First Generation College Students

First Generation College Students Index Page

Higher education can seem daunting to first generation students, lacking the comfort that comes with familiarity. Being the first in a family to attend post-secondary schooling comes with it a series of unique challenges. Gathered here are a number of resources geared toward helping advisors ease those students' transition into collegiate life.

Articles

NACADA resources:

Empowering First-Generation Students Through Personal Experience and Intrusive Advising, via Academic Advising Today by Kelci Kosin, Ball State University, 2020
Exploring the Relationship Between Experience, Expectation, and Academic Performance, via Academic Advising Today by Tade Ayeni 2018
Intersectional Growth Mindset for Serving First Generation Students, via NACADA annual Conference 2017
Encouraging first generation student success via Academic Advising Today, 2012
First Generation College Students by Ruth Darling and Melissa Smith from the FYE/NACADA monograph Academic Advising: New Insights for Teaching and Learning in the First Year, 2007
Practical Ways We Can Assist First-Generation Students via Academic Advising Today, 2007
Issues Facing First Generation College Students, Academic Advising Today, 2005
Advising First-Generation Students, 2004

Other resources from 2010 - present

First-generation college students are not succeeding in college, and money isn't the problem via The Washington Post, 2016
How first-generation students are helping each other through college, via The Hechinger Report, 2016
How to Help More College Students Graduate, via The New York Times, 2016
Proactive advising with first-generation college students, via the Mentor, 2016
Why Making College Free Isn't Enough for First Generation Students via The Atlantic, 2016
First-Generation Students Unite, via New York Times, 2015
Game-Based Strategies for Improving Access for First-Generation Students at USC, via Academic Impressions, 2015
Helping first-generation students find their way, via University Affairs, 2015
How the University of Minnesota is Building Collaborative Partnerships to Improve Retention of First-Gen Students, via Academic Impressions, 2015
Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States — 45 Year Trend Report , 2015
Retaining First-Gen Students at UNC-Chapel Hill, via Academic Impressions, 2015
Academic Preparedness of First-Generation College Students: Different Perspectives by Matthew C. Atherton, Journal of College Student Development, 2014
Still humble and hopeful: Welcoming first-generation poor and working-class students to college via About Campus, 2012
Think of first-generation students as pioneers, not problems via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2012 (Commentary)
Preparing first-generation students for academic success via Academic Impressions, 2011
Promising practices supporting low-income, first-generation students at DeVry University Pell Institute report, 2011
Recruiting and admitting first-generation students via Academic Impressions, 2011

Other resources prior to 2010:

Faces of the Future : A Portrait of First-Generation Community College Students, 2005
First-Generation Students in Higher Education: A Look at Their Transcripts. NCES report, 2005
Bridging the Gap: Academic preparation and postsecondary success of first-generation students 2001 report from NCES

Institution Example Websites

Being the First, downloadable ebook, Kansas State University, 2016
Voices of Support, video series
A Walk in My Shoes: First Generation College Students (documentary video)

Related Groups

First Generation College Student Advising Community

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Index of Topics
Advising Resources

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eTutorial

Advising First-Generation Students eTutorial

The “Advising First-Generation Students” eTutorial is a 3.5 week, in-depth learning experience focused on improving understanding of the needs of first-generation students. Participants complete weekly discussion posts, quizzes, and other in-depth assignments, including creating a philosophy of advising.