College is already a rigorous ordeal by itself even with the help of our parents. Imagine if you didn't have their help, not because they didn't want to, but because they couldn’t. This is the problem that first generation students face. These parents have at best a high school degree. When it comes to college, they have no prior experience and therefore are not as much benefit to their children than if they had gone to college. Though these parents may be very smart, they have no prior experience to draw from when helping their children through the college process. Kids with parents who didn't attend college usually can not go for their parents for academic help. This is due to the fact that the student is doing work that surpasses the degree of learning that the parent has. In a study done, there was evidence that suggested that the parents who did not attend college typically placed a lower level of importance on college as well as had a lower perceived level of family support. Those who are first generation students also had a lack of college-educated role models as well as a lack of college-planning guidance. First generation students may tend to become lost at large institutions because they do not have the social support from their parents or the knowledge of how their university operates. In high school, the students whose parents did not attend college tend to receive lower standardized test scores and lower GPAs. There were also less likely to have taken more rigorous course load which is cited by Adelman to be a key component to success in their college years.
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It is clear that first generation students are at a huge disadvantage. These students are more alone than other students they may know. They must learn through experience as they go. Their upbringing may not be as rigorous, and the support from home may not be as strong. Luckily colleges now have many programs to help 1st generation college students. However, even with this help, college is still quite difficult for these students.
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