First Generation College Students

Who I am is divided into two distinct sections: the shy, reliant child I was before Upward Bound and the confident, independent adult I have become. Upward Bound (UB) is a college preparatory program for low-income, first-generation college students, but its effects go much deeper than that. The workshops during the school year provide opportunities to meet college students in an informal setting where they can be honest about their college experiences. My first year I remember a girl telling me, “The first week I got to college I cried myself to sleep every night,” which was terrifying to hear. It made me dread the summer segment of UB, when I would stay on Ohio University’s campus in Athens for five weeks to take mock college classes. However, I still participated because I needed to know if I was capable of living away from home.

Throughout the years, it has become common to hear cases of students going into debt, and the number of college dropouts has been astounding as well. High school students looking to graduate encounter difficult decisions, and when making those decisions they need to look forward to hypothesize the outcome. America generally believes that a college degree is basically a requirement just for entering the working middle class. According to the essay “Should Everyone Go to College?” by Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill, higher education is not a great investment for every student. Owen and Sawhill may be right; college may not be a smart investment for every student because it is true

Out of all the possible reasons to drop out of college, “the No. 1 reason many young adults drop out of college is an inability to juggle school and work” (Johnson). Finishing college is the most decisive forecaster of prosperity in the workforce and the inconsistency in college completion between children of rich and poor families duplicated since the late 1980s (McGlynn 55). There is many people that go to college, but because of the cost they don't get through college.

It has taken many years for people in society to break out of the norms and expectations of how to grow up and live in the world. A huge factor in this “revolution”: attending college. Whether it is taking a gap year to discover the world and the waiting opportunities, or simply running with it all after high school to work, attending college isn’t considered a given anymore. Now not all cases are the same for every person, therefore they can only decide what is the best path for them after high school. Still, the benefits of a being a college graduate will never be diminished. Because in fact, that “gap year” could turn into two or even three years of sitting and deciding what to do in life. Or jumping right into working right after high school, leads to realizing there aren’t many jobs to provide and support oneself. Although many may continue to believe that attending college right after high school isn’t the right path for success, taking advantage of gaining a college education right away is essential for success in life because college broadens job and career opportunities and provides necessary experiences to thrive in the real world after school.

Author Charles Murry talks about those who are more likely to go to college and depending on the percentage scale who is more prepared for college and who is not prepared for college and when is the best time to teach kids core knowledge. Charles Murry states that,” Kindergarten through 8th grade re the years to teach the core knowledge, and the effort should get off to a running start in elementary school”(Murry, P.238). Murry also goes along to explain that based on the percentile you rank in determines your ability, academic and “college readiness”. Researchers have studied that if students score low on the S.A.T and have a low G.P.A they fall under the low percentile rate and they aren’t ready for

Many students out of high school take the next step in extending their education by attending college. At the same time, how they choose the right school is one of the most burdening decisions in the secondary education process. Before going to college, the student must start the process to figure out their interests and where it can take them. Once this has been determined, they can start the application process to colleges that will assure success. Unfortunately, many parents of young adults impose limitations to their choices. For example, a student might be forced to go their parent’s alma mater, or school they perceive as the best environment and curriculum for their child. They have the most control in where their child can go because they are the ones that will be providing the most financial assistance throughout college. What they can afford turns into what their child can afford. However, parents need to refrain

“The Privileges of The Parents” is written by Margaret A. Miller, a Curry School of Education professor at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. This woman was a project director for the Pew-sponsored National Forum on college level learning from 2002-2004. This forum assessed the skills and knowledge of college educated students in five states by a way that allowed the test givers to make state-by-state comparisons. Miller believes that “[a] college education has benefits that ripple down through the generations” and this has enabled her to work and speak on topics such as: college level learning and how to evaluate it, change in higher education, the public responsibilities of higher education, campus

