance Programs
Model institutions create a sense of belonging by fostering welcoming environments, training faculty and staff members to understand first-generation students’ unique needs, and connecting them with others like them through campus organizations, social outings, and one-to-one faculty relationships. Connecting with instructors and other first-gen students can be beneficial. Academic advisors can act as advocates and provide support.
Targeted Academic Support
Higher education institutions should closely track the progress of first-generation students, using data to identify areas of improvement, ensuring these students have every opportunity to earn degrees. 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.
Fostering a Sense of Belonging
Model institutions create a sense of belonging by fostering welcoming environments, training faculty and staff members to understand first-generation students’ unique needs, and connecting them with others like them through campus organizations, social outings, and one-to-one faculty relationships.
Acknowledging and Celebrating First-Generation Status
Acknowledging that you are on an exciting and unique journey can be empowering.
Leveraging Faculty Support
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 Broader Impact
Higher education shouldn’t just serve families with wealth and connections, stifling the individual economic opportunity and social mobility that carry benefits for every American. The hardest thing about going to college should be the learning.
First-generation college students are involved in a "deliberate attempt" to achieve upward social, economic, or occupational mobility. 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.
tags: #first #gen #college #student #definition
