Review of the Literature
Literature on first-generation students reflects a population at risk of attrition in post-secondary education. The following provides an overview of differences between first and continuing-generation students including pre-college characteristic, college experiences, and student outcomes. Research regarding psychological contributions to academic achievement is explored, specifically focusing on personality, perseverance, and beliefs; setting the framework for the proposed study.
First-Generation Students: Characteristics, Experiences, and Outcomes
Definitions of who constitutes a first-generation student vary along a continuum in the literature: ranging from students of which neither parent attended college (Ishitani, 2006), neither parent receiving a post-secondary degree (Hertel, 2002; Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004), to neither parent receiving a bachelor’s degree (Choy, 2001). Statistics indicate between 20-40% of each incoming class consists of first-generation students. Specifically, statistics on the prevalence of first-generation students entering at a four year postsecondary institution where neither parent received a bachelor’s degree are approximately 34% (Choy, 2001). With a large percentage of incoming students classifying as first-generation, the academic success or failure of this population has a significant impact on university retention and graduation rates.
Over the past thirty years, the impact of student
The first-generation students makes a bigger amount of population. So for that we should help these student as much as we can by providing them resources as much as we can. Giving them more opportunity to them and make them step forward to seek help. Colleges and universities should start more and more programs for them which can help them achieve their goals and help them through the process of education and making the college staff to handle them nicely which will make them feel like the family.
Tanjula Petty addresses challenges that first-generation college students face during their college career. Petty states that forty-three percent of first-generation students who attend post-secondary institutions leave college without completing a degree. The author examines two motivation theories explaining how each increases first-generation student academic success.
The obstacles faced by first-generation families are often steeped in poverty (First-Generation College Students: How Co-Curricular Involvement Can Assist with Success). Although first-generation students often cross all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic status, and gender lines, the path to college-completion is fraught with
Many Latino students, are considered first generation students. Due to being first generation students. Many of these students will encounter some obstacles compared to their other classmates. Many of these students have difficulty learning because the education system is not being built in a way where all students will understand. For many of these students, Spanish is their first language. Many starting school already feel a sense of outsider due to them not having the same learning method as their classmates, or having difficulty understanding certain words due to being bilingual.
In reflecting on the background of these students, I realize that they often lack the resources necessary to successfully transition, not only into college but once they graduate and are looking for careers. For this reason, I feel that the purpose for pursuing higher education for first-generation, low-income students is to provide them with better opportunities than they would have with only a high school diploma. This is especially important for these students that lack cultural capital,
First generation students are characterized as unprepared for college. The Latino first generation is so pervasive and over population that many Latino first generation do not have a affliction as those whose family has been in the United States for a while. A first generation student especially that is Latino, are usually from income are notoriously low compare those to all American family. Over the past decade, the latino population has grown from 35.3 million to 50.5 million , composing 16.3 percent of the total population. In fact, more than half of the growth in the total population in the U.S from 2000 to 2010 can be attributed to the increase in the Latino population. Latinos clearly constitute a vital population of the U.S population. Only 37% of Latino high school complete between the 18 and 24 are enrolled in college and one at of ten hold a college degree. Overall , there household plays a huge part into the minds of a first generation
Percentage of first generation [ * ] students aged 16-24 born within the U.S. who were not enrolled in school and did not complete high school.
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.
First generation college students face many challenges or barriers along the road to academic success. These barriers can be and are very difficult to first generation college students. By definition a first generation college student is the first in their family to go to college. First generation college students are the first in their families to go to college compared to those who are not first generation college students, they have many more challenges or barriers. These barriers take a lot out of a first generation college student, in fact it takes so much out that 43% of first generation college student’s end up leaving college without their degree according to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES).
Over many years college has been known as a main path to success, yet many students find themselves being first-generation college student and face many challenges that come with it, despite the efforts colleges make to remove this stigma. “Thirty percent of higher ed students today are the first in their family to attend college, while 24 percent-4.5 million- are both first generation and low income” (Opidee, 2015, P.1). These percentages are very high, with 30% of students attending college being the first in their family many students and their families don’t know what they’re getting themselves into when they get to school. Students find that being a first-generation college students affects them even before they start college.
The decision of a first generation student to pursue higher education comes with the price past the inherent financial cost, of leaving their families behind. Many of these kids may feel like they are abandoning their parents or siblings, although, sometimes they feel like they are being abandond as well. They are leaving everything they know behind to pursue something that they have either dreamed of, or pushed towards their entire life. There are a few conflicting feelings that they may have, first generation students desire
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).
The article “Motivating Firs-Generation Students For Academic Success and College Completion” by Tanjula Petty describes the additional challenges first generation students have to overcome while attending college. A well-heeled diversity and world of opportunities are a few of the positive outcomes of attending college. According to Tanjula Petty (2014), “Yet, the most cited and widely used definition for first- generation students is someone whose parents has not completed a college degree”. Students whose parents did not acquire a college degree, have a lack of support at home. Their family members are not equipped to provide information required for college difficulties students may have. They lack knowledge and resources that students that students with college-educated parents have. The article states that these students are less psychologically prepared for college. Many low-income families do not understand the benefits of graduating from college. First generation students spend more time working and less time studying unlike their classmates. (Petty 2014) Coming from low-income families, many of these students have to divide their time between college and working. Leading students to prioritize money before school. Many work full time while going to school. Working more hours than studying can potentially harm students ' success.
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
They also tested the students in math and reading. The study divided students into four groups depending on their parents’ education, salary, and career. The students in the lowest quartile had parents with the lowest income and education, more likely to work in unskilled jobs. Those in the highest quartile had parents with the highest income and education, those more likely to be professionals and managers. In both groups, most of the teenagers wanted to go to college, 70% planned to earn a bachelor’s, in the top quartile, 87% expected to get at least a bachelor’s, 24% aiming for something higher. While only 58% of the bottom quartile expected to get at least a bachelor’s, and 12% go to graduate school. Thirteen years later, only 14% of the participants who came from the most disadvantaged families earned a bachelor’s degree. Whereas, 60% of advantaged families earned a bachelor’s.