By Maria Geiger
Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
Reviewed by Bill Jack
Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.
Updated: June 20th, 2024
One of the first questions on the Common Application asks about the educational history of the applicant’s parents. This information, along with other information (such as income and/or Pell Grants), helps colleges and universities decide who is a first generation student.
In this post, we’ll explain who is considered first generation by whom, and how that determination might affect admission chances, financial awards, and overall college experience.
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If you are looking for scholarships, you can check out our top list of scholarships for first generation students!
To begin, let’s start at the federal level Higher Education Act of 1965 and 1998 defines first generation students as follows:
Seems clear enough, right? By this definition, the educational level of the parent(s) who lived with the student should be counted. Let’s look at the following example:
A student’s mother has a four-year degree, but the student was raised by their father without a degree. Therefore, they are technically considered first generation by the government.
Sounds straightforward? As far as federal guidelines, yes. However, individual colleges and universities use their own formulas to determine first generation status.
Some colleges/universities consider students first-generation only if :
Yet, other colleges/universities state that:
For example, at Marquette University, even if your grandparents graduated from Ivy League schools, but your parents did not graduate with four-year degrees, you would still be considered first generation.
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Who qualifies as a first-generation college student depends on who you ask. For example, the University of Texas at Austin defines a first-generation student as one whose “parent(s) or guardian(s) did not have the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree.” For starters, that definition can mean many different things depending on the definition of the word “opportunity.” What if the parent(s) voluntarily left college despite coming from many generations of college graduates? Meanwhile, California’s Community College system considers first-generation as a student whose “parents or guardians have never attended college or attained an associate degree or higher as reported by the student at any college.” As you can see, there is no clear definition of the term “first-generation” despite the extensive use of the term.
Recognizing that first generation students may be at a disadvantage compared to their peers, universities take steps to provide extra support. These three advantages include:
In addition to academic and social campus support, some colleges are more financially friendly to first generation students. This includes:
Being first-generation, students may feel that they are at a disadvantage when navigating the campus experience. Some colleges and universities offer special programs for first generation students that help them:
For example, Princeton University offers the “Scholars Institute Fellows Program” for low-income first generation students. This program offers a support network of faculty, staff, and students who mentor and offer academic enrichment and support.
Whether you are a first generation student or not, all financial aid starts with the FAFSA, so fill out yours ASAP! Each year, only 65% of high school seniors complete the FAFSA, with first-generation and low-income students less likely to do so.
Remember, when evaluating your applications, the main criteria for evaluations will be your academic performance, essays, recommendations, and extracurricular activities. As we have seen, whether or not you are declared a first generation student or not by the admissions team can be arbitrary.
Truthfully informing colleges/universities of your family educational history will only help you. If you are a high achieving student who did not benefit from the guidance of college educated family members, it is only going to make you look all the more impressive to also be first generation.
According to the Education Act, first-generation college students are defined as individuals whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree. If your grandparents went to college, but your parents did not, you are a first-generation college student, as your immediate parents did not obtain a college degree. However, higher education institutes often have their own definition of what makes a student “first generation” so always confirm.
“First generation” typically refers to students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college. It usually means that neither parent earned a college degree. However, definitions vary by institution, so always check with the colleges or universities you plan to apply to if in doubt.
Yes! Some scholarships are offered specifically for first-generation students. Two well-known first generation scholarships are the Coca-Cola Scholarship and the Gates Millennium Scholars Program .
