Universities nationwide have sought ways to support the retention of students on their campuses, particularly first-generation students. One such method is through summer bridge programs designed to offer academic and social support to new incoming students in the months before their first year begins. Christian institutions’ faith-based mission statements are integral to developing programming to support first-generation students, as the cultural habitus that emerges from the school’s Christian identity creates a unique cultural landscape that first-generation students navigate. This study is a phenomenological analysis of the experiences of six first-generation college students (FGCS) enrolled in a pilot bridge program on a Christian campus in the Pacific Northwest. The program was created to support the unique needs of FGCS by beginning with a summer orientation and a two-week course and program on campus. Students reported dynamics congruent with the literature on first-generation students, such as academic and financial challenges, mental and personal health issues, and for Latinx students in particular, difficulties navigating dual roles as a student and family member. Unique to our sample is how these challenges are embedded within a Christian college context: Feelings of belonging are inevitably intertwined with this identity, posing unique advantages and disadvantages to their retention. Overall, we argue that the Christian higher education environment is well positioned to enhance the high impact of the bridge programs for their students, although challenges remain.

This qualitative thematic analysis study examined the motivations of first-generation college graduate Hmong American students in their educational attainment. Currently, Hmong American students are facing cultural and institutional barriers which continue to impact access to and achievement in college. Although there is an educational disparity, for some within the Hmong American student community, there is resilience to overcome and graduate from institutions of higher education which is important to understand. Culturally Engaging Campus Environment Model underpinned the one-on-one in-depth interviews of purposively sampled first-generation college graduate Hmong American students who attended the University of California, Merced. The findings from the study highlighted ways family supports, role models, breaking culturally normed gender roles, Hmong Student Associations (HSAs), and intentional holistic campus supports are important motivational environmental factors in Hmong American students’ higher education journey.

First‐in‐family (FiF) university students—or first generation students—are recognised to have disadvantages and lack social and cultural capital compared with non‐FiF students. The challenges FiF students encounter at university are well understood, however, their journey begins while still in high school. We call this high school cohort prospective FiF (PFiF) students and young people whose parents never attended university. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of 10 high school educators from Melbourne, Australia about the barriers and supports PFiF students encounter as they navigate the path to university. Participants identified that family inexperience, unsupportive attitudes at home and at school, lack of financial capacity and invisibility represented barriers. However, participants also explained that PFiF students can be resilient and motivated, especially when combined with appropriate support from schools, family, and university programmes. The findings highlight the challenges for PFiF and bring much‐needed attention to their challenges and needs in the early transition to higher education.

Access to and success in higher education significantly impact occupational stability and mental wellness in the United States, with higher levels of education contributing to increased employability and wellness. Underrepresented first-generation, low-income (UFGLI) college students face particular challenges in attaining higher levels of education, which poses a problem of inequality in their pursuit of educational and career goals. This study investigated the influence of graduate school self-efficacy, self-efficacy for coping with barriers, and family influence on UFGLI students’ pursuit of graduate school. Only one subconstruct of graduate school self-efficacy (research self-efficacy) and family influences (family values) was found to be predictive of students’ pursuit of graduate school. We discuss these findings and provide recommendations for research and practice.

First-generation college students face many challenges transitioning into school. This research included details relating to the difficulties facing the scholars and how college educators can address the needs. Understanding the concerns of first-generation college students is critical for the implementation of comprehensive programs to provide support for first-generation students. Appropriate support is not being put in place, and the problem is college educators do not understand first-generation college students’ burdens. An insufficient exploration of the issues surrounding institutional structures within the higher education community to support this population represents a gap in the literature. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore the perspectives of the first-generation students and university representatives regarding the necessary interventions designed for learning. Research questions helped to identify the viewpoints of the scholars and set the foundation for all-inclusive plans. 26 participants were interviewed, 15 of whom were included in four small focus groups and 17 of whom participated in in-depth interviews. Program policy documents were reviewed as well. The analysis involved coding the information for themes and interpretations, which findings suggest providing a more collaborative system with comprehensive support for first-generation college students. Best practices for transformational changes were linked to maintaining sustainable relationships and integrating cultural competence for the learners.

