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My grandfather went to Purdue--never graduated...
My father went to Villanova and later Lehigh--again, never graduated...

Would I be considered a first generation college student since both my grandfather and father never graduated from college? (no one else in my family has gone either; i.e., mother)

Thanks

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 07:29 pm: Edit

No you are not a first generation college student since your father and grandfather attended college. Their having attended college gave you some inside knowledge about colleges that students lack whose parents never went to college at all.

By Wunderkind__Not (Wunderkind__Not) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 07:59 pm: Edit

Well, my grandfather went for 2 months and my dad actually didn't go to Lehigh--he wanted to--but dropped out of Vill. a couple days into September due to severe manic depression.

By Wunderkind__Not (Wunderkind__Not) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 08:00 pm: Edit

But hey, if a combined 2 1/2 months counts, oh well.

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 08:03 pm: Edit

You seem to be desperately searching for a hook. Do you live in a rural area? Are you in a blue collar and/or low income family?A square state or a rural state? Do you go to a school in which few students go to college? Any of those would be hooks at many top colleges.

By Wunderkind__Not (Wunderkind__Not) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 08:11 pm: Edit

Uh, no NORTHSTARMOM, I am not "desperately" looking for a hook--just wondering what the term entailed, geez. I have a 1600 PSAT (I am a sophomore) and I play 4 instruments (each for about 11 years). I swim (again since I was 5). hmm...numerous awards in science and such. Community service outreach organizer and founder. --An above average CC member I suppose.

By Gameguy56 (Gameguy56) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 09:40 am: Edit

1600 psat

53 math 54 verbal 53 writing?

By Garland (Garland) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 09:53 am: Edit

I work for a federal government college support program which accepts low-income and/or first gen students. The official definition for us is that if neither parent has graduated from a four year program, the student is considered first gen.

By Musefinity (Musefinity) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 09:58 am: Edit

That's not really first generation if they took the time to apply and actually went. You'll be first generation to earn a college degree, however. My best friend is first generation. Nobody in her family has even THOUGHT about applying to college, and I don't know of anybody in her family that's graduated from high school either but I know her parents and grandparents haven't.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 11:04 am: Edit

I agree with Garland, since neither I nor my husband have a college degree, my kids are considered first generation. It isn't much of a hook, but admissions offices do seem to consider it, when also looking at applications of students who are college profs etc.
It is splitting hairs to limit to students whose parents ahve never even set foot on campus.
The whole point is to expand the diversity of the student body, similar to AA some might argue.

By Krpatel (Krpatel) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 11:44 am: Edit

What about students who never stepped foot in a US university, but went to college in their home country, would they be considered first generation? or maybe first generation in another sense?

By Krpatel (Krpatel) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 11:44 am: Edit

I mean students whose parents nevers stepped foot in an american university

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 01:17 pm: Edit

They wouldn't be first generation college students, however they would still have a hook" as they would be first generation "american"

By Krpatel (Krpatel) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 02:10 pm: Edit

do things like this really help a students chance at college admissions, especially the more selective colleges? I mean, there are a lot of bright asians like myself out there, but many of them are like me too, there parents have not attended a US university, so there are a lot of us out there. How much could this possibly help? I'm not looking for a hook or anything, as I didn't apply to too many selective college (I'm looking for a full ride at a good university, not an expensive one at a great one), but I'm just curious.

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 04:11 pm: Edit

At most of the very top schools, being first generation American is not a hook because so many excellent offspring of immigrants apply for admission and attend such schools.

By Cadettony (Cadettony) on Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 04:49 pm: Edit

Don't listen to naysayers man- go be a Wunderkind and tell it straight: you're a first generation college student, and don't let anyone tell you different. Graduate and make your family proud.

Just my two cents.

By Maryfranc (Maryfranc) on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 03:04 pm: Edit

I'm doing a literature review about first-generation college students. There are several definitions. US Dept. of ED = neither parent received a bachelor's degree; or if a single parent solely supports and the student lives with that single parent who doesn't have a bachelor's degree, the student is considered first-generation. According to a University of Oregon definition, if a student's parent(s) earned a degree outside the US, the student would be considered first generation if the degree was deemed to NOT be equivalent to a bachelor's degree. I think you have to know the particular school's or scholarship's definition. Join us!