Stress, coping, and perceived academic goal progress in first-generation college students: The role of institutional supports.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patton O. Garriott ◽  
Stephanie Nisle
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
First Generation ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Stress Coping ◽  
Goal Progress ◽  
First Generation College

Is First-Gen an Identity? How First-Generation College Students Make Meaning of Institutional and Familial Constructions of Self

2020 ◽  
pp. 152102512091330
Author(s):  
Genia M. Bettencourt ◽  
Koboul E. Mansour ◽  
Mujtaba Hedayet ◽  
Patricia Tita Feraud-King ◽  
Kat J. Stephens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Generation Status ◽  
First Generation College

Institutions increasingly use first-generation categorizations to provide support to students. In this study, we sought to understand how students make meaning of their first-generation status by conducting a series of focus groups with 54 participants. Our findings reveal that students saw first-generation status as an organizational and familial identity rather than social identities. This status was connected to alterity and social distance that was most salient in comparison to continuing-generation peers. Our recommendations include reexamining the role of first-generation-specific programming on campus, creating opportunities for meaning-making, supporting students within changing family dynamics, and exploring the interaction between first-generation status and other marginalized identities.

On Being the First: The Role of Family in the Experiences of First-Generation College Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 074355842097914
Author(s):  
Amanda L. Capannola ◽  
Elizabeth I. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Family Relationship ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Strength Based ◽  
First Generation College ◽  
Qualitative Phenomenological ◽  
Phenomenological Design

The aim of this study was to explore family relationship experiences of first-generation college students (FGCS) as they transition to and persist through college. The sample includes eight undergraduate FGCS (aged 18–22). Seven participants identified as female, and one identified as Questioning. Participants’ descriptions of their social class ranged from “poor” to “upper middle class.” Four participants identified as White; others identified as White and Mexican, White and Hispanic, African American, and Mixed Race (White and Black). Participants for this study were recruited from a large public university in the Southeastern United States. Researchers used a qualitative phenomenological design. Following approval from the Institutional Review Board, data were collected through in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis guided by Structural Symbolic Interactionism. Parents, despite lacking college experience, offered supports, both instrumental (educational opportunities; monthly financial assistance) and emotional (encouraging calls; frequent visits), which students considered essential to their success. Many participants also stated that setting an example and forging a path for younger siblings helped to motivate them to persevere through hardships. Strength-based approaches are necessary when developing programs for and research on FGCSs and their families.

Going to College with a Posse: How Having High School Peers on Campus Supports College Achievement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin R Binning ◽  
Lorraine R. Blatt ◽  
Susie Chen ◽  
Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
High School ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Public University ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Large Network ◽  
The Social ◽  
College Achievement ◽  
First Generation College

The social experience of transitioning to a four-year university varies widely among students. Some attend with few or no prior contacts or acquaintances from their hometown; others attend with a large network of high school alumni. Using a sample (N=43,240) of undergraduates spanning 7.5 years at a public university, we examine what factors predict high school peer-prevalence on campus (HSPP) and whether HSPP predicts college achievement above and beyond such factors. Analyses found that HSPP was predicted by variables associated with societal privilege (e.g., being White, continuing generation). Above and beyond these variables, HSPP independently predicted higher grades in gateway STEM courses and, among first-generation college students, higher retention. The role of HSPP in fostering equity and inequity is discussed.

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