Pros And Cons Of First-Generation College Students

In his essay, "College isn't for Everyone. Let's Stop Pretending It Is," Michael Petrilli uses the title of his article to clearly state the opinion that college is simply not for everyone. He supports this opinion on the statistically low college graduation rate of lower income students. He links this low rate of graduation to poor performance in high school, which leaves students unready for college upon completion of twelfth grade. On the job technical training is presented as a viable alternative to college, where a skill can be obtained to provide a career. This choice, he argues, is more likely to provide financial security and a bridge from poverty to middle class. He also recommends stricter Common Core standards in high school as a way to better prepare students for college. In conclusion, Petrilli suggests early education reform to assist in improving college preparedness as well as creating alternative paths to dependable careers for those who do not attend college. However, his assessment is full of negativism and uncertainties, and lacks factual evidence to support his views. By compartmentalizing a large portion of youth in our society today, and linking post high school

Recently, many have begun to attack and degrade higher education in the United States. In the book How College Works, authors Daniel Chambliss and Christopher Takacs claim, “As state support has eroded, and as more students attend college in an increasingly desperate attempt to find viable jobs, the price to students of attending an institution of higher education has gone up, especially at more selective institutions” (172). So is college even worth it? Caroline Bird’s excerpt from her book Case Against College “Where College Fails Us” is an adequately written article that agrees with those who question whether college is a good investment. Bird argues that although some students would benefit from college and succeed, many fall short, wasting

Education is widely regarded as a key factor in the economic and social development of a country. With the extremely rapid development of the society, in order to enhance their competitiveness, increasing young people choose to accept higher education. Yet, there are different attitudes about whether students should pay or not. Some people regard education as a basic right, which should therefore be provided free, while others think the individual student should have to shoulder some of the costs of his or her education. According to Matt Bruenig’s Dissent article “The Case Against Free College: Free college is paid for by the working class people who don 't attend”, Bruenig against the free college because it seems more fair and benefit to

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.

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.

In Chapter Seven: Lessons From My Year as a Freshman, Rebekah Nathan summarizes and answers questions on the knowledge she gained from becoming a freshman. The author begins the chapter with a cross-cultural conversation between professors and students. She discusses how professors are not aware of the students living conditions or the effort that goes into achieving a high GPA. Likewise, the students do not understand professor rank and advancement. Nathan also reflects on the time she spent as a student and gains a new perspective during course preparations. The writer continues the chapter with an analysis of student culture and conformity that she experienced during her field work. In the last section of the chapter, Nathan looks back

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.

College is one of the most significant times in a person’s life. Every year high school kids will visit many different colleges so that they can be confident in their college decision. Some kids will follow in their parent’s foot steps and base their decision on where their mom or dad went, though, not all kids are fortunate to have help from their parents. Many kids nowadays may be the first in their family to take on higher education. The article, “First Generation College Students: Unprepared and Behind” by Liz Riggs explains that kids who are the first in their family to take on college are at a disadvantage compared to kids with parents who attended college. First generation college students are ill prepared for college based off of statistical evidence, their parents, and financial struggles.

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 a first generation student to attend college from a family of seven, the journey to a higher education has been arduous and overwhelming. My family gives me all the encouragement I need and are very optimistic about pursuing a higher degree. Unlike myself, my parents did not have the opportunity to attend college. My parents were born and raised in a small town in Mexico where the highest level of education they received was fifth grade. I have worked since I was 14 years old to support my parents with bills, and also saving for college and my own vehicle. I have not had any interruptions during my education, because I was able to balance work, babysitting, studying, and attending class on time. Although I managed not having any interruptions

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.

“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

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.

Judging someone or making assumptions based on physical appearance can never determine the environment they were raised in. Just because someone is in college it should not suggest that their family members are college educated. There are many people at The University of Louisiana at Monroe that are considered first-generation individuals. As of 2010 the National Center of Education indicated that 30 percent of college freshmen are first generation college students. First generation students are fresh to the ideal of college and they need a mental support system during so because most of them are not equipped to deal with tough situations.

In the quote by Kevin Abdulraham it explains that if an individual can take any disadvantage whether it is psychical or mental and turn it into an advantage can make the drive in the individual unstoppable. Additionally, Banks-Santilli (2015) explains that students who are entering college feel that they are breaking the continuation of their family’s values (Para. 2). This feeling of betrayal can put an emotional toll on the student if they feel that their family does not support their decisions. Additionally, in “First-Generation Undergraduate Students and the Impacts of the First Year of College” Ryan Padgett (2012) explained that students whose parents went to college scored higher on cognitive and critical thinking test than a first generation college student (p. 259). The study finds that the student begins college at a disadvantage than their counterparts because with no prior knowledge of their new surroundings, causing longer time to adapt. In addition, Ryan Padgett (2012) found that first generation student seems to be more unprepared to interact with faculty upon entering college than students whose parents went to college (p.261). The disadvantage a first-generation student faces upon entering college is due to the lack of contact with individuals who fall outside their parent’s social