In 1985, Edwin Anderson introduced the Force Field Analysis of College Persistence which assisted in highlighting significant reasons why students decide to stay or leave college. College is a huge transition that will help students reach personal growth. Throughout the course of my high school career, I had to deal with the internal and external factors of making an overall decision of pursuing a college education.
On my Force Field model, I expressed several external influences that began to "militate against [my] academic success (Anderson, 1985)," hindering my decision to go to college. My friends were the ones who I relied on for peer understanding. We've grown a strong relationship with each other over the course of ten years. Leaving a strong relationship behind is not an easy decision, as well as, leaving my community who've became my support system in high school. I come from a disadvantaged community where resources are very limited. Financially, it has been hard to pay for the essential things that an 8 member household needs. The financial burden of figuring out ways to pay for my tuition became the most important influence on my decision of not going to college. My internal factors are influence that I csn personally control
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with the right methods. I've always feared failure because I've always been told to do my best and achieve. Failure is an act of not reaching a desired expectation. If I do not reach my expectations, I feel as if success is not in my future. The positive internal and external forces has found it's way to overcome my negative influences.
My dad became my biggest influence on my decision-making process. Trent was able to highlight the fact that "parents [are the one's] who value a college education and stress its importance (Anderson, 1985)." Financial aid was another essential factor that drove me to go to college. Financial aid is free money the government grants to students in order to assist in making college a reality to them in our recessional times. In college, I will be able to better myself as an individual. I plan on gaining even more knowledge, maturity, and independence while beating the societal stereotypes of African American from underserved
communities. After making the decision to attend college, I knew that there was Institutional Bureaucratic Procedures that I had to take. These procedures had to be completed by everyone, depending on their college of choice. My choice was the University of California, Los Angeles. From the freshmen year to my senior year of high school I had to complete all the A-G requirements, take all required exams, create and fill out the UC application on time, apply for FAFSA, and lastly SIR to UCLA. Levin's theoretical model (1951) was true as it pertained to my college decision. My behavior and overall choice that was caused by my "driving" and "restraining" forces was predicted accurately. For the reason that it demonstrates how the quantity and quality of my positive arrows shunned my negative arrows. This result ultimately led me to the ending of my model. Enrolling successfully as a full time student at UCLA.
The teachers interviewed in this film discussed that once students begin looking into the hefty cost that comes with college they become quite discouraged because they are not aware of ways to get some of the cost eliminated such as qualifying for FAFSA, application wavers and multiple scholarships they could apply for. Not only is the financial aspect intimidating, but these students do not understand how much profit they could potentially make off of a student loan. Not only can these students make more money and benefit from a possible loan along with avoiding some financial struggles, they can also work to benefit their futures. For example, Soma, discusses that before his father passed away his father encouraged him to get a college degree, with that being said, if these students were to attain a college degree they could help their families In the future, live with a sense of accomplishment and break the cycle of low socioeconomic status, allowing them to thrive in their future. With the lack of knowledge first generation students possess, they are typically unable to see the benefits they would have if they attended a college and attained a
How does being the first in one’s family to graduate from college impact one’s desire to finish college? Some of the major barriers first generation college students face include lack of motivation, lack of support, and low income finances. Some freshman students might lack the motivation to do well in school because of the lack of appropriate role models or mentors in the academic environment. These difficulties can be tied to lack of support at home; the parents might not be concerned about their child's education, maybe the parent lacks the ability to guide them through college, the parent might not have the process of having not navigated it themselves. Parents might feel embarrassed that they don’t have any knowledge to help them through college.
First generation college students are students who comprise a distinct minority within most institutions of higher learning. These groups of students are the first generation of students in their family lineage to attend a college or university (Allwood, 1966). Due to the lack of family guidance in navigating through the college experience, first generation students face an array of obstacles upon entering the realm of higher education. These students are less likely to obtain their bachelor degree due to finance, family support and retention, all which ultimately limit their college experience. Not only do these students experience issues migrating through high school into college, they also lack the necessary resources some students need to achieve higher standards. For instance financial assistance, mentorship, and other motivating factors that can help a student grow into a professional.
