First Generation College Student Analysis

First generation college students are those who are seeking to be the first in their family to earn a degree, according to UCLA. First- generation students can come from low, middle, or high income families without a history of going to college. Families of first generation students can either be supportive of the students plan for a high education or make them feel family pressure to enter the workforce right after high school like they did. First generation students often do not know their options regarding higher education and have fears about going to college and it’s cost. Currently, 42% of UC undergraduates are first generation.

Study conducted by Hicks (2006), compared educational barriers of first-generation to non-first-generation students; first-generation students had dissimilar expectations of college, poorer academic abilities, lack of social preparation, lack of self-esteem, and more financial constraints (Hicks, 2003; Thayer, 2000).

Being a first generation college student is a heavy load to carry due to the constant reminder of having to be a good role model for my siblings. Children of immigrants are often highly expected to excel in their academics and to be involved in extracurricular activities. His/her parent immigrated to the “Land of The Free” in order to receive a better life and to give their children a place to call home. They work from one to two jobs a week just so that we can dig through the pantry, and raid the refrigerator. We sometimes take our parents for granted unknowingly, and constantly fill our heads with a question that we all seem to ask. “How do I please my parents?”, “What do I have to do to make them happy?”. As students we should all be voicing “College!”. Yes, maybe our folks’s dreams have faded away, however that should be our motivation to aim higher; to achieve our American Dream. Throughout our years of education, our very own relatives and teachers have emphasized on the importance of receiving a higher education. I have come to realize that I should not be asking myself “How do I please my parents?”. Instead, “How do I please myself?”, “What will my lifetime goals be?”, “Will it leave my parents hard work in vain?”. Obtaining a higher education will not impact their lives, but will affect yours drastically. My American Dream has always been to become an immigration lawyer that deals with international relations or to become a professor teaching my true passion for

Being that I am a first-generation college student, finding guidance as I matriculate through college has been tough. I do not have any family members that have went to college, therefore I solely depend on my university for guidance in my college endeavors and my career path. Due to this, I want to be a part of the TRiO Scholars Program so that I can gain valuable advice, counseling services, and guidance to graduation. The experience that I am seeking in this program is the ability to meet and connect with other students like myself. I believe that to be able to identify with students who have come from various hardships like myself, allows for personal growth and a sense of community. I hope to gain this sense of community by participating

Throughout my teenage years, I was the embodiment of the average introvert. The pressure to succeed and become a first generation college student in my family was overwhelming, and the constant battle of not being good enough defeated me. My parents only spoke Spanish, and were unable to help me with my school assignments. As I struggled with my academics silently, my self-consciousness and insecurities grew. The fear of speaking out in public was a lingering shadow that developed more, as I grew older. Being that English was my second language, I had always felt inferior to those who spoke English as their primary language.

Coming from a smaller town where a lot of families do not have the money to send themselves or even their children to college was tough, I was always worried about what was going to happen after high school was over. Applying for financial aid and signing up for classes without having a family member who has done it before is very difficult, the student don’t know what classes to take or how much money to take out for loans, as a first generation college student myself it has been hard to do all the paperwork for college. A first generation college student can be very stressed like all college students but for first generation students they have no one that has gone through the same thing and that could help them get through it. Financial issues are going to be stressful for every college student, but for first generation students it can get extremely difficult seen as they do not know that much about applying for financial aid. Some students can get scholarships that help to pay for their college, though they do not know how to apply for those scholarships sometimes.Students who are first generation do not get the advice of their parents on college, just like how they do not know how to sign up for financial aid and other resources that are useful.

Are you aware that at least forty percent of the United States is made up of first-generation students? (Earl, 1987.) Being given the label “first-generation,” by definition, means that a student is the first in his or her family to attend and finish college with a college degree. In Hicks 2006 study, he compared the educational barriers of first-generation students to those non-first-generation students. As a result, Hicks found out the first-generation students had different expectations of college, poor academic abilities, lack of social skills, low self-esteem, and more financial restrictions (Hicks, 2003; Thayer, 2000). There are many challenges that first-generation students face in pursuit of a college degree: academic challenges,

A first-generation college student is the first person in a family to attend college or any type of secondary education. This title “first-generation college student” has created a stigma for so many students making their time in college more difficult than someone who has come from a family of college graduates. First-generation college students often find themselves lost and without the edge of students who come from parents and/or siblings who went to college.

Being a first generation college student is something that I hold very close to my heart, growing up watching my parents struggle is what drives me to work hard and do better everyday. When I envision my future, I see a strong independent woman who works hard to give back to the community and the people that helped shape the person she is.

I am a Second Generation African-American Student, and I’m proud to say that my eagerness to learn is one of the many reasons for my academic success. Growing up in an African immigrant family, education has always been my prime focus due to the inspiration I’ve received from my parents. Because of that, all through my middle school journey at Sky Vista, I have set and accomplished many goals for myself. From the baseline of having a 3.5 GPA in 6th grade to always having a 4.0 GPA each quarter in the 7th and 8th grade. Now that my middle school years are slowly coming to an end, my eyes have been shifted to look forward to achieving greater academic things. As I am about to enter high school this year in August, I hope to be faced with many

Three ideas for teachers to support new immigrant students in a classroom will be images and games, friendly conversation, and the power of stories. When it comes to images and games, teachers should decorate their classroom or school walls with photos of diverse role models, including those of immigrants (Burnett, 2015). As a teacher, you should make sure your class is unique and comfortable for young students. When I become a teacher, I will make sure I decorate my class and make it colorful. Furthermore, I will have some type of diverse theme in my class so I can make all students feel welcome in my class and welcome by me. Now when it comes to friendly conversations, teachers should create mixed-student small groups. Students may feel

I wish to enter the LCC Early College on behalf of my boredom and my grievances with the K12 system’s lack of challenging material, inefficient placement processes, and absence of intellectually stimulating experiences and opinions that a college level environment could easily provide me. I am drawn to the concept of early college because of the freedom it gives to the student to pursue their interests with greater liberty than other rigid secondary educational options. I believe that the only obstacle standing between one’s goals, is the intensity of the challenges that came before, and one’s true willingness to achieve the goal they set. LCC would give me the intellectual challenges of accelerated learning that I crave and strive to achieve,

I started North Park University, a week before everyone else, within a program called COMPASS. This program is to help smooth first generation student’s transition to college and build a strong group of friends to start college on the right path. In COMPASS, I met some of my close friends. We help one another whenever we need help: we have study sessions, emotional support for one another, hang out whenever we just need a little break, and much more. A month into school I was offered a job at my school as a student worker and I gladly accepted it. Since I was living on campus my first year this was an amazing accomplishment for me: I achieved some connections and a wide variety of networking opportunities if ever need them in the future.

While attending college there is an obvious reality that the diversity you'll face won't go remiss. Whether you attend an HBCU or a PWI diversity is a prominent factor around the campus. No one background is the same, which makes it more of a process to get to know your new classmates. That’s why the first-year experience courses such as SLS, The Bridge program, and Summer terms were implemented to help incoming students learn all the key components that they’ll need to get through college. Additionally having involvement within the University will help create a connection with you and your new peers. I advise everybody to join some type of organization while at school. The networking that will come out of joining something will help you

Going into college is like going into a foreign land. The student does not know many people, most likely will not know the area, and does not have much money. More so does not have any. A college student will do whatever it takes to save a penny, whether it is getting a part time job or even selling their fortunes on Ebay. Living on campus has many benefits just as living off campus. Looking at the cost, the community, and responsibilities the student will have to determined the best living that will fit your needs.