First Generation Student Resources

Using a qualitative study, the authors wanted to uncover the motivational factors of first-generation minority college women who overcame their family histories to pursue higher education. Three women who were the first in their families to attend college participated in semistructured interviews; two women who were third-generation college students served as a comparison group and participated in a telephone survey. Three motivating factors for the first-generation women emerged from the data: (a) Participants revealed a love for reading from an early age; (b) participants felt different from their siblings at an early age; and (c) all participants desired a better life for themselves. Also, findings indicate that the parents and families of the first-generation women were supportive of their educational experiences and pursuit of higher education. They also suggest that it would be beneficial for higher education practitioners to develop ways to engage and value the families of first-generation students and their rich family histories.

This study explores the “cultural mismatch” between firstgeneration students’ family norms of interdependence and colleges’ norms of independence. Researchers interviewed 34 first-generation students at a West Coast university to help shed light on how first-generation students “demonstrate soft and hard forms of independence” (p. 385). Qualitative data analysis revealed the following themes for family support: (a) providing emotional support and advocacy, (b) being a language and financial broker, (c) giving financial support, (d) providing physical support, (e) sibling caregiving, and (f) offering advice. The study also found several themes within the categories of hard and soft independence. The researchers concluded that even though first-generation students’ developed independence, they still felt tied to their families because of their obligations to support them or to find ways to keep from burdening them as they navigate college.

These two studies examine family achievement guilt among first-generation and Latino students compared to their continuing-generation and white peers. In study one, participants (n = 53) completed questionnaires. The results revealed that Latino first-generation students in particular reported more family achievement guilt compared to their counterparts. In the second study, participants (n = 58) were asked to reflect on a time when they helped a family member who was struggling with a problem. Predictably, first-generation students reported higher guilt than continuing-generation students; and students of color reported more guilt than Whites. The authors recommend that services and programs that target first-generation students should help those students alleviate family achievement guilt; and they also suggest more faculty and student life education about this phenomenon.

This study explored the influence of parents on firstyear students who were interested in a premedical academic track. The researchers employed a mixedmethods comparison design to investigate differences between first-generation and continuing-generation students. The researchers surveyed many students on their first day of biology class to ultimately isolate those with a high interest in premed to move on to the next phase of the study. Forty-four participants—21 firstgeneration and 23 continuing-generation students— from a selective residential private university were interviewed. The first-generation students were more racially and ethnically diverse than the continuinggeneration students. Findings revealed that parents were the most accessed form of social capital for both f irst-generation students and continuing-generation students. Parents of first-generation students pushed students through college with their support; conversely, parents of continuing-generation students pulled students through college with their own college knowledge, experience, and connections. This study revealed differences in students’ language used to discuss academics and faculty, as well as in how students engaged with the institution. The authors recognize that parents of first-generation students served as a primary form of social capital for students. Marked differences between the parenting styles of parents of first-generation and continuing-generation students can have varying impacts on how students engage and succeed on a premedical track— and overall—in college