Welcoming Change - Sharif

8/6/2019 Welcoming Change - Sharif

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Welcoming

Change

Understanding and

Supporting First-

Generation

Students Transitionto College

Nadir Sharif


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Challenges in Transitioning to College ..................................................................................................................... 5Social Integration........................................................................................................................................................... 5

Academic Integration ................................................................................................................................................... 6

Solutions to these Challenges ........................................................................................................................................ 7

Limitations ............................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9


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ABSTRACT

In a 2007 report by Jobs for the Future, it was concluded that the United States has a very

long way to go to eliminate social disparities in degree production to meet the demand for

higher skills and knowledge and remain competitive internationally. Closing the gaps

between various historically disadvantaged groups would require that the bachelo rs andassociates degree production be increased by nearly 37 percent. The achievement of this

goal is not possible without catering for the special needs of first-generation students.

These students represent the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups that are currently

disadvantaged. The goals for the higher education system have been set, now it is time

for significant efforts to be made in understanding and solving the problems that are

faced by first-generation students. (Handel & Montoya)


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INTRODUCTION

First-generation entry is contested, paradoxical, and ambivalent. In

Foucauldian terms, it involves students working on themselves and

becoming disciplined bodies who will do what is expected of them and

want to do it, but will also evoke counter-memories and counter-narratives

which make this process far from straightforward.

(Thomas & Quinn, 2007)

Students with parents who do not have any higher education background spend less time

socializing with other students. They are also less likely to transfer to other institutions,

which is an important part of the pathway to a Bachelors Degree for many of them.

Their expectations from college are significantly different from those of their peers.

(Murphy & Hicks, 2006)

First-generation students, like other non-traditional students, often belong to low-income

families. Consequently, many first-generation students will begin their education at an

institution which they do not intend to be the last or final institution that will award them

a bachelors degree. Since the number of students who are first-generation and follow this

pathway to a degree is very large.

This paper will also make an attempt to identify and address issues related to students

who transfer from two-year institutions to four-year institutions to continue their

education. These discussions are important for the full appreciation of the challenges

faced by first-generation students, and are also relevant when discussing ways to

overcome these challenges. (Townsend & Wilson, 2008-2009)


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CHALLENGES IN TRANSITIONING TO COLLEGE

First-generation students face many challenges in their transition to college. Many of

these challenges are complex and multi-faceted. To better understand these challenges,

they have been broken down into two main categories: social and academic.

The scope of these challenges is large and requires state-wide or even national policies to

mitigate the effect that they have on first-generation students ability to succeed

academically in their lives. However, since this paper deals with the students who have

already made it to college, it will focus on the social and academic challenges that

students face once they have entered college. However, discussion of these challenges

beyond the boundaries of colleges and universities will be included where necessary.

It may also be noted that the complex nature of many of the challenges that students face

makes it difficult to always divide them within rigid categories. As a result, some of the

categorization in this paper may seem inappropriate.

SOCIAL INTEGRATION

Coming to college is a big decision for many first-generation students because of the

implications that it has for their social life. Students not only leave family and friends

from their high schools or two-year colleges behind, they also enter a realm where there

are few others like themselves.

The problem is further exacerbated by the need of many of these students to work for

long periods of time to support their education. Many live off-campus, especially if they

are attending a community college or are transferring to a four-year college from one.

These two factors put together deprive many students of the ability to engage in socialactivities with other students. It is not uncommon to find first-generation students social

lives restricted to small cliques. (Townsend & Wilson, 2008-2009)

First-generation students, typically from working class backgrounds, are faced with

another dilemma. Their social integration is complicated by the challenges they face in

articulating their individual identities whilst being measured against peer norms that are

representative of what first-generation students view as the elite and the privileged

student population.

Peer group cultures and relations have become crucial to young peoples sense of

identity, self-esteem, and security in a world where inherited social differences have beenerased. As a result, the relations between first-generation students and non-first-

generation students are typically connected to feelings of guilt, shame and resentment, as

well as envy, deference and pride. Such feelings only work to strengthen the fences

within which first-generation students find themselves confined. (Christie, 2009)

This is not the only manifestation of inter-class differences in the social lives of first-

generation students. Even before they come to college, students live in the fear of having


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to ever consider going back to where they came from. To them the decision to attend

college is a step toward something higher, something better. At the same time, however,

it is a step away from that which they see as their own. This fear creates a pressure on

students to succeed, a pressure that may in some cases result in students deciding not to

attend college, but one that is also a factor while these students are enrolled in college.