In his article, “Are Too Many People Going to College?” Charles Murray argues that too many people are going to college universities when they should be focusing on other lifestyle options. In his opinion, whether or not to attend college is a personal decision that should be thoroughly thought through. When weighed with the unrealistic prerequisites, the financial expenses, and the time needed to obtain a degree, many people will find that attending college will not be beneficial to them. Speaking of this Murray attests, “The question here is not whether the traditional four-year residential college is fun or valuable as a place to grow up, but when it makes sense as a place to learn how to make a living. The answer is: in a sensible world

My mother and father have always wanted the best for me, like all good parents do. One of the many things that they expect from me is to receive a college education, something that they never had the chance to do. My parents always advise me to not to make the same mistakes as they did, to go to college so I can get a good job and not have to struggle in my life.

“College Is a Waste of Time and Money” written by Caaroline Bird introduces the topic to college and high school graduates; Caroline Bird’s claim is that she urges the reader to reconsider why it’s best not to attend college. Her premise is “college is a waste of time and money.” She explores her premise thru topics such as why students attend college?,cost of college, career preparation, material learned, job market outlook, estimates of students in college and financial return on school. Caroline Bird throughout the article uses interviews, statistics and personal real life stories of families, to demonstrate her claim. She uses a variety of ethos,pathos,logic, logical fallacies and assumptions. Also,

As a college student who is currently spending thousands of dollars to further my education and achieve a career goal, it was, at first, disheartening to read Caroline Bird’s essay “College is a Waste of Time and Money”. However, after thoroughly examining her points, I now see that her essay is illogical. In her piece “College is a Waste of Time and Money”, Caroline Bird argues against the idea that “college is the best place for all high-school graduates” (1); in other words, college isn’t for everyone. Throughout her writing, Bird supplies her readers with evidence that explains how, for some individuals, college is a waste of not only time and money, but of intellectual effort, as well. It wasn’t until after reading this piece several times that I began encountering flaws within her reasoning. Although I agree with Bird that college is a waste of all these for some students, I also believe that Bird does not provide strong enough evidence to persuade her readers into thinking this.

A rising issue in today’s society is deciding whether or not college is worth the cost. There is an extreme amount of pressure that is forced upon high school students by parents, teachers, and peers to further their education and attend college. However, there is research that challenges the thought that college is the best possible path for a person to take. College may be a great investment for some people, but it is not meant for everyone. This is supported by the arguments that colleges are expensive, jobs do not always require a college degree, and students are forced to choose a lifestyle before being exposed to the real world.

As I look back on my journey to college, I faced many different problems and disadvantages even before taking my first steps on campus. In Linda Banks-Santilli’s “Guilt is one of the biggest struggles first-generation college students face” many first generation students view being the first one in the family as a major flaw before entering college (Banks-Santilli, 2015, Par. 4 &7). The lack of self-respect makes it difficult for students to achieve success without help or motivation. The students have to change their viewpoint about being the first to go to college in their family as a weakness and make it a strength to help motivate them to be better students. At the beginning of college, I viewed being a first-generation college student

Many college graduates are currently unemployed, which has left many parents wondering, is college really worth it? Some parents believe that college prepares students for more than a job or career, and others don’t think it’s worth the cost. Recent studies have shown that new college students are losing ground on wages by the time they graduate, higher education is becoming a risky investment, and most students are better off developing their own “lower-risk” business. These studies have proved that college is not worth it in the long run.

Based on chapter one of “The Invisibility Factor” the author argues that as the number of first generation applicants attending colleges increase, institutions face public criticism about rising tuition cost and questions about accessibility for low income students. In December 2007, Harvard University announced that student loans would be replaced with grants for families earning less than $180,000 a year. As well as a program that ensures families earning less than $60,000 a year would likely pay nothing to attend Harvard. Even though first generation students are less likely to pay college tuition because of financial aid, tap, and other government assistances due to their low income in their family, they still face heavy academic stress upon them. Even though you get money from financial aid doesn’t mean college will