First Generation College Students

In order to ensure that prospective first-generation college students are enrolling in institutions that best suit their needs, it is imperative that these students are able to have positive interactions with other students and faculty. With many first-generation college students placing less emphasis on working with others and engaging in social activities, it is crucial to identify how educators can get these students more involved in their communities (Nadelson et al., 2013). According to findings from Gibbons et al. (2006), it seems plausible that first-generation college students may not be as involved because of their perceptions and expectations going into college. For instance, with prospective first-generation college students
A major complication with studying first-generation college students is how different researchers and colleges define the term ‘first-generation’. While some researchers define first-generation college students as those whose parents have no college education, others extend the definition to include those whose parents may have attended college, but failed to earn their bachelor’s degree (D’Amico & Dika, 2013). Another challenge in studying college enrollment trends among perspective first-generation college students is deciphering between college plans and college attendance. Although most high school students plan to attend college, less than half will actually enroll in college, with many holding down part-time jobs on the side (Gibbons et al., 2006). Therefore, just because more students may be planning to attend college, may not necessarily mean they will enroll in college, especially given rising tuition costs. Furthermore, researchers have been unable to fully understand the college application process for prospective first-generation, low-income college students. Although theorists such as Hossler and Gallagher are famous for their theory of college choice, the reality is that the college application process for prospective first-generation, low-income college students
At the middle school level, teachers and counselors ought to introduce the idea of going to college on and encourage students to look into their career interests. At the high school level, teachers and counselors should be working with students starting in their freshman year regarding their plans post-graduation. Furthermore, all high schools need to have staff on-hand whose responsibilities are dedicated solely to college and career advising. Meanwhile, college admissions offices need to be available to provide one-on-one assistance to students in areas such as college applications, financial aid, and the general college search process. Furthermore, state-funded programs such as those in Georgia, Indiana, and Florida need to be expanded to other states, not only to provide financial assistance to hardworking students who may not be able to afford college otherwise, but to also motivate students to work to their greatest potential. Additionally, community leaders should work to provide scholarship money to first-generation, low-income students with outstanding levels of achievement. While college may not be for everyone, it is imperative that educators are doing more to