The Psychological Challenges Of First Generation College Students

721 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Background on first-generation students

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. Many students experience this change and …show more content…

First-generation students frequently have a feeling that they don’t belong in school. The biggest challenge of this students is psychologically because of the need of support. Most of the difficulties are lack of professional mentoring. For example often they apply to only one college because of the lack of money and information f other colleges. Many students enroll and are determine to obtain good grades but at the same time are worried because of the need of support from their mother. Some experience not owning a computer or knowing how to use them and this slows down their learning process, and are afraid to ask for help. Once they identify what they are capable to do academically they began to think everything they achieve or do would be underestimated by others. They may think teachers are going to punish them for not knowing how to solve critical thinking problems. Or by their classmates they may become socially discomfort with other students, because of the loss of personality. In my opinion, colleges should recognize that being a first –generation student and seeking for help is not easy. They have hard challenges to overcome and may choose to remain invisible to not cause disturb. Many of them arrive with low income difficulties and lack of education which makes them an easy target to discriminate. First generation college students

Show More
Related

  • First Generation Summary

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of First-Generation College Students

    575 Words  | 2 Pages

    While first-generation college students are over half of all students in postsecondary education, exclusionary practices block their admittance into elite institutions. The outliers who receive admittance to the Ivory Tower may think they have made it—that their American Dream and long-held belief in the meritocratic ethos has finally paid off. Instead, they are confronted with educational stratification and social reproduction that was stacked against them long before they received the piece of parchment granting them access. The onerous task of navigating through unfamiliar academic and social situations often results in leaving. Can first-generation college students learn how to activate, manage, and accumulate social and cultural capital to navigate elite universities?

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Suicide On Campus And The Pressure Of Perfection By Julie Scelfo

    710 Words  | 2 Pages

    The author believes that students in the current generation are under more pressure than preceding ones. “William Alexander, director of Penn’s counseling and psychological services stated, ‘A small setback used to mean disappointment…’ Now? ‘For some students, a mistake has incredible meaning.’” The specialists that the author chooses to cite are all credible, which helps to build her view on this subject. The research that Scelfo uses also illustrates the fact that a student’s family plays a big role in their overall mindset. For example, Alice Miller, a famous psychologist, observed that “…some especially intelligent and sensitive children can become so attuned to parents’ expectations that they do whatever it takes to fulfill those expectations- at the expense of their own feelings and needs.” Being able to support her argument with the findings of psychologists and doctors avails Scelfo in swaying the reader’s

    Read More

  • First Generation College Student Analysis

    223 Words  | 1 Pages

    I am Nursing major and with that degree to become a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in the Cardiovascular System to reduce the rate of heart diease in America. I am a hardworking individual and I take my academics very seriously. I understand that I am at school for a purpose and know my purpose is to further my education. I am just trying to make it. My parents always told me growing up “ In order to get something you never had that I will have to do things I have never done.” No one prepared me for college, because I am a first generation college student. In addition to being a first generation college student ; I am also a first generation high school graduate. I use my my parents trials and tribulations as my motivation, because I want

    Read More

  • Transitioning to College: The Freshman 15

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the length of schooling, students go through various changes. In their first year of school, children are required to make the transition from being at home for the entire day to being in school for a number of hours a day. These transition periods happen many times through the schooling years, but the most drastic changes occur during the transition from high school to college, where students weather numerous lifestyle changes. While each individual student goes on their own journey, certain themes remain common between different students. Studies are done to look at these themes identifying the numerous differences and similarities.

    Read More

  • Public Community Colleges : Creating Access And Opportunities For First Generation College Students

    1141 Words  | 3 Pages

    What are some more ways to aid first-generation students with the challenges faced in college?

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'Helicopter Parents: Stop Hovering !'

