<p>If my mother attended fashion school outside of the US and received a degree that cannot be transferred to any type of tangible US accreditation, and one that has not helped her get her low paying, manual labor job here in the US, am I considered a First Generation student?</p>
<p>(I do not know my father but believe he has not attended any college)</p>
<p>rainingdaisies -</p>
<p>This is how it is defined:</p>
<p>First-generation students are defined as those whose parents’ highest level of education is a high school diploma or less. In cases where parents have different levels of education, the maximum education level of either parent determines how the student is categorized.</p>
<p>So actually, I think you wouldn’t be considered a first-generation college student. Then again, it’s fashion school… This is a very good question. I’m sorry if I didn’t help.</p>
<ul>
<li>Mike</li>
</ul>
<p>It depends on the college. Some consider anything up to 2 years of college for your parents to be first generation.</p>
<p>Just try and be honest. The schools have different ways of interpreting this.
There is an option for ‘Trade School’, but you could also explain how you feel about it in the Additional Information section.</p>
<p>I agree- I was helping one of DD’s friends with this when we were searching for colleges with her and most of the schools she ended up applying to listed first generation as anyone that did not have a bachelor degree from a 4 year institution. Some said that if parents attended any college at all the student was not a first generation. I would say that you qualify as first generation for most schools.</p>
<p>I’m in the same boat as you. My mom went to school in the Philippines and has a BA in Psych that doesn’t transfer over here. My dad didn’t even make it to high school. On the common app I entered the name of her school since there’s no CEEB and put in her degree. I’m just gonna let the schools interpret it as they please- and they’ll see she’s a bookkeeper from where I had to put her job.</p>