First-Generation College Students: A Guide and Analysis

Abstract

This is a study about the effect of first-generation student status on college experience. Research into the literature on first-generation college students identified significant challenges associated with a lack of social capital to navigate the culture of academia, which creates a downward spiral that may lead to retention and degree completion issues. To analyze this information specifically for SUNY Oswego, I aimed to identify what struggles first-generation college students face and understand how these challenges affect their college experience. To test this, I was given permission to conduct two focus groups with first-generation college students at SUNY Oswego. The focus group questions consisted of prior knowledge inquiry along with questions about the social, academic, and financial challenges faced by first-generation students. After the analysis of this information, I was able to formulate a guide for universities and institutions to use. Through these focus groups, I determined that the themes of representation, affirmation, and accessibility emerge from the attitudes of the interviewees and in their responses, both in support needed and in support provided. Specifically, students identified the intersectionality of social, academic, and financial barriers to their college experience. I found this to be directly related to the various minority groups that make up the demographic of first-generation college students, which intersect to determine experiences of institutional discrimination and microaggressions. Students in the study also highlighted the need for greater financial literacy support and interventions from SUNY Oswego to navigate the system, as many of these students face the culture of academia independently.