Do I count as a first generation College student?

<p>My mom graduated from high school in India. My dad went to a college in India and got a bachelor's degree there and came to America and got a Master's degree here. First generation students are students who's parents haven't gotten a bachelor's degree, so would I count for that since my dad got his in India.</p>

<p>First generation means first generation-neither parent has had the opportunity to go beyond high school. It doesn’t matter that he got it in India. Quit trying to cheat the system. </p>

<p>a) “First generation students are students who’s parents haven’t gotten a bachelor’s degree,”</p>

<p>and</p>

<p>b) “My dad went to a college in India and got a bachelor’s degree…and got a Master’s degree”</p>

<p>a ≠ b </p>

<p>You’re not first gen. The whole consideration of first gen is for kids who grow up in households of lesser educational focus. This obviously does not apply to you. *I hope you are GRATEFUL.</p>

<p>First generation would be students like me. My parents did not have the opportunity to attend school because they were very poor so they had to work and help their parents. The highest education was elementary school. You are not 1st generation. Your parents studied end of story</p>

<p>“First generation students are students who’s parents haven’t gotten a bachelor’s degree” this is false you can’t have any degree masters (which your father has), bachelors (which you father has), or associates.</p>

<p>@guineagirl96 this is not necessarily true; some colleges consider you first-gen even if your parents have associates degrees. It depends on the college.</p>

<p>Never mind</p>

<p>Yep, I’m one of the awkward sometimes-first-gen-sometimes-not students - my dad dropped out in the 9th grade and my mom got her GED and went to CC for a year (no degree). Some schools say that I’m first gen because neither parent graduated from college, but some say that I’m not since one of my parents attended. Either way, you’re not first gen - doesn’t matter the country in which the parents got the degree or went to college.</p>

<p>I was just hoping that it would be a bachelor’s degree in America only that would count as first gen but I guess not.</p>

<p>What if my mom only graduated from high school and my dad went to trade school?</p>

<p>Look kids, you don’t have to worry about it. You just report your info on each of your parents, that’s what they ask for. Then they will decide how to view it. But patel is certainly not 1st gen, India of course counts, just like is CS counted so he could get his MS. And Hye, likely yours does count but just put your info and the college will decide it. </p>

<p>Just curious - how much does being a first generation college student help in the college admissions process?</p>

<p>^ That varies by college. Look up the Common Data Set, section C7, for the colleges in which you are interested. Some don’t consider it at all, for some it is very important.</p>