It is essential to identify the challenges encountered by graduate students who play a significant role in the continuity of higher education during the thesis preparation phase. If students do not cope with the difficulties encountered at this stage, their education may have to end. This study aimed to determine the problems and obstacles encountered by graduate students in the field of social studies education during their thesis work. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 17 students pursuing a graduate degree in social studies education. The data of the study, which is a qualitative research, were analyzed with descriptive analysis and the identified difficulties were thematized. Additionally, the participants were asked to assess the level of difficulty associated with these challenges. Based on the findings, students expressed that they encountered challenges, such as determining the topic of study, selecting appropriate methods and techniques, establishing effective collaboration with their supervisors, encountering conventional obstacles, accessing necessary resources for their theses, gathering information, following university-related procedures, and getting stuck in formal processes in the field study. Given these obstacles, it is imperative for academic institutions and relevant organizations to take preventive measures. It is also crucial to conduct research to offer solutions to these difficulties. Just as highlighting the issues encountered by graduate students sheds light on their difficulties, a similar investigation of the experiences of doctoral students during the thesis preparation process can provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges within graduate education.

Objective: This study examines whether there are differences among first-generation and continuing-generation community college students in the importance they place on achieving college-related goals and difficulties they face from college- and other life-related challenges. Methods: Data were drawn from the Community College Libraries and Academic Support for Student Success student survey. Results: Results from MANCOVA show that, after adjusting for age, gender identity, U.S. birth status, and race/ethnicity, first-generation college students (FGCSs) place more importance on achieving college-related goals and face greater difficulties from college- and other life-related challenges than continuing-generation college students (CGCSs). Contributions: These findings indicate that community colleges should offer more support to FGCSs pertaining to students’ goals and challenges so that all community college students may be successful in their academic pursuits. Future research should explore interaction effects among student demographics and their goals and challenges as well as interventions to support community college students. This is because community colleges enroll the largest number of FGCSs compared to other institutions of higher education, and FGCSs and community college students share challenges when it comes to obtaining a college degree.

In recent years, research has brought attention to the heterogeneity of resources that first-generation students bring with them to higher education and the factors that assist in these students’ social and academic adjustment to university life. However, few studies have focused on how these students’ early socialization and experiences over the life course influence their adjustment experiences to university. Drawing on Bourdieu’s habitus concept to explore the life histories of first-generation students at a midranked Swedish university, we identify three types of adjustment profiles—Adjusters, Strangers, and Outsiders—and highlight five key factors over the life course that explain why they differ: family resources, early social environment, educational experiences and opportunities, peers, and partners. Our findings suggest that class-related adjustment challenges in college can be traced to different levels of cultural capital acquired during first-generation students’ early socialization but also to capital acquired through sustained contact with cultural capital–abundant social environments throughout their life course, resulting in subtle but consequential habitus adaptations. This study extends previous research in the field by exploring a broader set of social contexts that can spur first-generation students’ cultural capital acquisition before college and facilitate their adjustment to higher education.

Literature shows that undocumented students in the United States experience significant challenges to and through higher education. Only a few studies have uncovered the mechanisms that undocumented students use to persist in college; in particular, the role that family plays on their postsecondary success is understudied. In this qualitative study, I examine the role that family plays on undocumented students’ college aspirations and persistence. Findings from a sample of 16 undocumented students attending a four-year public university show that their families are the stimulus motivating them to pursue higher education, as well as the support system they can rely on to manage college barriers. However, the data also revealed that for a few participants, their families are a source of stress, resulting in additional challenges they must manage as they navigate higher education. I present these findings using participants’ vignettes and conclude with implications for higher education research and practice.

This article examines the pervasive difficulties experienced by first-generation students in their quest to attend postsecondary settings. A change in the profile of the undergraduate student body has changed dramatically with respect to first-generation students’ age, enrollment status, and family conditions. These students are likely to enter college with less academic preparation and have limited access to information about the college experience. Low-income, minority, first-generation students are especially likely to lack specific types of college knowledge, which includes knowing how to finance a college education and complete basic admissions requirements. For these students to be successful, it is imperative to understand the pervasive obstacles they may encounter. The article identifies the challenges that first-generation students experience and their perceptions regarding the postsecondary experience, and it concludes with recommendations for successful academic practices.