What is a first-generation college student? A first-generation college student is defined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as
“First-generation college students are students who enrolled in post secondary education and whose parents do not have any post secondary education experience.”
Recent reports, including one from The Washington Post (Cardoza, 2016), suggest that nearly one-third of the current college student population is made of students that fall in this category. This increasing growth represents an encouraging statistic in the eyes of higher education professionals, but with change comes challenges.
Data from the Education Department in 2012 reported the following statistics that show the demographic of students who are first-generation:
- 61 percent of Hispanic or Latin American students
- 41 percent of black or African American students
- 25 percent of Asian students
- 25 percent of white students
In addition, an estimated 20% of first generation college students do not consider English as their first language. The startling data contributes to the Opportunity Gap. As described by the The Glossary of Education Reform, the Opportunity Gap is closely associated with the learning gap and the achievement gap. Opportunity gap refers to the ways in which socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, English proficiency, familial situations, community wealth, or other factors contribute to or perpetuate lower educational aspirations, achievement and attainment for certain groups of students.
Here are some facts to know about first-generation college students:
They Don’t Attend Traditional Colleges: According to the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), over two-thirds of first-generation students attend community colleges. And nearly half are at public community colleges. Most first-generation students tend to attend part-time classes and take longer time to complete courses and obtain their degrees.
Most are Older than Traditional Students: The CIC also found that 34% of first-generation students are either 30 years old or more. At this age, they already have family and work responsibilities and more demands on their time.
They Struggle: Compared to non-first-generation students, the first-generation students find it hard to complete a degree or certificate at the expected time- they usually use more than six years.
No Family Guidance: As the first member of the family to attend college, first-generation college students do not have the needed guidance to the college financial aid process.
First generation college student challenges include not being having the same preparation other students had with college-educated parents.
Having full knowledge of all these facts help schools and financial aid professionals to tailor financial aid efforts to meet the needs of these students and also create innovative tools that these students can access at home. One of the most important priorities is for students to seek and apply for first generation college student scholarships.