When I look at the statistics, the odds are not in my favor.
According to The Atlantic, first-generation college students have an 11 percent chance of graduating within six years. Described by the Washington Post as “students whose parents have not earned a four-year degree,” first-generation students face hurdles that their non-first-generation peers do not. Colleges are reaching out to these students through on-campus organizations, but issues that still need tackling remain. A significant number of these issues are mental ones, found within the students themselves. One of the biggest problems is stigmatization on and off college campuses, something internalized by many students.
First-generation students (50 percent of whom come from low-income households and many of whom are students of color) often feel that they do not belong on college campuses. They often doubt their capabilities of handling higher education in academic, social and financial areas, or even doubt that they have any right to attend college. During a Harvard Faculty discussion, Alexandra Shields of Harvard Medical School (a first-generation student herself) said, “There’s a kind of hidden assumption that maybe you’re not as smart.” They frequently do not let their peers know that they are first-generation students and hide this part of their lives, as being a first-generation student is looked down on by some fellow students and even some faculty members. First-generation students often feel they have to work harder than other students just to be seen as equals. While other students believe college classrooms are equalizers, that is not the case with first-generation students. They typically lack the same resources or even the knowledge of existing resources that could benefit them.
Upon beginning the college process, I was confused and felt like I was drowning in applications. I had a seemingly neverending list of questions: How do I fill out FAFSA? What is FAFSA? How do I apply for a loan? How do I know if a school is a safety, a reach or a target? When compared to other students applying, I felt shortchanged. They had parents at home who had been through the process themselves and could offer an insider's point of view. Neither of my parents attended a four-year college and neither understood what I was going through. I applied to schools on my own, filled out financial aid forms on my own, and wrote and revised supplemental essays on my own. It would have been a very lonely experience had I not been so fortunate as to have a large number of other first-generation students as friends.
Now, most of my friends and I have decided to head off in different directions. I will be facing challenges unique to first-generation students without their guidance and advice. Other students in my shoes decide to keep their status to themselves, fearing being further isolated by sharing their situation with classmates. However, I challenge that decision.
As first-generation students, we have overcome unique difficulties in our academic lives and in our personal lives. Attending college is not expected for a great deal of us, yet here we are! When this incoming class of freshmen arrives on campus, I urge my fellow first-generation students to be proud of their achievements and their enrolling in college. When we are unashamed of who we are, we can make contact with others like us and unite. We will be able to share our experiences and form a support group that so many of us feel like we lack.
Being open about being a first-generation student has given me a sense of great pride. I have made innumerable strides and knowing that I will have a community of other first-generation students to support me will make the adjustment to college life less chaotic. Students like me have specific needs and unless we vocalize these concerns, they will remain unsatisfied. Being proud of who we are is a necessity as we head off to college. Whether a first-generation student finds themselves in the Ivy league or at a state school, all first-generation students face similar struggles. A strong sense of community among first-generation students can help alleviate feelings of alienation and can increase chances of success in higher education; it can also silence damning statistics, those that we must work against. We are intelligent, creative and talented, the future of our communities. United, we are even better and even stronger. Unless we support one another, we will be unable to flourish in this new environment. First-generation students are tomorrow's professors, doctors, authors, artists, engineers, lawyers — the list goes on and on. Banding together gives us the chance to support others like us and improves chances of success in academic settings and later on in life.
As first-generation students, we have countless responsibilities. A great number of these lie at home, with our families and in our academic success. However, I propose we take on another responsibility: being open with ourselves and with others and taking on the challenge of leaving our respective college campuses a better place for future students like us — degrees in hand.
