First-in-their-family students at university: Can non-cognitive skills compensate for social origin?

Abstract

We study the role of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in the university readiness and performance of first-in-family students (FIFS) using nationally representative survey data and linked survey-administrative data on an incoming student cohort at an elite Australian university. In both data sets, we find that FIFS enter university with lower levels of cognitive skills than non-FIFS but with similar levels of non-cognitive skills. The only exception is that male FIFS report lower levels of Openness to Experience. FIFS at the elite institution have lower grade-point averages and are more likely to drop out after Year 1 than non-FIFS, a finding driven by females. The higher risk of dropout is not observed in the broader Australian tertiary education context, suggesting that female FIFS struggle at this elite university. Gaps in cognitive skills are the dominant channel through which FIFS experience achievement penalties, while non-cognitive skills play no role. However, very low levels of Conscientiousness exacerbate the achievement penalties due to social origin.