“She Went Above and Beyond”: How Comprehensive School Counseling Programs Benefit First-Generation College Students through Personalized Support

Abstract

This qualitative research study contains a focus on first-generation students’ perceptions of their school’s comprehensive school counseling program and their school counselor. Through a social capital theory lens, three themes emerged, (a) received school counselors’ emotional, motivational, and tailored support, (b) increased social capital through accessing school counselors’ knowledge & skills, and (c) benefited from varied modalities of structured support. Implications for school counselors and counselor educators to improve first- generation student outcomes are included.