Starting a college career is a difficulty all University students must overcome. But for first-generation college students, the difficulties are often greater. “I didn’t want to be like everyone else in my family,” said Chelsey Dusang, architecture and computer science freshman who is the first in her family to attend college. “I didn’t want to struggle. I wanted to be somebody. I didn’t want to end up working at some fast food restaurant just barely getting by.” Just applying to the University was overwhelming for Dusang. “[My parents] didn’t really know what to do,” she said. “I basically did it all on my own, trying to figure it out.” Susan Dumais, assistant sociology professor, wrote a research paper about factors that specifically affect first-generation students. Dumais said students who have had family members attend college have an advantage in all areas of collegiate life and education. “For somebody who is the first generation, they might go to the library and check out a guide to colleges,” Dumais said. “Whereas somebody from a non first-generation background has been told from age 4, ‘You’re going to go to college.’ And it’s an assumption in their daily life.” Dusang said while applying for college she often sought help from friends’ parents who had attended college. “They have someone who has already done it,” Dusang said, “so they basically can show them exactly what to do, instead of having to do all this on your own.” Deborah Hollier, director of student support services, was a first-generation college student who received no help from her family. “It wasn’t because they didn’t want to, but because they didn’t know how to,” Hollier said. “And that’s pretty much standard.” Hollier said there is no way of knowing exactly how many first-generation students attend the University. She said the University will begin asking on next year’s admission applications if a student is the first in his or her family to attend college. Hollier said in 2004 her office compiled data from financial aid information and was able to conservatively report one quarter of the University’s undergraduates were first-generation students. Hollier said she believes this number to, in reality, be higher. “Only 20 to 25 percent of [people age] 25 and above in the state have a college education, so that means most people are going to be first generation in our state,” Hollier said. According to a 2005 report published by the National Center for Education Statistics, 43 percent of first-generation college students who entered post-secondary education between 1992 and 2000 left without a degree. Twenty-four percent of the students graduated with a bachelor’s degree. In the same time period, 68 percent of students whose parents were college graduates had completed a bachelor’s degree, while only 20 percent did not graduate. The report states first-generation students nationally have lower grade point averages than their counterparts – 2.5 versus 2.8, respectively. The report found first-generation students are more likely to complete fewer credits, earn lower grades, need additional assistance and have to repeat courses. Hollier said first-generation students may find additional resources through Student Support Services, a federally funded program at the University for first-generation, low income and disabled students. Hollier said first-generation students can find tutors, counselors and reserved computer labs through her department. At the beginning of each semester, her department reserves seats in classes for these students so they can form a bond with one another. “My biggest fear is that people are always going to take this program to mean these students shouldn’t really be at LSU because they need other help,” Hollier said. “The reality is the students in our program have to be regularly admitted before they can be served. Our students are no different from other students as far as their eligibility to be here.” Instead, Hollier said it is the differences in culture and experiences that create for them the gap. Both Dumais and Hollier said first-generation students attend college because they are driven individuals. Some first-generation students at the University agree. Jackie Wisniewski, finance sophomore and first-generation student, said she realized she needed to attend college after talking to her father, who started working full time in a factory at age 16 and gradually worked his way into a management. “I think my dad lived the American dream,” Wisniewski said. “But he acknowledges it would have been so much easier if he had gone to college.” Hollier said students sometimes fear their family members will be envious or assume they think they are better than their family because they attend college. Wisniewski said this is not the case with her family. “[My parents] were really supportive,” Wisniewski said. “And my mom always made a point that I go to college after high school, despite not going to college [herself].” Dusang said she has not faced negative feelings from her family either. “They are excited,” Dusang said. “They can’t believe it. They’re so shocked when I say, ‘Yeah, I’m still at LSU.'” Wisniewski said the importance of having a degree motivates her to stay in college. “In this day and age you need a degree to succeed,” Wisniewski said. “A lot of people take [their education] for granted. They don’t have that same sense of urgency or drive that I have being a first-generation college student. I’m doing what I think every generation tries to do – go beyond that of the previous generation.”
—-Contact Nicholas Persac at [email protected]