What Do You Think Can Help First Generation Students Succeed in College?

Summary Response Essay

What do you think can help first generation students succeed in college? First generation students are whose parents didn’t attend college, and they are the first generation to attend college in their families. First generation college students are a mixed set of people from different background. In my experience as a first-generation college student, everything is a little bit harder. It seems as though everyone is counting on you. What do I think can help first generation college students (FGCS) succeed in college is In the article “Breaking Down Barriers: First-Generation College Student and College Success,” author Lauren Falcon completed her masters degree in counseling from Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College. Falcon discusses the challenges that first generation students face when they are getting ready for college and when they are in college. This article is about the obstacles that many first generations students face because they don’t have prior knowledge about how the college system works. Despite this fact that there are many first generation students that face many obstacles, but there are some students get through college successfully. Falcon was mostly effective in briefing the readers about the challenges the FGCS face and despite those challenges, FGCS can be successful.

To begin with, Falcon mentions many challenges that FGCS face. She explained many FGCS parents don’t know about the importance of tests that are taken in high school that places students into college classes. Some FGCS parents don’t want to discuss with their children about their plans for college (5-7). Falcon discusses that FGCS students don’t have any acknowledge about the school financial system because they are new to the college system. Many First generation college students can’t manage college and work at the same time, and they have to dropout from college due because they have to assist their family financially (8). Falcon says that families of FGCS think that college is for the rich kids and if their children want to go to college then they think that they are disrespecting them. According to the author FGCS parents don’t know what their children need to do to be successful in college (13). Some FGCS need to take remedial courses and their grades are lower than the other people in their school it leads to having low academic self-esteem (11). Many FGCS students don’t feel comfortable in the school environment because it is hard for them to adjust not only academically, but socially too (12). Falcon explained that race and ethnicity can have a effect on students educational life because more white students attended college than people with other ethnicity (9).

According to Falcon college readiness is one of the challenges in FGCS life, most first-generation students whose parents didn't go to college are a step behind then their high school classmates. Unlike first generation students, whose parents went to college have a lots of information and lots of stories about their college experiences to share with their children that can help them get ready for college. On the other hand, first generation college students don’t have that type of information is not available for them because their parents didn’t attend college in the United States. First generation students have lack of resources and knowledge about how they need to get ready for college, and due to that reason they face many challenges. Students that have prior knowledge from their parents about college and what they need to do to be successful tend to do better and are ready for college and students like first generation students that don’t have prior knowledge don’t know what they need to do to be ready for college are not ready for college and that is the reason why I agree with Falcon. The author mention about the financial challenges for the first generation college students have to face. When I decided to go to college I knew I had to find a way to pay for college because I am from a low income family, and I don't want to put burden on parents. Then, I found out that I can apply for FAFSA it can help money me pay for my college tuition. One of the most frustrating obstacles I had was filling out the FAFSA forms. My parents are not familiar with FAFSA