<p>My son currently goes to a US Public school, but both me and my husband attended a university in a different country. Is my son still a first gen college student because we ( my husband and I) went to schools outside of the US?</p>
<p>No. (10 char)</p>
<p>You went to college. Your husband went to college. Why would you consider your child the child of parents who did not attend college?</p>
<p>1st generation college student=neither parent graduated from college.</p>
<p>If you or your husband graduated from college, your child is not a 1st generation college student.</p>
<p>I think first generation college student means neither parent has attended college, and even parents who attended college but failed to graduate disqualify a child from claiming first generation college student status.</p>
<p>It may depend on the school’s interpretation. </p>
<p>My husband and I had both attended college but neither had a bachelor’s degree. My husband is actually finishing his BA now as S is in college. S’ college considered him a first generation student.</p>
<p>When we got something from the school about him being a first generation student (special family lunch, a fellow first gen student mentor, etc) I contacted someone to make sure that was correct. In their interpretation, no four year degree=first generation college student.</p>
<p>Vote NOT a 1st generation college student, however there are so many 1st generationers applying that it is a weak hook.</p>
<p>dntw8up–for official gov classification, such as for the TRIO programs, first gen means neither parent *graduated *from a four year college. Of course, any college can for its own purposes define it differently.</p>
<p>Doesn’t “First gen” ( without being followed by “college student”) sometimes refer to first generation born or raised in the US?</p>
<p>First generation American is different than first generation college student.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter whether the parents earned a college degree in this country or any other country. Either way, if the parents earned a college degree, the son is not a first generation college student.</p>
<p>Find some other hook—awesome grades and test scores, athlete, musician, artist, etc.</p>
<p>Agree that there are different definitions depending on the program or school, some include attending college if no degree was earned, others don’t. All count college attended ANYWHERE. The CA just asks for the college(s) attended and degree(s) earned, and leaves it up to the individual colleges to determine if the candidate is first gen or not.</p>
<p>Being first generation helped me a little bit I feel. I got numerous invites to attend functions at colleges and some were paid for (when it would be a plane trip away) I only attended a couple, wasn’t interested in going to more than 4, but I feel it helps. I was told colleges do like to have a first generation student and they are becoming fewer and fewer. It can’t be the only thing, but they give you more leeway because they know you might not have the experiences that others have. In admissions, take what you can get, but I would think any graduation from any college in any country wouldn’t qualify.</p>
<p>My niece was first generation and also received many offers from colleges for special functions for her and others for her parents (financial aid sessions, etc) They didn’t attend most but every college that sent her something, she got in. One was Holy Cross, but I can’t remember the rest right now. Money was something else though…that was not given as generously as the acceptances.</p>
<p>I found it also opens some doors but it isn’t the only criteria for consideration. I think it was at Vassar or maybe Yale, that I heard someone in admissions say, “We love getting a first generation and being the one that begins their journey” (or something close to that) Depending on their background it is best to go to a college that has support for services, which is why many colleges will send out flyers for programs to introduce students to them.</p>