(Reay, David, & Ball, 2005)

ACADEMIC INTEGRATION

Prior to the discussion of academic integration, it is important that we establish what it

means to have achieved the same. According to Murphy and Hicks, academic integration

is the formal and informal interaction with the academic systems of the university,

including activities centered on classrooms and other learning spaces involving various

educators. (Murphy & Hicks, 2006)

It has been found that first-generation students are less prepared academically and are not

able to perform at the level that is expected of students in college and university. Theyare less likely to have taken college preparation exams, or courses that would have eased

their transition to college, like the Advanced Placement tests. The non-engagement of

first-generation, at-risk students in higher level courses, particularly in mathematics,

reduces students ability to cope with the academic requirements of college. (Choy, 2002)

Academic integration is also complicated by the differences in teaching and learning

styles that are promoted by colleges, which many first-generation students find it difficult

to adapt to. While this is also true for first-semester college students in general, the

problems are bigger for first-generation students for two reasons. The first is that the high

schools that they usually come from mostly cater to low-income students and this is

reflected in the quality of education that is provided by them. The second factor is that

many first-generation students use two-year community colleges as a low-cost entry point

to higher education. The academic integration in four-year colleges after the completion

of their two-year diplomas is even harder. (Townsend & Wilson, 2008-2009)


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SOLUTIONS TO THESE CHALLENGES

The satisfaction of students with their relationships with faculty is dependent on them

having a feeling that the faculty of the university are sensitive to their needs, interests,

and aspirations. The ease with which students can develop personal relationships with

faculty members on campus and the perception that these faculty members are goodinstructors help strengthen students resolve to persist and to succeed. The influence of

the level of satisfaction on the students achievement of academic integration, and the

influence of academic integration the students chances of success is very significant.

(Murphy & Hicks, 2006)

Student affairs professionals should use the findings summarize here, and the findings of

the research work and literature on which this paper is based, to help demystify the

college experience and dispel some of the misconceptions about college, and to assist

first-generation students in their integration into the college community. The first step

toward the achievement of this goal is the identification, and targeting, of first-generation

students as soon after matriculation as possible. Students in the target population shouldalso be encouraged to participate in intervention programs that promote social and

academic integration into the college community.

Recruitment officials should play their part by conducting programming that educates

first-generation students as well as their parents about the expectations that colleges have

about students academic characteristics. Such sessions, with the participation of faculty,

administrators, and peers, help validate the students and provide them with the push that

is needed for them to strive to realize their own intellectual potential. An effort should be

made through these sessions to match students with the colleges and universities that will

serve them best. It has been noted that first-generation students, just to prove that they are

capable, are likely to attempt to attend institutions for which they are not academicallyprepared. (Reay, David, & Ball, 2005)

Interest groups for first-generation students or non-traditional students in general can be

introduced to college campuses to help alleviate some of the social integration

challenges. These groups can play a social as well as academic role by developing a set

of knowledge and skills that are informed by other students experiences.

Orientation programs should include particular events and sessions that address the needs

of first-generation students in particular and non-traditional students in general. In order

to focus on the issues that are pertinent to the transition to college for these students,

these orientation sessions can be combines with the transfer students orientationprogram, allowing colleges to reduce their operational costs and enabling more efficient

use of collegepersonnels time. (Townsend & Wilson, 2008-2009)


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LIMITATIONS

The body of literature that addresses first-generation students in particular and compares

them with other groups of non-traditional students is limited. While the discussion of

first-generation students special needs in literature studying non-traditional students is

abundant, this does present some challenges in identifying needs that are particular tofirst-generation students. While this is an area that should be considered as a candidate

for further research, this need should not imply the lack of relevance of existing literature.

Throughout this paper, several international studies and reports have been cited. While

this may limit our ability to compare like with like, it does provide unique perspective

into the issues that are faced by first-generation student in the United States.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Assistance, T. A. (2008). Transition Matters: Community College to Bachelor's Degree.

Washington, DC: Department of Education.

Choy, S. (2002). Access and Persistence: Findings from 10 years of longitudinal

research on students. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.

Christie, H. (2009). Emotional Journeys: Young People ans Journey to University. British

Journal of Sociology of Education , 123-136.

Eimers, M. T., & Pike, G. R. (1997). Minority and Nonminority Adjustment to College:

Differences or Similarities.Research in Higher Education , 77-97.

Handel, S., & Montoya, J. (December 2008 - January 2009). Strengthening the Nation by

Narrowing the Gap. Community College Journal , 24-26.

Murphy, C. G., & Hicks, T. (2006). Academic Characteristics among First-Generationand Non-First-Generation College Students. College Quarterly .

Reay, D., David, M. E., & Ball, S. (2005). Degrees of Choice. Sterling, VA: Trentham

Books.

Thomas, L., & Quinn, J. (2007). First Generation Entry Into Higher Education: An

International Study. New York, NY: Open University Press.

Townsend, B. K., & Wilson, K. B. (2008-2009). The Academic and Social Integration of

Persisting Community College Transfer Students. College Student Retention , 405-423.

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