Class Action

Being or becoming a First Generation College Student (FGCS) can be extremely difficult.  Students often enter college with little knowledge about what to expect, how to adjust, and who to contact with questions.

Class Action’s First Generation College Student (FGCS) Committee organizes discussions among FGCSs on college campuses in order to stimulate dialogue and come up with solutions for the challenges commonly facing FGCSs.

Some online resources for first generation college students are offered below.

 

The biggest challenge that these kids have to face is, how do they balance what they see as their responsibility to help out at home now that they are young adults and, at the same time, follow their dream of going on to college?

- Mr. Arciniega, president of California State University at Bakersfield

Survey:

First Generation College Students Survey

Links:

ACT contains helpful advice for future FGCSs

Counseling website by the University of Illinois for current FGCSs

A website specifically catered towards FGCSs, and included an audio slideshow

Books:

Educational

The Little College Handbook: A First Generation’s Guide to Getting In and Staying In by Melissa Mellott;M.Ed.

First-Generation College Experience by Amy Baldwin

The First Generation Student Experience: Implications for Campus Practice, and Strategies for Improving Persistence and Success by Jeff Davis

First in the Family: Your College Years: Advice About College from First Generation Students by Kathleen Cushman

First in the Family: Your High School Years: Advice About College from First Generation Students by Kathleen Cushman

Real Life Stories of First Generation College Students

A Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League by Ron Suskind

Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams by Alfred Lubrano

Blogs:

A blog run by College Center, which is an initiative of Center for Student Opportunity

First Generation College Student stories from Faculty, Students, and Alums at California State University at Fresno

Scholarships:

Scholarships for current high school seniors

$1,000 Scholarship Opportunity from eCampusTours 

The Venture Scholars Program
“The Ventures Scholars Program is a national membership program designed to help underrepresented and first-generation college-bound students interested in pursuing math- and science-based careers link to information, resources, and opportunities that will help them successfully pursue their career goals.”

Programs:

National Programs listed by College Center

First Generation Students Speak Out:

The anger of a first-generation college student

Video:

Who We Are: First Generation College Students Speak Out

Profile of First-Generation College Students
This short video interviews 4 first-generation students at UC Berkeley

Nevada’s First Generation: A Documentary

Success Testimonies
Watch videos from several first-generation college students sharing their stories of success and making recommendations to legislators on how to reduce barriers for students in similar situations

FREE DVD: “How To Make It To College”
13 minute DVD includes the stories of 6 first-generation college students
For a free copy e-mail your mailing address to Info@firstinthefamily.org