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First generation college students and disadvantages
First generation college students and disadvantages
First generation college students and disadvantages
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This study has been done to see if parental support distinguishes the education of first generation students in compared to non-first generation students. “Greater numbers of students from non-college educated families are realizing that in order to gain equal footing with their peers, a college degree is a must” . As the number of first generation students in the college environment begin to increase, so due the worries of their educational aspirations and achievements within this new atmosphere. This article also states that, “current research suggests that first- generation students differ in significant ways from their non-first-generation peers in areas including academic preparation, racial/ethnic demographics, socioeconomic status …show more content…
Studies show that in comparison with non-first generation students, first generation students do differ in many ways. Such as, demonstrating that there are many “socio-cultural variables” that affect the availability of these students to continue forward in their academics. Examples being, language barriers and role models, people whom they can relate themselves to as they grow. As well as, when the student needs to meet certain family obligations that may interfere with his/her school responsibilities, making them less prepared for the …show more content…
Regardless of standing, parental support in a college student’s education may make a definite impact on their academic achievements. Typically literature has the tendency of painting a picture of first generation students lacking in personal and social skills that can subsidize positive academic outcomes when attending
The documentary, First Generation, follows four first generation college students who try and balance the hardships of working, sports, being part of a lower socioeconomic status and handling the challenges of learning how to apply and cover the cost of hefty college tuitions. In this paper, I will discuss barriers that some students experienced, the benefits of attainting a college education as a first generation student and some of the challenges individuals faced once they were accepted into college.
First, no longitudinal study currently exists that follows children from kindergarten to college and beyond. Of course, costs for such a study would be exorbitant, but what social implications exist from the scarcity of available research? Second, the qualitative interviews concentrate on first-generation college students from one elite university. To the best of my knowledge, no study has qualitatively analyzed the differences between first-generation and continuing-generation college students. Additionally, one elite university cannot serve as the paragon for all elite institutions. Third, the qualitative study samples from a variety of cohorts to measure change across time, but a better method would be to re-interview each student in one year increments from the time they matriculate to several years after expected degree attainment. Finally, to fully understand the experience of first-generation college students, interviews with parents, educators, and gatekeepers can provide insights that the students themselves were unaware
The author, Julia Brookshire Everett commenced the article, “Public Community Colleges: Creating Access and Opportunities for First Generation College Students”, by first characterizing first- generation college students and also expounding on the difficulties first-generation students encountered when acquiring post-secondary degrees. According to Everett (2015), the term ‘first- generation college student’ was first coined in the 1960s in order to regulate student eligibility for federally financed programs to aid students from low-income households.
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.
Most first generation college students are significantly older than the average, approximately 24 year of age (Pascarella et. al 2004). The surrounding low-income environments that many of these students are raised around can explain this late age. This financial pressure can also explain another category of first generation students, preparation (Chen & Carroll, 2005). These students are often less prepared to enter the college life. They have not been exposed to the necessary preparation needed to succeed on college admissions tests and furthermore don’t meet the performance requirements that universities and institutions require. Analyzing the prefaces that surround the environment of first generation college students aids in understanding current problems faced in college as well as assist in proposing solutions for this subset of
Society today puts priority on a college degree, yet those who end up going to college are not always tended to. Of the entire undergraduate population in the United States, only 24 percent are first generation college students. From that group of students, only 11 percent earn a Bachelor’s degree after six years (Tugend). Often times first generation students are unaware of anything about college. This lack of knowledge leads to them not taking full advantage of all the resources available to them (Parks). Neither one of my parents went to college, so it was as much a learning process for them as it was for me. As a first generation student I believe that it is necessary for there to be some group of people that just devotes their time and attention to helping everyone take full advantage of everything they are being offered.
Being a first generation college student has been my biggest struggle in life. For years, I was told to attend Allen Community College before any big changes of course I didn’t listen. For years I was told I wouldn’t last in a big university, I have been told I will be unprepared and behind. I have been told that three out of five first generations students do not complete a degree. Being told something isn’t possible is a hard thing to deal with.
Being a first-generation student has been life changing in so many ways. Applying for college wasn't the easiest thing to do for me considering that my parents did not attend college. To overcome the struggle, I had to reach out to various resources such as my friends who are currently attending a four year college. The most complicated part was completing the paperwork for the FAFSA. There are multiple documents that create a maze of paperwork that I had to work my way through to complete the FAFSA. One of the most nerve-racking parts of the process was not knowing for certain if I had completed all of the paperwork exactly as specified. The FAFSA was definitely the most challenging obstacle I had to overcome. My Freshman year of High School,
are taught by their parents that determination and persistency are the keys to academic achievements. In addition, many Asian parents are extremely involved and invested in their children’s education. For many first-generation immigrant and refugee parents, they believe the way to realize the American dream is through higher education and professional status. They encourage t...
Being the first generation means setting an example and paving the way for future generations. However, this also means additional challenges like high expectations, guilt, and lack of guidance. During my secondary education, my family was not supportive or informed on the educational system and how it worked.
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
In today’s day and age, the percentage of monitories attending college decrease more every day. Many studies indicate that there are more African Americans with high school diplomas then college degrees. The question being asked reputably amongst many people is why African Americans still face huge challenges in terms of accessing and completing higher education. The answer to this argument is that single parent household can have a huge effect on how they prosper down the road. Single parent households can influence a child drive for pursuing higher education by failing to push or ensure them that it’s possible to achieve higher than a high school diploma
First generation students come to college with their unique challenges such as X,Y,Z (CITE). A student group this large and vulnerable deserves special attention if they want to make it to graduation. This paper seeks to review the literature on first generation college students and answer the question: Why do first generation college students leave and how can we get them to persist to graduation?
Being a college student could be very stressful; many students feel pressure from their family and peers to do well. The struggles of college; in academic, social, and economical factors, would be much harder without a support system. Encouragement of family members is a very important factor in a first year college student. One reason is because individuals seek praise from their family members and friends. If these people encourage the student to do well in all their courses, and then express approval when he or she does excel, then more than likely this student will continue to do well. According to studies of Hackman & Dysinger, a familys expectation may be as significant as a student’s own. Many graduates note that their parents assumed that they would graduate rather than just hoping. Students of educated parents are more likely to be motivated in college because of their understanding and encouragement.
Finally, it is a general opinion among many that academic performance is a manner of will and determination of an individual rather than their socioeconomic status. For instance, in schools of higher learning, there are a lot of students from richer backgrounds who do not perform well as compared to those perceived to be from poor backgrounds (Sacerdote, 2002). Research has shown that while socioeconomic status may influence the availability or access to learning materials, it is the student’s personal determination to excel that determines the kind of lifestyle they