While some students’ eyes may glaze over when their parents recall their college days, these students have an advantage. First-generation college students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college face a unique set of challenges. Without guidance from a parent who experienced college, first-generation students are at a disadvantage.
According to a report by the Institute for Higher Education Policy, first-generation students who enroll in post secondary institutions have lower degree completion rates. While 56 percent of students whose parents have a bachelor’s degree attain a degree within five years of enrolling, only 44 percent of first-generation college students earn a degree.
