First Generation College Student

A good part of your support structure may be missing when you don’t have a parent, sibling, or other relatives who have already gone through applying and attending a college or university. You might feel that you have to do it all on your own, and there is certainly a lot to do:

• You may not know where to begin the application process and don’t feel confident enough to ask for help.
• You may not understand how to fill out financial documents like the FAFSA.
• You cannot tour different college campuses to get a sense of how each differs.
• You may worry that you will fall through the cracks at a university and won’t know college life basics.
• You may feel guilty about having access to a form of upward mobility that your parents never got to experience.
• If you are from a low-income family, you may feel overwhelmed by education costs and don’t know the available funding options.
• You feel guilty about putting your family under financial pressure to give you this opportunity.

Applying to college is a process, so students must complete all the necessary steps along the way. To help first-generation students know what these steps entail, we developed this timeline so you can understand what to expect and schedule for college preparation:

• Right After Senior Year
  The summer is a great time to do some college planning by researching schools, taking virtual tours, and visiting when possible.
• August: Create a Calendar
  Create a calendar showing when applications are due, start thinking about when to start writing essays, request transcripts, and ask teachers to write recommendations.
• September: Write and Edit Your Essays
  Students in this group can stand out by talking about the struggles they’ve overcome and the hard work they’ve put in to be the first in their family to attend college.
• October: Submit the FAFSA®
  The Free Application for Federal Student Aid determines a student’s eligibility for financial aid and can be completed any time after October 1. Students should fill out the FAFSA as early as possible since many schools award federal aid on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• October: Take Entrance Exams
  College entrance exams, like the SAT or ACT, are required for most schools, and many first-generation students may be eligible to apply for and receive fee waivers for both the SAT and ACT exams. 
• November: Request and Gather Recommendations
  Think of teachers who know you both for your dedication to academics and ability to focus on goals. Try to give them the recommendation form at least one month before they are due, as most will be writing letters for multiple students.
• December: Submit Your Applications
  Early decision applications must be submitted by December, but students planning to submit during the regular application period typically send theirs between January and March.
• February: Entrance Interviews 
  Not all schools require interviews, but first-generation students should take advantage of this step, if possible. It allows them to demonstrate their unique qualities to the institution.
• March: Select a School
  Most schools send out all acceptance letters by April. During this process, some of the most important things to consider are final costs (after awarded aid), location, study options, and alums success rates.
• April: Review and Accept Financial Aid
  Your acceptance letter provides information on available federal aid and internal scholarships. Students should then add any other external scholarships or grants to this amount to see how much money they’ll need to pay each academic year.
• May: Final Steps
  Even after sending in a formal acceptance, there is still work to do. First-generation students are more likely to work during college via work-study or outside. Getting a leg up on the competition in the summer months helps ensure you won’t have to worry about finding a job in the midst of starting classes. Students must also sort out housing, take A.P. examinations, and send final transcripts.

As a first-generation college student, you must review all available resources to help you get through college. Imagine the day of graduation and how proud your family will be to see you finish college for the first time in the family. Here are some resources to help you as a first-generation college student.

• Center for First Generation Student Success: Center for First Generation Student Success aims to acknowledge the intersectional experiences of first-generation college students. Its vision is to drive higher education innovation and advocacy for first-generation student success. higher education innovation and advocacy for first-generation student success.
• First Generation Foundation: First Generation Foundation aims to encourage first-generation college students to pursue academically rigorous post-secondary educational experiences. They provide easy access to information and resources for students who are the first in their families to attend college.
• FirstGen Fellows: FirstGEN is a ten-week summer program for undergraduate students who are the first in their immediate families to attend an institution of higher education and are passionate about pursuing careers in social justice. In this summer program, first-generation students can network with other first-generation students and build a network of fellow first-generation students.
• I Am First!: I Am First is a community of first-generation students. I Am First was created by the nonprofit Center for Student Opportunity in 2013 to provide students who lack a family history of higher education with inspiration, information, and support on the road to and through college.
• Go College! Now: Go College! Now is a community of the first generation and low-income graduates in the U.S. Go College! Now provides an award-winning documentary that tells inspiring stories about four high school students. This organization also offers several resources for first-generation college students.