    776 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Helicopter Parents – Stop Hovering!” Diether H. Haenicke makes a proposition that parents who hover for their children are not helping them; on the other hand, they are more likely affecting them negatively. Haenicke points out that some parents would attend classes in the university and take notes for their son or daughter if they were sick. He also states that parents would even go with their kids to a job interview. According to Haenicke, most companies will never hire a person who goes for a job interview with his or her parents. According to Haenicke, some students have low self-esteem because they rely less and less on their own abilities as they have learned to be dependent on their parents. The extreme dependence denies them the opportunity to learn by experience, which is the best teacher. All of these factors play a major role in the development of some mental problems by these students. It is therefore the highest time that college students should be left to lead their own lives and experience life in totality.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On First Generation Students

    1262 Words  | 3 Pages

    If failure ever becomes an option, reconsider your choices and work out a plan where it is not even considered. Finding groups that help first generation students will help you tenfold. Students do not have to face the learning curve alone. Tutors and professors understand that being a first generation student is difficult even if the university doesn’t have anything to help. On top of not knowing about college and dealing with a learning curve, first generation students also have a fear of becoming unrecognizable to their own families. The development of two separate identities can often make it difficult for these students to branch out and learn. The fear of becoming someone else and not knowing can lead students to living in a shell where they are not only excluding themselves from others, but also from learning and being educated. More colleges need to implement a program that helps first generation students transition to college life. Without anything being done, these students will continue to have the highest dropout

    Read More

  • Declining Student Resilience

    1011 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ultimately, what is at stake here is the fact that parents are making excuses for students who do not want to work hard in school or are not able to handle it, therefore, parents need to stop making excuses for adults and let them decide their paths in life. If parents stop excusing their kids, then teachers can continue the challenging work for student resilience to increase. College is a privilege, not every child in the world can experience and no one said it would be easy, but no one said it was acceptable to hold each student’s hand for the ride

    Read More

  • First-Generation College Students: Challenges and Solutions

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    A solution to this problem would be if schools were to implement first generation counseling centers on their campus, which consist solely of former first generation students turned faculty members. If this were the case, students would have someone they can feel comfortable seeking advice from due to it being someone who’s been in the same rough spot. I reached out to a friend of mine, a fellow first-time member of his immediate family, to see how he feels about the subject. I asked what he thought the hardest part of the college process was and whether or not he would’ve sought out a first-generation center had it been accessible for him; he responded with, “The hardest part has to be figuring all this stuff out alone. Kids with college-educated parents genuinely don’t understand how lucky they are to have someone in their household, even remotely close to remembering how to fill all these papers out.

    Read More

  • Summary Of College Is A Waste Of Time And Money

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Stress in College: What Causes it and How to Combat it

    2522 Words  | 6 Pages

    Many first year college students face problems as they enter a new educational environment that is very different than that of high school. However, the common problem is that many first year students become stressed. For many students, college is supposed to be the most fun time of their life; however, their fun can be restricted if it is limited by stress and other mental illnesses. According to the National Health Ministries (2006), stress is caused by “greater academic demands,” the feeling of being independent from family, “financial responsibility,” homesickness, being exposed to meeting new people, peer pressure, “awareness of one’s own sexual identity,” and the abuse of drugs and alcohol (p. 2). However, the causes to first year students’ stress mainly include academic demand, parents, finance, and peer pressure.

    Read More

  • College Student Stress

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stress is a serious concern for college students, especially freshmen making the transition to a new lifestyle and school. It is important to remember that there are multiple ways to cope with stress that have shown to be effective, and every individual copes differently. It is never too late to seek help or to try a new strategy if the one chosen is not working. Three advice tips for freshmen making the transition to college are: attending or requesting mindfulness programs on campus, developing a strong support system especially with one’s parents if that is possible, and using resources that can be found on one’s campus.

    Read More

  • Helicopter Parents

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    The next generation of young adults is not being taught the important life skills needed to thrive in today’s world. Adults who have never had to challenge themselves are not going up the ladder of success. Dr. Whelan, a sociologist who has taught at many universities, has three books, and several notable achievements wrote the article, “Helping first year students help them...

    Read More

  • The Overwhelming Cost of College

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about The Psychological Challenges Of First Generation College Students

Open Document