"Sometimes it is impossible to know where you are headed without reflecting on where you came from."
Powerful words and I'm sure we've all heard them before, or at least something similar. But, I challenge you to think about what those words mean for first generation college students.
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More than one third of kids ranging from 5-17 years old in the United States are first generation students. Unsurprisingly, this rate is higher among underrepresented minority groups. But, that is not the only terrifying statistic for first generation students.
First generation students...
- are overrepresented among most disadvantaged groups
- more likely to delay college entry, need remedial coursework, and drop out of college
- report lower educational expectations than their peers as early as eighth grade
- often begin college less academically prepared than other students
- tend to know the least about the price of attending college
- more likely to work while in college and live off-campus
- more likely to receive no help from their schools in regards to applying for college
For first generation students, it is increasingly difficult to achieve a higher education AND income level than their immediate family. First generation students know where they come from, and it is not difficult to reflect on where they are "headed" because in most circumstances, it is to the same level as their parents.
Between the price of college and a lack of what to expect, first generation students are at a large disadvantage compared to other students. The college admissions process, alone, is enough to turn away first generation students. The students who do make it college are vastly underrepresented, with only approximately 30% students in higher education institutions being first generation. 24% are from low-income families. Also, the more prestigious the university, the smaller the percentage of first generation students.
The statistics are enough to scare any incoming first generation student. There is already an expectation that students, if they are first generation, will do poorly because of their circumstances, which is not the case. First generation students are in hiding. First generation students are our valedictorians, the Chancellors of our universities, the members of our legislature, and the teachers in our classrooms. The numbers may be large, but every first generation student has a story and a background to share. Even though the statistics say otherwise, not ALL first generation students fall into the same path as their family. Most spent their lives striving for this not to be the case.
So, back to the quote. The quote is claiming where you come from correlates with where you go, what you achieve, and how successful you will be. There are many examples "proving" this to be true, but as we continue to progress and the need for a college education becomes more prevalent, this is not necessarily the case.
First generation students,
"Never forget where you came from but don't let that stop you from where you are going."
Your background, your history, your family's success and income, your income, your hometown, your education -- does set you apart from other students, but it does not say you can't achieve equal to or more than students whose family went to college. Where you came from DOES NOT define where you are going. You may have to strive harder than other students to achieve the same success because of the barrier presented among first generation, but college is entirely possible.
Your fellow first gen
