First-Generation and Non-First-Generation Pre-College Students' Expectations and Perceptions About Attending College

Abstract

Each year, 63% of all high school graduates attend higher education institutions with the intent of obtaining the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to enter careers to allow them to become contributing, self-supporting, and satisfied members of society (Mortenson, 1995). Many who matriculate do not graduate despite apparently adequate preparation to succeed. Mortenson indicated that of those who enrolled in college, under half completed a bachelor's degree by the time they were 29 years of age. Students who are the first in their family to enter college (first-generation students) differ in significant ways from students whose parents have a 4-year or higher degree & Bowman, 1991) have identified differences in family support for education, academic preparation, college knowledge, career versus academic orientation, level of commitment to the role of student, and attrition rates between first generation and second generation students. Researchers have examined two hypotheses on how first-generation status affects students. In this article, the term first-generation college student refers to a college student or college students from a family in which neither parent graduated from a 4-year college or university. The term non-first-generation college student refers to a college student or college students from a family in which at least one parent graduated from a 4-year college or university. One general school of thinking that has been advocated is that students of college educated parents are more aware of the demands of college (Brooks-Terry, 1988; Windham, 1996; York-Bowman & Bowman, 1991) and that this knowledge of college has influenced their success. The data, however, for this argument have been inconclusive. Hicks (2002) indicated that college instructors, counselors, academic support teams, and administrators should be aware that college students, first generation or second-generation, who perceive a positive family involvement in their college experiences are likely to possess more information about college and to be more successful in college than those who do not. A second general school of thinking for how generational status has influenced first