ABSTRACT
First-gen college students do not have the same opportunity to learn from their parents because the concept of college can be foreign to someone who has never attended. First-gen students are at greater risk of dropping out due to the many challenges they face. This chapter shows that being a first-gen is a tough road. Institutions of higher education who accept first-gens onto their campus must accept the challenge to successfully integrate first-gens into the campus culture and guide them through to graduation. On many college campuses, new students are left to make their own way through the maze upon their arrival. Because social interactions are the primary vehicle through which students become integrated, students must establish contact with other members of the college, especially faculty and other students.
