First Generation College Students

As you no doubt know, students who are the first in their families to go to college have unique needs. They may not have the support that other students have to navigate everything from choosing a college, to the application process, to applying for scholarships and financial aid. Beyond that, they might not have the emotional support to figure out what's often referred to as the "hidden curriculum" of college, including such things as time management, email etiquette, how to use Office Hours, etc. One of us was a first generation student, and one of the things we talk about a lot is the difference it makes to have family members who "know the ropes" (no matter how old those ropes might be!). For first generation students, many of the aspects of "how to college" need to be explicitly pointed out.

For those who want to help first generation students, there are a number of resources out there, but a couple of free ones that we recommend are:

• Kathleen Cushman's First in the Family: Advice About College From First-Generation Students. This book is one we also recommend to students, and teach in our first year writing classes, but we also recommend it to other educators, as it helps explain the challenges first generation students face, in their own words.
• APA's discussion of Imposter Syndrome. Many college students, especially first generation and underrepresented minority students struggle, in silence, to feel like they belong in college. The key words here are: In Silence. Many students don't acknowledge, even to themselves, that they feel like they don't belong in college, and that silence is dangerous. It's important to discuss Imposter Syndrome. When we discuss it in our classes, we're frequently met with relief, and "I thought I was the only one who felt like that!"
• Ted - Ed's video on Understanding and Combatting Imposter Syndrome