<p>Is first generation defined as someone whose parents never went to college in the US? I am confused about that. My parents did not go to school in the US but received degrees from our native country. However, their degrees are of no use here. Will I be considered first generation? IMO I shouldn't be as my great grandparents attended university. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>I don't think the college your parents went to should only be in the US.</p>
<p>^ Huh?</p>
<p>sristi, you are not first generation. Your parents went to college.</p>
<p>degrees from oversea definitely is not useless. and u're definitely NOT a first generation college student</p>
<p>what if one of your parents started but never finished (only a 1-2 years) and the other parent never went? Is that first generation?</p>
<p>If your parents attended college whether is it inside or outside of the U.S. you are not first generation college student</p>
<p>It depends on the school.</p>
<p>In government TRiO programs (Upward Bound, Student Support Services, etc) at local universities you are first gen if neither parent graduated from a 4 year school .</p>
<p>At other schools being first generation is a tip factor that is taken into consideration with other factors such as low income, attending a low performing school.</p>
<p>Norcaldad sums it up very well with this posting...</p>
<p>Different schools will define it in different ways. "First generation" college student usually will refer to a student whose parents have not attended college, period. As well, some schools will define "first generation" as "first members of the immediate family" to attend college. In this case, if you had an older sibling to attend college, you would NOT be “first generation” under this definition.</p>
<p>There is even some inconsistency within the U.S. Department of Education in the specific definition. In their Institute of Education Sciences / National Center for Education Statistics, they have conducted studies of "first generation" college students using varying definitions.</p>
<p>What is important about this status, though, is not whether you are indeed "first generation" but how it fits into the context of how your admissions application is evaluated. It is only one factor that is considered, and stood alone, it does not mean much. The matter of being "first generation" is a factor that is weighed with all other admissions factors that are important to a given college/university. For example, "first generation" status will mean little to a college adcom if the student's family has obvious financial assets. It is more typically considered as one flag for those who are disadvantaged in their socio-economic means.</p>
<p>Colleges understand that there may be fewer opportunities for many "first generation" students, and thus sometimes translating into a more challenging environment in which to gain education and matriculate to the next level. For these students, many of whom may be wage-earners for their families and whose parents may not even have a high school diploma, colleges will look at the student's ability to persevere despite the socio-economic hardships, obstacles and family mindsets. By "mindsets", I refer to some parents of "first generation" students who see no value in college and would prefer that their children enter the work force immediately after high school. Even if need-based financial aid is substantially offered, these parents may only reluctantly accede to their children attending college. What they see, through their filtering "lens", is that there will be a loss of immediate income necessary for the family as a whole to sustain themselves. Balancing these immediate priorities against the prospects of creating better future opportunites is a difficult choice and often results in tremendous angst for the student and the family. Sacrifices will be made if the student enters into college. However, if the student does not break what has likely been a multi-generation cycle, the family continues a circle of socio-economic defeat, perhaps even a continuing impoverished subsistence.</p>
<p>Almost all selective colleges have programs that aid first generation students, i.e., mentoring, tutoring, assigned faculty/counseling support, and special activities. These are meant to balance the "playing field" for students who arrive without having had the benefits many of their classmates may take for granted. My own sense is that this type of "first generation" student may not be spending much time on CC, because s/he has so many more personal and immediate exigencies to attend to, but this would be the type of "first generation" student that adcoms are seeking to prevent falling through the crack</p>
<p>Adam and EVe were the first generation. :>)</p>