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Essay on first generation college students
Importance of a good college education
Importance of a good college education
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College as a Monumental Moment
Through life there are good, bad, pleasant, horrible and magnificent moments. However, there are special situations that deserve to be notable because of its important influence and support. For instance, starting college is a critical decision for first generation students. Nonetheless, the mentality of students, expectations of loved ones and the beliefs of community are pivotal contributors to a monumental path.
Not everyone, but many college students are in college because they want to change their futures while they contribute to an important moment in their lives. When a person becomes a part of an educational program, this person already has a goal to accomplish while being involved. For instance, some
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Constantly, people classify education as a step to becoming a smart person from one day to the next. However, education takes more than simply time, and the opinion of society for positive or negative gives students an impulse to work harder on their careers. Plenty times people let their minds fill with stereotypes based on race or gender that eventually help students become better persons than they were before. Additionally, the society expects college students to contribute back to their community when they graduate. People expect students to improve and take interest in their cultures because they know that young people are aware about the youth problems that complicate the lives of mature people. One of their expectations is to take some of their community experiences and return help by serving others. Community opinions are a great input to an important moment of the life of a college student.
Each person is a different culture and so each person has something memorable to celebrate. Some people may have celebrated when they received their first payment check, when they got their first new car, when they got married, or even when they became parents. There are millions of experiences that can make life situations monumental moments, like when a person decides to attend college as a first generation student knowing that it is going to be challenging, but with the pivotal contributors, it would become a monumental moment in their whole life not only for one person but for
Every year there are thousands of students planning and tracking their goals. Seniors in high school are faced with the tough challenge, while the Juniors are left to worry another year. Finally, the point comes a student’s life where they must make one of the most important decisions in their educational lifetime. That choice is, which college to attend, and it is a very scrutinous process. Two of such colleges are the University of Iowa and St. Ambrose University, and although similarities like majors and minors are evident, there are many other differences including student life.
...d the way in which she makes friends, also suffered. So what can other first generation college students do to avoid what has happened to Sarah? The answer lies in directing a passion towards learning and education in students and their families that will build self-motivation and avoid the negative predispositions of being the first in the family to attend college. While Sarah has not been attending the University of Miami for too long, her experiences thus far have given her a very good understanding of her position in this academic community, and nevertheless, gives a representation of first year first generation college students. Sarah is only one person though and may not be fully representative of the population first generation college students, but as a member of this community, Sarah’s input is essential to the ideas and views of the students in this group.
First Generation students, being the pioneers to join the university from their families deprives them the services of a role model. Their parents have no information about life in the university and, therefore, cannot offer guidance to their children in preparing for college or what to expect (Jehangir, 2010). The students also come from families of low economic status and survive college through hardships (Prospero, 2007). They lack sufficient funds for upkeep and cannot live the flashy lifestyles their counterparts maintain.
Coming to college as an adult, we have many expectations and preconceptions of what college will or will not be. The expectations we have can influence our college life for the better or the worse. My experience since starting college has been an interesting one. People have misconceptions about college because they do not know what to expect. After doing some research, I have concluded that there are three major factors that are often misunderstood about college life. The first is the financial aspect of college. Second, is the relationship between the professors and students. Third is time management. These three factors play an important role in why people are afraid to go down the path to college.
College is a place where people go to learn and to grow as a person. Most people go to college for the same reasons. They want to set a good foundation for getting a job, experience new things, or because their parents wanted them to. All of those reasons apply to me also.
A first-generation college student is someone whose folks didn’t attend or graduated from college. Many times, students face this reality and have no one to rely on. Some of the challenges this students face are unique psychological challenges. Although there is upportive staff in college, one of the most important roles of a family is support. Their family may see their entry to college as an insult or misunderstood their reason for wanting to have a major. In families, role are assign to each member such as working, cleaning or taking care of others. When one of the family members decides to interference with this system to attend to college, this one leading the student to a loss of personality.
The main reason why people go to college is not because they want to but because they have to. Most high school seniors are pressured by their guidance counselors and parents to go to college because it is "the right thing to do." In the essay that Caroline Bird wrote "College is a Waste of Time and Money", she states that students go to college because " . . . Mother wanted them to go, or some other reason entirely irrelevant to the course of studies for which college is supposedly organized." (481) The student may have different ideas about what he or she wants to do in life, but because they think that these "mentors" know what is best for them, they probably end up doing something they do not want to do, resulting in being miserable and resentful.
Students entering college for the first time become concerned with their college life. The students are on their own once they enter college. There are no parents or guardians telling them when to do homework, when to go to bed, or how to eat healthy. These students are now responsible for how they are going to succeed in school and meet their own needs. From the beginning, these students wonder what their experience is going to be like and are they going to handle the demands of college?
My goal is to implement a similar program at the high school level where students are exposed to this level of support and companionship; all united in the same goal of helping each other succeed. It is also essential for students to witness what college is like before stepping inside for the first day of class. To see what college is like, and to experiment the environment goes a long way for students who are new to the experience. The Roaring Fork School District Pre-Collegiate Program is a prime example of what a stable source of support and assistance can do in the long run. This school district, located within Colorado’s western slope,
College can be a scarce transition for individuals, especially for the ones who have lived at home their whole lives. While college is said to be one of the best experiences, there are negative factors that eventually add up. Students who live under their parents roofs or attend high school, usually have their day-to-days lives planned. A typical day in the life of a student may be going to school for eight hours, participating in an activity after school, coming home to a home-cooked meal, and going to bed. Where, college is the first year a student may experience more independence and a non-planned agenda. Most individuals know when going to college they’re going to miss the familiar feeling of their hometown, home-made meals, and their own
Before World War II, attending college was a privilege, usually reserved for the upper class, but, in today’s society scholarships, grants, and loans are available to the average student which has made pursuing a college education a social norm. Norms are usually good, they help keep society run in an organized manner by sharing common rules and values. But, when pursuing a college education becomes a norm, it does more destruction than good. For a lot of students, a major reason for attending college is because their parents tell them it’s the thing to do to become successful in life.
College success has become a most desirable goal. However, many students struggle through college. In fact, according to the Website Ask.com, approximately 15 percent of college students receive a degree. Because I’m willing to earn a degree like many other successful students, I find that college is the stepping stone to my dream goals. I know that college is difficult, but I realize that attaining my dream of a college education will require me to understand the benefits of what I’m learning, to prepare for obstacles, to seek advice, and to create effective and reasonable strategies will help me achieve my goals.
College for an incoming freshman is exciting, however, it is often focused on the social aspect such as the connections that can be attained through Greek life, parties and independence. Due to the social interactions, freshmen tend to drop out of college after their first year. Focusing on what college is meant for can prevent these situations. The pressures of college such as impressing parents, and maintain a high standard GPA-wise can lead to stress and freeze a student from achieving the proper academic performance. During the mid 1900s, college was considered more of a luxury than anything; people would attend college exclusively to acquire knowledge in hopes of obtaining a career after graduation. People in the twenty-first century, however, attend college to get away from home and enjoy freedom at parties. Education is taken lightly, and those who feel that education isn’t the main focus of college should not apply for sakes of the greater good.
Many institutions made civic learning a high priority in the undergraduate education goals and start to begin systematic assessment of the influence of their educational opportunities. There are also significant of scholarship using student surveys on college campuses, evidence on how campuses have an influence at various stages of a students’ career.
Everyone has a memorable unforgettable moment in their life time and will charish that momement as long as they live. I am one of those many with a memorable loving moment. I will never forget it and happy to share it with others. It has been one of many favorite moment in my life. That it even open my heart to be happy and always thankful.