Female first-generation college students: A review of challenges and successes

With increasing college access rates of underrepresented populations in recent years, first-generation college students (FGCSs), those who are the first in their family to attend college, have caught the attention of researchers and policymakers in the U.S. higher education system. This study focused on female FGCSs to identify the various challenges that are unique to this population. Through a systematic literature review, 13 studies were analyzed related to female FGCSs. Three themes were found from the analysis: role expectations, support systems, and socioeconomic background. These explain the challenges and self-identified strategies that female FGCSs discussed as contributing factors to their persistence during their degree attainment. Findings and a discussion of the data are presented, along with practical implications to better support female FGCSs and areas for future research.

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Factors Influencing Optimism for Degree Attainment in Latino First-Generation College Students

Association of Mexican American Educators Journal ◽

10.24974/amae.14.3.408 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 120-133

Author(s):

Laura F. Romo ◽

Diana Magana ◽

Gabriela Gutierrez-Serrano

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

First Generation ◽

Latino Students ◽

Degree Attainment ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Postsecondary Success ◽

First Generation College ◽

Hispanic Serving

Latino first-generation college students face a unique set of challenges that are not part of the college experience of their non-first-generation counterparts. Nonetheless, many Latinos remain optimistic about overcoming barriers that might impede their educational pursuits. The present study was aimed at exploring factors that contribute to Latino students’ positive expectations for degree attainment. Utilizing data from a large online survey administered at a four-year Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), we found that competency beliefs and persistent determination to overcome challenges significantly influences students’ optimism. In addition, strong connections with institutional agents (largely, faculty and student affairs staff) emerged as significant contributing factors. Students who reported having close relationships with their parents also reported a greater degree of optimism about postsecondary success. Implications for programs and services to improve the college experiences of Latino first-generation student, enhance optimism, and increase retention are discussed.

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A Psychosociocultural View of Hispanic First-Generation College Students’ Graduation Rates

Journal of College Student Retention Research Theory & Practice ◽

10.1177/15210251211056299 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 152102512110562

Author(s):

Christian A. Latino ◽

Justine Radunzel ◽

Jason D. Way ◽

Edgar Sanchez ◽

Alex Casillas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

First Generation ◽

Hispanic Students ◽

Degree Attainment ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Bachelor's Degree ◽

First Generation College ◽

Bachelor's Degree Attainment ◽

Academic Self Efficacy

First-generation college students (FGCS), nearly 50% of which identify as Hispanic, are an underserved population. The psychosociocultural theoretical framework posits that individual, environmental, and cultural factors contribute to the academic success of Hispanic students. This study examined the relationship between these factors (i.e., demographics, academic self-efficacy, meeting with professors, and attending cultural programming) to 6-year bachelor’s degree attainment and time to bachelor’s degree attainment among Hispanic students at a Hispanic Serving Institution ( n = 358). Being better prepared academically, being female, and having greater academic self-efficacy were positively related to bachelor’s degree attainment; FGCS status was negatively related. Among students who graduated ( n = 208), entering college being better prepared academically, and having greater academic self-efficacy were related to quicker bachelor’s degree attainment; FGCS status was not significantly related. Practitioners may pay more attention to Hispanic students’ academic self-efficacy and the success of Hispanic male students.

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Is It What You Know or Who You Know?: An Information Typology of How First-Generation College Students Access Campus Resources

Journal of College Student Retention Research Theory & Practice ◽

10.1177/15210251211068115 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 152102512110681

Author(s):

Jeffrey K. Grim ◽

Emma Bausch ◽

Adan Hussain ◽

Steven Lonn

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Student Success ◽

First Generation ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Relationship Building ◽

Future Research ◽

Group Data ◽

First Generation College ◽

Focus Group Data ◽

Information Finding

While there has been increased investigation of the enrollment patterns and access to college for first-generation college students (FGCS), less is understood about how FGCS learn and utilize vital information to persist with limited familial knowledge about college success. In this paper we utilize focus group data of 62 diverse FGCS to create a typology of how students utilize information to succeed in college. Using theory from sociology and information sciences we categorize the sources FGCS learn from and how information is utilized. Our findings indicate that FGCS develop complex ways of finding information even with minimal support and those information sources that are most helpful are often connected to pre-existing and informal relationships. We conclude by offering implications for future research on FGCS student success and opportunities for administrators to incorporate information-finding and relationship-building concepts into student success practice.

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Factors Influencing the Academic Achievement of First-Generation College Students

NASPA Journal ◽

10.2202/0027-6014.1724 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Terrell L. Strayhorn

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Academic Achievement ◽

First Generation ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Future Research ◽

Grade Point ◽

Generation Status ◽

Cumulative Grade Point Average ◽

First Generation College

First-generation college students face a number of unique challenges in college. These obstacles may have a disparate effect on educational outcomes such as academic achievement. This study presents findings from an analysis of the Baccalaureate & Beyond Longitudinal Study using hierarchical multiple regression techniques to measure the influence of first-generation status on cumulative grade point average (GPA) in college, controlling for precollege and college variables. Findings suggest that firstgeneration status is a significant predictor of GPA controlling for an extensive array of background and intervening variables. Initially, background variables accounted for a small but significant proportion of college GPA variance. Final results suggest that first-generation status significantly explains differences in cumulative GPA, accounting for nearly 22% (p < .001) of GPA variance. Findings are congruent with college impact theory and support prior conclusions. Still, a number of important relationships and implications for future research are discussed.

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First-Generation College Students in an Expanded and Diversified Higher Education System: The Case of Israel

Socioeconomic Inequality in Israel ◽

10.1057/9781137544810_5 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 75-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hanna Ayalon ◽

Oded Mcdossi

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

College Students ◽

Education System ◽

First Generation ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Higher Education System ◽

First Generation College

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Identity Work by First-Generation College Students to Counteract Class-Based Microaggressions

Organization Studies ◽

10.1177/0170840617736935 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 39 (9) ◽

pp. 1227-1250 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Barbara Gray ◽

Tiffany Johnson ◽

Jennifer Kish-Gephart ◽

Jacqueline Tilton

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Social Class ◽

First Generation ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Identity Work ◽

Future Research ◽

Race And Class ◽

Class Differences ◽

First Generation College ◽

Identity Threats

Using an interactional approach to studying organizations, we explore how social class differences alone and coupled with racial minority status generate identity threats for first-generation college students who are already underprivileged with respect to educational attainment. For these students the markers of social class are omnipresent and, like racial minorities, they experience microaggressions that require them to engage in identity work to counter these threats. We detail manifestations of social class differences on and off campus and identify the kinds of microaggressions these students encounter including those generated by the intersection of race and class that can destabilize students’ identities and lead to what we refer to as “identity collapse.” Our results also reveal four types of identity work including mining core identity strength, passing (via dodging and code switching), and developing peer support networks that allow some first-generation students to be resilient in responding to identity threats. We consider the implications of this class work for first-to-college students and offer suggestions for future research that expands our work to workplace organizations and inquires about the potential lasting effects of social class stigma.

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