As a first-generation college student, the process of applying to colleges was not only an overwhelming experience, but it was a lonely one. My parents did not understand why I would spend hours perfecting my essay or why I worried too much about paying for college. When college decisions started to come in the mail, I was ecstatic that I got into the
It seems as though the majority of college students these days aren’t looking to further their education because it’s what they really want, they do it to please their parents, to be accepted by society, or because there’s nothing else for them to do (Bird, 372). These expectations have led to students being unhappy and stressed, and have pushed them into a school or a job that they don’t particularly care for.
I was raised in an encouraging household where both of my parents greatly valued education. Although they were high school graduates, neither could afford to attend college; a combination of family and financial woes ultimately halted their path. As a result, my parents frequently reminded me that getting a good education meant better opportunities for my future. To my parents, that seemed to be the overarching goal: a better life for me than the one they had. My parents wanted me to excel and supported me financially and emotionally of which the former was something their parents were not able to provide. Their desire to facilitate a change in my destiny is one of many essential events that contributed to my world view.
In the 21st century, if an individual decides to make a major commitment or resolution, they have the utmost support from their peers and family members. However, when a first-generation college student decides on furthering their education, the dearest people close to the student seem to disappear. Linda Banks-Santilli (2015) claims that first-generation students apply to a single college and without the help of a parent (para. 13). Although Banks-Santilli does not say so directly, she assumes that the students can not afford multiple application fees and the students are unsure on how to determine which college is a good fit, as their parents have not taken them on a college tour. I agree that first-generation students have far less help
When I hear the word college, I automatically think of books, education, and learning. When I reflect on the reasons why I go to college, the first thing that comes to mind is my mother. The more I think about it, the more I realize the reason why I attend college is to not only learn, but create a path to where I want to head in life. I attend college to seek the best path ahead and work hard in order to give back to the most ambitious woman I know, my mother.
Milem, J., & Berger, J. (1997). A modified model of college student persistence: Exploring the relationship between Astin’s theory of involvement and Tinto’s theory of student departure. Journal of College Student Development, 38, 387- 400.
Growing up in a minority family college has always been a priority. It was the main reason why my parents immigrated to America. They wanted their children to have more opportunities than they could have in Guyana. However, I never really knew anything about college. It would be my next step in life, but I had no idea what was required for college applications until I started the college process. I only knew about “big” time colleges like the Ivy leagues. Harvard and Yale were the dreams of every student, but growing up in Minnesota and being from the Midwest, Northwestern became my “big time” college dream.
Throughout my k-12 education, my father stressed how important attending college was. He worked long hours to provide for my brother and I, so that one day we can attend college. My father struggled to pay for tuition when he was a sophomore in college. Which, lead him to dropping out. However, he had a different vision for my brother and I. His goal was for my brother and I to attend college and graduate debt free. Planning 18 years in advance, my father opened the Texas Tomorrow Fund for my brother and I, so that one day we could obtain a college education, without tuition ever haunting us.
Because my family struggled financially, we were evicted from many homes and were dependent on government aid for a large part of my childhood. I saw the opportunities my parents lost because they did not have high school diplomas, let alone a college degree. I knew that obtaining a college diploma would help me move up in status. Because of my experiences in society as someone who was poor, I was motivated to create a better life for
Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley, Bridges, & Hayek (2006) suggested that retaining students involves students comprehending the benefits of remaining in college as opposed to leaving. Programs, incentives, and the vision of an improved after higher education life often encourage FGCS to
College student find that college is a big academic jump from high school that will require time and planning. Students have hard time keeping up with their lessons due to poor study habits and time management. Coral Carter says that the number one reason that college student’s dropout is due to the fact that “college students are unprepared to
Rubin, B. M. (2012, 8 6). Parents taking an active role in choosing colleges. Chicago Tribune .