What is first-generation

[Celita]

<p>According to the top ivies and universities, would one parent going to college BUT NOT finishing or graduate make the child first generation?</p>

[brassmonkey]

<p>No, for first generation, neither parent (or grandparent, etc.) would have been affiliated with any college at any time, for any reason.</p>

<p>If you are the first in your family to “go to college”. Not graduate from, not attend, “go to”.</p>

[Celita]

<p>So even if the parent didn’t get any benefits from going to college (going for a few years, never graduating, never getting a degree) then their child wouldn’t be considered first-generation?</p>

<p>I wonder why I thought this before then.</p>

[TritiumKnight]

<p>Does Vocational School count as college? or a Community College?</p>

[Celita]

<p>and also, in the common app, under the parents section, it says “College (if any)”. Presumably, we have to enter the name of the college. But if I do enter the name of the college, wouldn’t that be misleading, since the parent did NOT graduate from the college? So what would I put in that line(s)?</p>

<p>EDIT: TritiumKnight, I also have the same question, since the parent in question didn’t finish community college.</p>

[rence]

<p>You seem like you’d really like to reap whatever benefits may come with being first generation, but I really do not think your situation would count if your parents at <em>anytime</em> did attend.</p>

[TritiumKnight]

<p>Lol…yea…I’m in the same boat…Sorry if I’m sort of hijacking your thread…</p>

<p>Edit: Cittcatt91…I think Beauty school is part of my vocational school…</p>

[cittcatt91]

<p>Does beauty school count because thats all my mother did. She works at a beauty salon. And my dad only went to college for an year and a half. otherwise i would be the first to attend college and finish it.</p>

[Celita]

<p>I want to be completely sure how I should fill out the application and how it will be viewed. It seems there are different definitions around, and I would like to know what is accepted at those universities.</p>

<p>

“The term first-generation college student has been defined in a variety of ways. … it was used to describe a college or university student from a family where no parent or guardian has earned a baccalaureate degree (Choy, 2001). The term second-generation student is used to refer to students whose parents or guardians earned at least one baccalaureate degree.” (Choy, S. (2001) U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Students whose parents did not go to college: Postsecondary access, persistence, and attainment. Washington, DC: National Center for Educational Statistics.)

</p>

<p>

The federal regulation definition of first-generation is in Sec.402B(6)g1(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (<a href=“http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/PPI/Reauthor/index.html)%5B/url%5D”>http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/PPI/Reauthor/index.html)</a>. It says:</p>

<pre><code>* (A) an individual both of whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate degree; or

• (B) in the case of any individual who regularly resided with and received support from only one parent, an individual whose only such parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree.
  </code></pre>

<p>

</p>

<p>

In some instances, the definition of a First Generation College Student has been expanded. The expanded
definition includes students whose parents do not have a bachelor’s degree (but had either some college or had
obtained a two-year college degree). The percentage of students who would be considered First Generation
College Students according to this expanded definition is shown in the table above. (<a href=“http://www.lavc.edu/research/News/FirstGenMar04.pdf[/url]”>http://www.lavc.edu/research/News/FirstGenMar04.pdf&lt;/a&gt;)

</p>

<p>What do I believe? And how do I fill out the common app? Would it be worth emailing the colleges I’m interested in and asking them?</p>

[TritiumKnight]

<p>I guess that works.</p>

[schoolschool111]

<p>In general, it just means that neither of your parents have graduated from college. It gives you a lot of advantage at state schools.</p>