First Generation Students
You Know You Are A First Generation Student If...
Your parent(s)/legal guardian(s) did not complete a bachelor’s degree.
Even if your brother, sister, aunt or cousin went to college... you are still a first generation student!
First step...go see your Fairview Counselor!
First Generation Topics
Resources
I'm First This is a community supporting first-gen students. It has information for college best fits, free mentoring and blog with encouraging stories. Their book with further resources is available in the CCC.
Access Opportunity This organization invests in high-potential, low-income students so they can have impactful careers. They have College Connect which is Colorado’s only college fair for first-generation or low-income high school students who are committed to go to college. They partner with families on guiding their student’s college decisions and provide a bilingual college planning program.
Colorado Asset Colorado ASSET law allows eligible undocumented students to receive the College Opportunity Fund stipend at Colorado public colleges and to pay in-state tuition. ASSET is a state law that affects college costs, it does not affect immigration status.
Colorado Colleges
2 Year Colleges
Admissions 303-340-7522
Additional information about first generation support services:
TRIO Student Support Services
triosss.cca@ccaurora.edu
303-361-7370
Admissions 303-352-3166
Additional information about first generation support services:
Trio Services Program 303-352-8746
Admissions, Boulder 303-678-3769
Additional information about first generation support services:
Admissions 303-914-6348
Additional information about first generation support services:
4 Year Colleges
Colorado College, Colorado Springs (CC)
Admissions 800-542-7214
Colorado State University, Fort Collins (CSU)
admissions@colostate.edu
Admissions 970-491-6909
Metro State University, Denver (MSU)
Admissions 303-556-3058
Financial Aid 303-556-8593
University of Colorado, Boulder (CU)
admissions@colorado.edu
Admissions 303-492-6301
University of Northern Colorado (UNC)
Additional information about first generation support services:
First Generation Support Services
Admissions 970-351-2881
admissions@unco.edu
University of Colorado, Denver (TRIO Programs)
Admissions Office 303-315-2601
Finances
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Students and their parents must complete the FAFSA in order to be eligible for federal student aid programs which include grants, loans and work-study funds. The application opens October 1 of your senior year of high school, and the sooner it’s completed the more funds may be available to you. Fairview H.S. website has information on the FAFSA.
Where can you get help? Ask your counselor or someone in the CCC.
There are very few exceptions for parents to not complete the FAFSA. Here is a flowchart to help determine if a student is dependent or independent.
Scholarships
The Fairview website has a scholarship page. Search for “first generation” on the various scholarship website resources. Scholarships don’t have to be paid back!
Grants
Grants, which don’t have to be paid back, are normally qualified for by completing the FAFSA. University of Colorado, Boulder, does have a First Generation Grant to apply for which is awarded to Colorado residents who are eligible for the Federal Pell grant and whose parents do not have any education or technical training beyond high school.