I was a bit confused about the definition of first generation students at Harvey Mudd. On their website they say and I quote, “first-generation college-bound students (meaning their parents did not earn a bachelor’s degree in the United States) with an academic need for the program.” While other colleges say that a first generation student is someone whose parents have not studied anywhere, not only America. Is this an exception for Harvey Mudd or an error?
Your quote is not from the admissions page but rather from the Upward Bound program page. This program is a national program. It is an outreach to HS students to help them with academics so they might aspire to attend college. Tutors and mentors from the 5C schools staff the program.
My point is using that definition is how Upward Bound defines it, not necessarily how Mudd admissions staff (a completely different organization) defines it. That said, I’m actually not sure how Mudd admissions does define it.